Dog Health Questions: Constipation

When a dog has no bowel movements for a day, the dog's owner might hardly notice; but after several days, the situation could get worrisome to the pet owner. Indeed, there may be some serious causes of constipation in dogs; however, most of the time, a dog will be usually regular again after two days. To stop constipation from happening in the future, though, concerned owners may have a variety of questions as to why things stopped moving in the first place.

  1. Types

    • There is a difference between a bout of constipation and a case of obstipation. A constipated dog will produce stools, but they are dry, very firm, infrequent and hard to expel. A dog instead affected by obstipation will produce absolutely no stools, either because of a mechanical blockage or an anatomical defect.

    Causes

    • Many of the causes of constipation in dogs are similar to in humans: Lack of fiber in the diet, lack of exercise, old age, stress and reduced water intake are some common triggers. On a more serious note, bowel obstructions, rectal abscesses, rectal tumors, damaged nerves and medication side effects can be further culprits.

    Treatment

    • According to Vetinfo4dogs, constipation (mild cases only) can be treated by feeding the dog plain pumpkin (not the pie filling) at a dose of 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon depending on the dog's size. It can be added to the food until the stools are firm. Alternatively, a bit of bran or a little milk may be helpful.

    Considerations

    • If a dog is not having a bowel movement after surgery, most likely, it is simply because the dog has been fasted the night prior to surgery, then nothing was given by mouth the day of the surgery--therefore there is simply not much to expel. Once they are pain-free and start eating regularly, most dogs will become regular again.

    Warnings

    • Signs that suggest a potentially serious condition are loss of appetite, vomiting, the appearance of being in pain or having a tender abdomen, bloody stools, dehydration and lethargy. These symptoms need immediate veterinary attention.