Since becoming a pooper scooper, you have to study your dog's poop and urine very well. This end has to worry about the dog pooping, the other end has to worry about it not pooping, and how to worry about it. The occasional dog constipation, the pooper scooper can not be so panicked, sometimes just indigestion, adjust the diet can be restored. If the situation is more serious, then the best choice is to seek medical attention promptly. If you can get more knowledge about your dog's constipation, you don't have to be helpless when your dog is constipated.

I. Persistent constipation in dogs has a big impact

Constipation in dogs refers to a condition in which the stool is dry, hard, and not expelled properly. If a dog's bowel movements are delayed and the stool stays in the colon for two or three days, the colon removes too much water from it, which can exacerbate the pain of constipation in dogs.

Persistent constipation in dogs can lead to loss of appetite and the dog becoming lethargic. If constipation becomes chronic, the inner layers of the dog's intestines may become inflamed, stimulating the release of mucus that accompanies fecal material, sometimes mistaken for diarrhea. Therefore, it is important to understand the causes of constipation in dogs and when to see a doctor.

II. Common Causes of Constipation in Puppies

Puppies can become constipated for a variety of reasons, even including swallowing food that they shouldn't. In addition to the risk of punctures from swallowing food that should not be swallowed, the swallowed pieces can turn the stool into a cement-like mass that blocks the colon. Overall, the common causes of constipation in puppies are generally the following.

1. Bad dietary habits
Some causes of constipation in puppies are related to food. For example, excessive consumption of chewing rawhide can lead to constipation; in addition, the consumption of a diet containing a small amount of fiber and high meat content will produce smaller feces, which is too sticky, it is difficult to smoothly eliminate.

2, the dog is under too much stress
Stress can also affect the dog's bowel movements. Generally speaking, the dog will have the desire to defecate only in a natural and calm state, if it is under excessive stress or tension all day, then it is very difficult to defecate out.

3, dog hair
The hair is not groomed, especially the long-haired dog's hair, when not groomed, it may lead to constipation. What is the principle? When the hair is too long, they will swallow their fur and will be affected by the hairball.

Other times, dogs have feces in their fur under their tails, which can also lead to anal inflammation resulting in painful bowel movements. So, keep your puppy's fur groomed and clean.

III. Causes of constipation in adult dogs

Adult dogs can be constipated for the same reasons as puppies, but unlike puppies, there are other common causes of constipation in adult dogs.

1. Male dogs suffer from prostatitis, where the prostate gland swells and obstructs the colon in the pelvic region. Tumors in the prostate or rectum or perianal area can also cause constipation. Therefore, male dogs over 5 years of age to include rectal examination as part of their annual physical examination.

2, constipation can also be a sign of kidney disease or diabetes: in either case, the dog has excess urine production, prompting the colon to preserve water, which leads to dry stools and causes constipation in dogs.

3. Older dogs will be more often constipated, which may be caused by weak abdominal muscles, reduced exercise, or improper diet.

IV. Treatment of constipation in dogs

If your dog has not had a bowel movement in more than two days, or if your dog crouches or whimpers when he tries to defecate, see your doctor right away. At least let the doctor see if it's a urinary tract infection. Don't just give your dog human medication, and you should follow your doctor's orders before using it. If the situation is not too serious, then you can also take some measures to treat the following.

Home treatment for dog constipation
Constipation treatment must address the specific causes that are effective, but in general, canine constipation is treated in the same way as human constipation. It is beneficial to feed your dog a diet containing 7 to 13 percent fiber, encourage him to drink more water, and begin a regular exercise, such as a 20-minute walk each day.

Add natural fiber to your dog
Bran grains and canned pumpkin or squash are natural sources of fiber, and dogs love the taste. To promote regularity, add 1/2 teaspoon to your small dog's food, or about 2 tablespoons to your medium to large dog's diet. You can buy some canned (regular) pumpkin, divide it into appropriately sized doses in a cookie sheet or ice cube tray, then freeze and give them as a snack when needed after thawing.

Give your dog a healthy snack
For puppies who like vegetable snacks, offer a carrot or two or celery. The fiber and liquid help reduce constipation, and the crunchy vegetables give your dog an outlet for his chewing desires. Do not give your dog a bone.

V. Dietary remedies for dog constipation

1. Give laxative food
After the dog is constipated, the diet is best adjusted to be light and easy to digest, you can choose some food with high water content and rich dietary fiber, such as vegetable soup, fruit puree, etc. Dog food is also recommended to be replaced with natural food or ecological food containing fiber, appropriate to the dog to eat some cooked pumpkin, sweet potatoes, etc. will also be beneficial to laxative stool, the most important thing is to drink more water to keep the intestinal tract moist, to avoid dry stool.

2, feeding probiotics to dogs
Some dogs have a long-term irregular diet, the gastrointestinal digestive function becomes weak, even after the adjustment of its diet, defecation is still not smooth, this time it is worth adding Wang Su Tong in the water provided to help the dog's gastrointestinal supplement beneficial bacteria, increase intestinal peristalsis, you can match some unsweetened yogurt or honey water, help defecation effect will be better.

3, massage and increase the amount of exercise
Dogs with constipation will be anxious and anxious, the pet owner should pay attention to keeping the dog in a relaxed mood, and environmental negative emotions, you can help it massage the abdomen more, to speed up the intestinal activity.
Take time to walk your dog daily, exercise is a good way to maintain good health, but also the pet owner should not ignore the care work, during the dog constipation can be appropriate to increase its exercise, will be a good help to consume excess calories, improve constipation.

4銆丠elp active intestinal tract
If the dog is constipated for a few days, adjust the diet, but also can not improve its constipation, proving that the dog's intestinal peristaltic force is not enough, and need to be supplemented with beneficial bacteria, pet owners can add some Wang Su Tong in the dog's drinking water to help the dog supplement beneficial bacteria, increase the peristaltic force of the intestines, if necessary, can also be accompanied by some yogurt or honey water, can help the dog better discharge the feces.

5銆乁se of open plugs
If the dog's constipation is more serious, touching the abdomen has an obvious hard feeling, take the above measures have not worked, you need to take it to the hospital for examination, and under the guidance of veterinarians to use the dog to deal with constipation, but the plug can only play a temporary improvement, and can not completely solve, so it is not recommended to use frequently, to avoid the dog form dependence.