Home

>

Dog

>

Health & Wellbeing

>

Constipation in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment

Constipation in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment

Constipation

Image placeholder
Updated on September 26, 2024

SUMMARY OF CONTENT

Constipation in dogs occurs when a dog has infrequent, incomplete, or difficult defecation with passage of hard and dry feces.

SEVERITY:

Severity is mild.
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Diagnosis can be made at home based on physical symptoms or by a veterinarian.
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves after medical treatment of the underlying cause.
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian and the pet parent depending on underlying cause.
  • Prevention Icon
    It’s important to make sure your dog is fed a high quality dog food, has access to fresh water, and is taken out to defecate on a regular bases
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not possible to other animals or humans.
  • Lab Icon
    Physical exam and pet parent observation, but sometimes diagnosing the cause requires multiple tests

VERY COMMON IN

Dogs of any age or breed can become constipated. Especially in animals not receiving a regular and reliable diet.

Symptoms & Signs

The dog will appear to strain as they try to pass feces, and they will either pass nothing or hard and dry stool. The dog may cry out in pain as they try to pass feces, and there may be blood seen along with the hard and dry stool.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing constipation itself is straightforward, as it is based on clinical symptoms, but tests may need to be done to diagnosis the cause of the constipation. These tests include a physical exam, abdominal palpation, rectal exam, blood tests, urinalysis, barium study, neurological exam, x-rays, ultrasound, and semen test in intact male dogs. A barium study involves giving a dog food mixed with barium sulfate and tracking the progress of the barium through the intestinal tract using x-rays. The semen test in intact male dogs examines the prostate fluid in the sample to identify problems with the prostate gland.

Causation

In intact male dogs, a cause of constipation can be an enlarged prostate. The prostate can become enlarged due to infection, cancer, or inflammation. As the prostate grows larger, it presses down on the colon, preventing feces from passing normally. Dogs can also become constipated from ingesting foreign objects such as hair or carpet fibers, pain that makes it difficult to posture to defecate, certain medications, anal sac impaction, neurological problems, too little fiber in the diet, too much fiber in the diet, lack of exercise, or gastrointestinal tumors. Dehydration can also be a cause of constipation. As feces pass through the colon, water is normally reabsorbed via the colon. When a dog is dehydrated, the colon absorbs more water, leading to dry feces and causing constipation. Neurological problems can include injury to the spinal cord or the nerves leading from the spinal cord to the intestines. Exercise helps stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, and not having enough exercise daily can prevent a dog from passing feces normally.

Treatments

icon

AT-HOME CARE

At-home care should focus on attempting to maintain adequate hydration and increasing the fiber content of the food. The pet parent can try adding a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) to a dog’s food at each meal. Canned dog food will add moisture to a dog’s diet, and it may help with constipation. Taking a dog for a walk may stimulate them to pass feces as well.
icon

SUPPORTIVE CARE

In some instances, hospitalization may be necessary to aggressively rehydrate the patient with intravenous fluids, but this is rare.
icon

MEDICATIONS

Stool softeners, such as lactulose, may be used in cases of long term constipation. Lactulose draws water into the colon and makes the stool easier to pass. Laxatives should never be used in dogs. When the dog is unable to pass feces on its own, enemas may be used, however enemas should always be administered by a veterinarian.
icon

DEVICES

None
icon

SURGERY

If the constipation is caused by a large intestinal or colonic tumor, surgical removal of the tumor may be necessary. If it is determined that the prostate is enlarged due to benign prostatic hypertrophy, neutering should be considered, as removal of the source of testosterone (i.e., the testicles) will result in a reduction in prostatic size and will likely resolve the constipation issues.
icon

SPECIALISTS

None

Cost Of Treatment

The cost of treating constipation in dogs can vary greatly, depending on how affected the canine is. Mild cases of constipation may be treated through simple OTC remedies recommended by your veterinarian.

Recovery

Prognosis is good, and most cases resolve with treatment that addresses the underlying cause. Long term or chronic constipation may lead to a build up of dry fecal matter that gets stuck in the colon.

Monitoring

Monitor your dog passing feces at least once a day, checking the consistency of the feces. It should be formed, moist, and firm but should indent when pressed with a finger.

Prevention

It’s important to make sure your dog is fed a high quality dog food that contains an adequate amount of fiber. Ensure your dog has access to plenty of fresh water at all times. Daily exercise is recommended to encourage normal gastrointestinal motility.

Questions about Constipation in Dogs
left image

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

Read More

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

Read More

Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

Read More

My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

Read More

My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

Read More

My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

Read More

right image
image

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. Treatment should only be provided under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.