Mary Allen
Has your dog not pooped in a while? Then you should definitely keep an eye on his digestion. A seemingly harmless constipation can quickly become dangerous. We’ll tell you how you can recognize constipation in your dog, what you can do about it, when you should go to the vet immediately and how you can protect yourself from high surgical costs!
This is how you get your dog’s digestion going
You go for a walk with your dog – but despite your four-legged friend’s best efforts, big business just doesn’t work out. The first sign of constipation. As a rule, this is harmless and can be attributed to the wrong food or lack of exercise. Then even simple measures can help to stimulate digestion again:
Drink:
Give your dog enough water to drink. In order for the feces to dissolve in its intestines, it should be moist.
Movement:
Go for a particularly generous lap or play with the ball. Of course, this only applies if your dog is fit enough for it.
Relaxation:
Don’t stress your dog. He senses when you’re rushed while walking and want to get home quickly. Don’t watch him trying to defecate and be completely relaxed as if you had all the time in the world. It might transfer to your dog.
Important: These tips only help with mild indigestion. If your dog has not been able to defecate for a long time, it can be dangerous and you should definitely consult a veterinarian.
Good prevention: tips against constipation in dogs
If your dog has often struggled with constipation, you should make sure that its feces always remain nice and supple. Don’t worry, with these little tricks you can support him quickly and easily:
Don’t give your dog too many bones. These can quickly cause constipation. Feed bones raw, if at all. When bones are boiled or fried, they lose moisture and become drier, harder, and harder to digest.
Avoid dry food as much as possible. But does your dog need special dry food for certain reasons? Then just wet it with a little water.
Mix natural and dog-friendly fiber into the food, such as wheat bran and cellulose feed. Or buy high-fiber dog food directly. Pet shops will be happy to advise you.
Plan enough exercise in the everyday life of your furry friend. For example dog sports. But of course only if she’s fit enough and it doesn’t stress her out.
If constipation sets in again, you can counteract it with a small sip of milk. This has a laxative effect on dogs. So really only take a little bit, starting with a shot glass full, for example. After all, you don’t want your dog to get diarrhea!
Attention: Constipation in dogs is not always harmless!
But the wrong food, too little liquid, and a lack of exercise are not the only causes of constipation in dogs. Unfortunately, there are also worse triggers that cannot even be remedied with home remedies.
These include:
- intestinal inflammation,
- tumors,
- stuck bone or food remains,
- foreign objects that block the intestines, such as swallowed chestnuts,
- an enlarged prostate that presses on the bowel.
If you have even the slightest suspicion that there could be a dangerous cause behind constipation, go to the vet immediately! The same applies if constipation lasts longer than two/three days and cannot be solved with small tools.
Off to the vet
Always remember: If constipation persists, there are serious dangers such as an intestinal blockage. Parts of the intestines can also die off or the intestines perforated so that the feces get into the abdominal cavity. Luckily, these scenarios are rare, but they can be deadly!
Would you like to take out insurance to be prepared for an emergency? Dog surgery insurance protects you from the financial consequences of surgery. So you don’t have to worry about the costs in an emergency, and you can concentrate entirely on your dog.
How do I know if my dog is constipated?
As a rule, a dog does its big business at least once a day, sometimes even twice. However, it is not yet possible to derive any frequency for your dog from this. For example, if your dog is older and only eats a little, it may well be that he only does his business every two days. Constipation is when your dog defecates less than usual. Or even if he tries, but nothing comes – as much as he arches his back.
You should also take action if it takes longer than usual to do its big business and the droppings are very hard. Just watch your dog. Trust your feelings as a dog owner. You know your four-legged friend best and you will notice when something is not going normally.
Other symptoms of constipation can include:
- Mucus and/or blood in the stool.
- Stomach pain. Your dog is sensitive to the touch.
- Restlessness He can hardly relax and keeps getting up.
- Lethargy. Or the opposite of restlessness: Your dog lies around listlessly.
- Loss of appetite Eating goes unnoticed.
- Vomit. Your dog chokes and vomits.
If your dog shows any of these symptoms, it is better to see the vet. Because it can not only quickly become dangerous, but your dog also suffers a lot from it. You should also have it clarified that it is not a matter of torsion in the dog’s stomach – the nightmare of every dog owner.
How does digestion actually work in dogs?
If everything is fine, your dog’s digestion will go like this (roughly shown):
- Your dog eats Chewing is a minor matter, he usually swallows the food straight down.
With the help of the tongue, the food moistened by the saliva passes through the esophagus into the stomach. - Some of the food is broken down in the stomach. A soft mash is formed. This gradually enters the small intestine.
- Digestion really starts in the small intestine. Bile juices and enzymes from the pancreas and liver do the rest.
- Anything that couldn’t be broken down and utilized moves on toward the large intestine with the help of contractions throughout the intestine. Not much happens there anymore.
- The indigestible remainder of the chyme eventually passes into the anus and is excreted.
Why is a healthy gut so important?
A healthy intestine for a happy dog: As with us humans, functioning digestion is the be-all and end-all for your dog’s well-being. Because no matter where something goes wrong on the journey of food through the stomach and intestines – it has a major impact on the rest. Stomach pain, flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation, to name just a few risks. Only when all stations work together can there be peace in the intestines. And as the saying goes: love goes through the stomach. So let’s start with a good and balanced diet for our four-legged friends.