Pooping is important. It’s how the body keeps the digestive tract clean and empties wastes and toxins from food after all nutrition is absorbed. But if your doggy won’t go poop, that’s a problem. You’re not alone if you’re asking, “What to give your dog for constipation,” and luckily, you’ve come to the right place!
What is it like when my dog is constipated?
Well, to be honest, not much. Canine constipation is a condition where your dog can’t (or won’t) poop. It can even be if he struggles to poop and interestingly, your doggy may be constipated if his fecal matter is hard and rock-like. These are common dog constipation symptoms.
It’s true; your dog can be constipated even if he does poop because dog’s constipation has a lot to do with the consistency of poop as well. If your dog’s poop is hard or rock-like as it exits, he is probably constipated. If he struggles to poop or can’t / won’t go, he’s constipated.
Why is my dog constipated?
There could be lots of reasons your pet is constipated, from dehydration, stress and lack of exercise, to low quality dog food. A typical dog will poop as many times as he eats. Some dogs will have smaller poops throughout the day, and that’s normal too.
But, a dog who is struggling with pooping or is not having regular bowel movements, is probably a constipated dog.
The most common causes of dog constipation are dehydration and too little fiber in his diet.
There are plenty of other reasons your pet is constipated, of course. He may be dealing with the effects of medicine, such as narcotic pain relievers, or some sort of bowel obstruction or his anal sacs could be swollen. Your furry friend may have other issues internally that are preventing him from pooping (medical interventions, intestinal obstructions, digestive tract tumors, constipation). Even matted hair around your dog’s anus can lead to constipation and might require a professional groomer remove the matted fur.
But overwhelmingly, the biggest reasons dogs have regular constipation are that they’re not getting enough water or (too little or too much) fiber in their diets. Dogs should drink about an ounce of fluid per pound of body weight A DAY to keep well-hydrated. If your dog’s water intake is insufficient and he doesn’t have a well balanced diet, he might have infrequent bowel movements. If this situation lasts for several weeks or longer, your pet is likely to suffer from chronic constipation.
How can I tell if my dog is constipated?
Most dog pawrents can tell pretty easily if their dog is constipated because they just won’t go poop. If you realize your dog has missed a bowel movement, you can safely assume he’s constipated and you’re asking, “What to give my dog to relieve constipation?” Should I try to give him a stool softener, dietary fiber supplements, oral laxatives or other home remedies like olive oil?
But, if you’re seeing him struggle, even if he poops, he’s likely constipated and that probably gives your dog significant discomfort. There’s a reason those swirly poop emojis are swirly and smiling. Pooping shouldn’t be a struggle for dogs, and the output shouldn’t be like rocks. More importantly, if your dog isn’t pooping regularly or with a healthy consistency (he has dry stools), it’s a good sign there’s something not right in his gut. This can also be a sign that he’s not absorbing all he should from the food you’re feeding. Perhaps it’s time to make some changes into your dog’s diet.
If you fed table scraps or canned pumpkin (pumpkin pie filling) to your furry friend, stop doing that immediately as your dog may not be able to properly digest food that we eat. Most dogs love home-cooked food, but making homemade pet meals is not the same as cooking a meal for yourself or your human family members. If you have a picky dog, you may need to use multiple recipes so you can change your dog’s food periodically and keep him interested.
If your dog usually eats dry food, have them try dog canned food for a change. Wet food contains moisture, which can help treat constipation. Dry food may not always be ideal for your dog’s health and switching to canned food may make your dog feel better.
If nothing works for your pup, opt for stool softeners which work by increasing the amount of fresh water and fat your poop absorbs. This makes the stool softer and easier to pass.
What to give constipated dogs for a healthy digestion?
Luckily, that’s just what we specialize in!
The whole meaning behind the name Bernie’s Perfect Poop was because that’s what we strive for! We created Perfect Poop to make sure our own dogs, Bernie and Lady, had the perfect poop because we know that poop tells a lot about your pup.
Poop tells about your dog’s gut health and his overall health too. A healthy dog’s digestive system will fuel all of his body with nutrition and help him get rid of wastes and toxins in his body. When his microbiome is healthy, he’ll be able to break food down for optimal nutrient absorption and build flourishing colonies of helpful bacteria in their guts.
That’s the key to perfect pooping, and the mentality behind Perfect Poop’s ingredients.
We combined a premium fiber that ensures he has just the right amount of water flowing through the dog’s digestive tract to keep his gut flowing like it should, and it also fuels the pre- and probiotics in his gut to help them become the dominating forces.
A balanced microbiome that is happily full of helpful bacteria (probiotics) is one that’s able to fight off blockages and harmful bacteria overgrowth in your dog’s colon that often causes chronic or mild constipation (and other GI issues).
We add pre- and probiotics to Perfect Poop as well as digestive enzymes to increase nutrient absorption and help strengthen overall gut health and immunity.
But the best byproduct is some pretty perfect poop, if we say so ourselves.
If you’re wondering what to give your dog for constipation, we’ve made the answer really easy and delicious.
Bernie’s Perfect Poop can help keep your best fur friend regular and make those poops slide on out with ease. And you can be proud of yourself for helping build the best dog gut on the block in the process.
