What to do if Your Dog is Constipated – 8 Pics

Constipation is one of the most common issues seen by veterinarians and in the animal welfare field. If you’re wondering whether your dog is constipated, it often involves stools that are very hard and dry and you may notice your dog visibly straining to use the washroom. If this sounds like your dog and you’re wondering what your next steps should be, TheDogPaws.com has you covered. Below, you can read about your next steps when you have a constipated dog.

Causes

To determine how to help your dog (as your pet can help you), you’ll want to first figure out how the constipation was caused in the first place. Here are some of the causes associated with constipation.

Look at Diet

One of the most common reasons for constipation is having too little or too much fibre. If you’re changed your dog’s diet recently, you may want to consider whether this could be the source of your dog’s constipation and if so, you may want to consider changing your dog’s food.

Exercise

Exercise helps to loosen your dog’s intestines and when your dog goes too long without exercising, it can experience tighter bowels, which makes it harder to pass stool.

Dehydration

Much like for humans, hydration helps significantly for those looking to pass stool. If you’re worried about your dog’s constipation and think it might be connected to dehydration, you may want to consider filling the water bowl right away. You can also discuss this with a veterinarian. Because this cause can be associated with another illness or disease, you may want to make an appointment with your vet as quickly as possible.

Consider the Vet

If diet isn’t the source of your dog’s constipation and you’re unsure as to what the cause could be, it may be a good idea to bring your dog to the vet. This is especially true if you notice that your dog is experiencing excessive discomfort when trying to use the washroom. Your veterinarian may provide your dog with any of the following to treat constipation:

• Laxatives to make it easier to pass stool,
• Medication that will strengthen the intestine,
• A prescribed diet that is higher in fiber than your dog’s current diet,
• An enema.

Please note that you should make sure to have this administered by a professional and that your veterinarian will be the one to determine whether this is necessary.

What if You Don’t Treat it?

If you don’t manage your dog’s constipation, the issue can worsen. Your dog may lose the ability to empty its bowels, which will lead to health complications like pain, loss of appetite, and vomiting in more extreme cases.

Final Thoughts

Constipation can cause severe discomfort and pain for your dog. If you notice that your dog is experiencing difficulty when trying to go to the bathroom, you’ll want to get to the root of it right away. If you have any questions that we haven’t answered thus far, contact us today!

Author: Casper Jacobsen

All pictures are from our FB page Animal’s Look.