Figuring out if your dog is constipated can be a confusing process. Since your dog doesn’t speak your language they produce specific signs and symptoms that let you know there’s a problem. Recognizing the signs and knowing how to help your dog relieve their constipation is essential to maintaining a healthy digestive system.
What Is Constipation in Dogs?
Constipation is when your dog has difficulty processing food and eliminating it regularly. If your dog doesn’t digest and eliminate food properly it gets trapped in the body causing discomfort and sickness. Many canine constipation cases are temporary and easy to resolve while other cases are severe. Your dog’s digestive system is sensitive and one small issue can cause the digestive system to malfunction.
Signs of Constipation in Dogs
Dogs will show the following signs when they are constipated:
- Lack of appetite
- Vomiting
- Dragging their butt across the floor
- Squatting to relieve themselves but nothing comes out
- More than two days pass without a bowel movement
- Lack of energy
- The appearance of mucus in the stool
- Straining to defecate
- Hard stool
- Dry stool
- Crying
- Whimpering
- Shaky legs when trying to go to the bathroom
What Causes Constipation in Dogs?
The following list includes issues that can lead to your dog experiencing constipation:
- Colon disease
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Behavioral issues
- Prescription drugs
- Intestinal obstruction
- Consuming small objects such as toys
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hypothyroidism
- Pelvic abnormalities
- Pelvic injuries
- Sudden change in diet
- Consuming new foods
- Tumors or growths in the colon or rectum
- Enlarged colon
- Neurological diseases
- Lack of physical activity
- Osteoarthritis
How Is Constipation in Dogs Diagnosed?
As a dog owner, you are aware of your pet’s bathroom schedule as well as the texture of their feces. Temporary constipation is usually due to obvious reasons such as a change in diet or consuming a new type of food. This diagnosis is easy to make because you are aware of the dietary changes. However, all dogs need to visit the veterinarian to determine the exact cause of constipation to rule out any serious conditions.
The veterinarian will discuss your dog’s eating habits, medical history and they will conduct a physical examination to determine the cause. Common tests performed at the veterinarian office include x-rays, blood tests, and an ultrasound. The combination of these tests will provide a clear picture of the main cause of constipation.
How Is Constipation in Dogs Treated?
Once the veterinarian determines the cause of constipation they create a course of action to fix the problem. A variety of things can be done such as loosening the stool, removing the impacted stool, suppositories, enemas, prescription medication such as dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate or lactulose will be offered.
One of the main treatment options that are recommended by a veterinarian is dietary management. A healthy diet involves providing your pet with dog food that contains vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber.
Regular exercise and an all-natural supplement such as Bernie’s Perfect Poop are also recommended on a regular basis. Supplements such as Bernie’s include fiber, prebiotics, probiotics and enzymes which are essential ingredients for maintaining gut health and can help get things moving: Increasing the amount of fiber in a dog’s diet may help relieve constipation. The Miscanthus grass, flaxseed, and dried pumpkin fibers in Bernie’s Perfect Poop provide a great combination of both soluble and insoluble fiber. This high-fiber combination can naturally help to prevent and relieve constipation issues by balancing out the digestive tract microbiome (bacteria).
A combination of a healthy diet, exercise, and an all-natural supplement is recommended by professionals to help your dog improve and maintain their digestive health.
