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-- Constipation in Dogs
If you’ve ever been constipated, you have some idea how painful and uncomfortable it can be. Your dog suffers in the same manner if he becomes constipated. Why does a dog get constipated and what can we do about it?
Any dog can become constipated although it’s seen more often in senior dogs or in dogs that are fed a poor diet. If a dog remains constipated more than a day or appears in obvious distress or pain, please take him directly to your veterinarian. As long as he is not in obvious pain and distress, there are things you can do to give him some relief, as well as knowing how to prevent it from occurring again.
So what are the signs of constipation in dogs?
If your dog is passing particularly hard stools or is having some difficulty in passing stools, these are obvious signs of constipation. Going for long periods without moving his stools is another sign -- dogs should pass stools more than once each day. Restlessness, abdominal pain or discomfort, and sometimes loss of appetite are other signs.
What are the causes of canine constipation?
Most often the cause is dietary, though it can also be insufficient water, lack of physical activity, from certain pharmaceuticals, or underlying medical problems.
Giving relief
Remember not to allow your dog to suffer unnecessarily. If he is in obvious discomfort and pain, please take him to your vet without delay. If it’s not a serious case of constipation, here are a few things you can do.
If you have some mineral oil or fish oil (not cod liver oil), according to a couple of books on natural dog care, the oral dosage would be: ½ tsp for small breeds twice/day; 1 tsp. for medium breeds twice/day; 2 tsp. for large breeds twice/day. Once the stool is passed, discontinue the oil if using mineral oil -- fish oil and salmon oil supply Omega 3 for your dog.
Encourage him to drink by offering some UNSALTED beef or chicken broth (boil up a piece of meat is the easiest). Another way of encouraging him to drink a little extra is to beat a raw egg with a fork and add an equal amount of fresh water.
Take him for a gentle walk and let him go at his own pace. If he wants to run, let him.
Preventing Constipation in Your Dog
Physical Activity is essential for maintaining the health of the colon on a daily basis. All dogs, regardless of size and age, should be getting out a few times each day to run, play and go for walks/runs, no matter what the weather. Exercise keeps all the organs healthy.
Water. Clean, fresh water should be readily available at all times. If you feed kibble (which I don’t recommend), it absorbs all the digestive fluids rendering them useless. So, don’t free-feed and when you set down the kibble, add liquid to it so it’s the consistency of stew or soup. Suitable liquids to add would be lukewarm water and/or UNSALTED broth from meat or vegetables. If you make homemade soup you could add this to the dry food.
Dietary Considerations
If you prefer to feed a commercial diet, switching from dry to a variety of canned foods would be a much better choice plus it is much easier on your dog’s digestive system.
Ideally, introduce fresh foods to your dog’s diet (meat, organs, eggs, drained sardines, small amount of vegetables, for example).
If you feed a raw, species-appropriate diet and your dog gets constipated, it’s a sign you’re feeding too much bone so cut back on the amount of bone in the diet.
In summary, to prevent constipation in your dog, be sure the diet has sufficient fluid and fresh foods; reduce or eliminate dry commercial food; ensure that your dog receives ample daily exercise and fresh clean water; and not too much bone.
I highly recommend the book by Dr Richard Pitcairn, DVM Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. It provides details on this same information plus other information all pet owners should know and follow: everything from proper food and feeding, exercise needs, a huge section on dog/cat health problems (and what to do at home), and an first aid section.
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Copyright © 2007 Diane M. Schuller. All Rights Reserved.
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