puppy constipated

[707catherine]

My 11 week fox terrier puppy is eating a high quality puppy food and drinking plenty of water,yesterday she just had one poop.It was dry and she had to strain a bit.Is there anything I should do to help her.She does not appear to feel sick Thanks

[Dax]

If you give anything - then you run the risk of the exact opposite problem (the runs). I would wait and see if it improves on it's own over the next 3-5 days. If still TOO firm, you can add a little chicken skin (natural dog laxative). Runny poop is worse for them because the **** glands don't evacuate as well.

Straining a bit also is normal. If she starts to whine, or express any pain - then you can call your vet for a puppy stool softener.

[BabyElephant]

With my puppy I found her toilet habits would change almost on a daily basis. However, here is something I found on another website. If you are worried then get her to the vet asap.

A constipated dog or cat exhibits infrequent or difficult evacuation of the feces or stool. The feces is usually hard and dry which increases straining and reduces stool volume.

Causes of Constipation
Many things may cause constipation, but the most common are dietary and environmental factors.

Dietary:
Fiber in the diet is important for normal defecation in dogs and cats, just as it is for humans. Insufficient dietary fiber can cause constipation.

Substances such as hair, bones or foreign materials ingested by a cat or dog can form hard masses or concretions when mixed with feces and cannot be eliminated, resulting in constipation.

Water is essential to proper gastrointestinal function; therefore, if an animal is deprived of water, it will become constipated.

Environmental factors:
Changes which affect an animal's daily routine such as a hospital stay or lack of exercise can also result in constipation.

There may be many other causes of constipation such as those listed below:

Aging
Fractures of the pelvis or pelvic limbs
Lesions around the rectum
Prostate Disease
Spinal Cord or Disc Disease
Large Bowel Nervous Disorders
Tumors
Metabolic or Endocrine Disorders
Debiliation
Dehydration
Treatment of Constipation
To treat your pet for constipation, the underlying cause must first be determined.

Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination of your pet and will ask you about your pet's medical history, its diet and its daily routine. Blood tests, x-rays or other tests may also be necessary and will be explained to you prior to testing.

If it is determined that the underlying cause is due to disease or trauma, medical treatment may be necessary to correct the problem.

Home Care Management for Constipation
Diets rich in fiber can be used to aid in the management of constipation in pets as in humans. The fiber increases water retention in the intestines which softens the stool. The increased bulk also increases the propulsive movements of the intestine, helping to alleviate the constipation.

Twice daily, feed your pet a diet containing at least 10 percent fiber to stimulate bowel movement (your veterinarian will advise you on a specific diet).
Do not give your pet bones or snacks and restrict access to foreign materials. Long-haired animals should be brushed daily. This will help remove excess hair that the animal might otherwise ingest.
Thirty to 60 minutes after eating, exercise the dog to encourage defecation.
Provide free access to fresh water.
Managing your pet's care at home is an important part of its treatment. It is essential you follow your veterinarian's instructions. If you have any questions about your pet's medical care, please do not hesitate to ask. Your questions are welcomed by the hospital staff.

[707catherine]

Thanks for your help.Having a puppy is like having a new baby,It is nice to be able to get help from the more experienced

[BabyElephant]

Yes, my "baby" is nearly 5 months old and it certainly is a learning curve. There are loads of people on here with a lot more experience than me (Dax is one of them) and they are always more than happy to give help and advice. This forum is a great place!

[erdog3]

Yep they sure are like babies. Then they become lolloping smooches. I swear some days if I moved my leg Ellie would fall over. lol.
Your constipation problem, firstly I would not allow it to go more than 24 hours, before you do something to help.
I was talking about feeding, exercise and dehydration in another thread.
Be sure never to exercise withing 1/2 hour of feeding or 1 hour after, it can cause dehydration if feeding dry food.
Secondly to help in an natural way, do you have roasts, get some of the fat left in the tin and add it to the meal, even some fat off sausages, any meat, give that with the meal to soften her/him up.
If all else fails go get some Cod Liver Oil, from the supermarket.
You will only need to give 1 teaspoon full for a Lab puppy, so you can work out the equivilent for your breed or write back in and I will work it out for you.
This stuff will also remove any fur in the gut.

I forgot, if you feed natural bones at any time, they will produce chalky white poop, it is the calcium in the bones that do it. perfectly normal.

[ayl715]

You can give your puppy a small amount of Pumpkin, great for digestion, helps both diarrhea and constipation.

[Moo]

Apparantly vaseline is good as a dog laxative...

[erdog3]

Cod Liver Oil is recommended by the vet, also given to cats to remove fur ball.
It is common practice to use this for both fur ball and constipation.
It cannot harm your dog, it is a natural oil.
It can however remove any nutrients in the body for the time of dosage, just like any human laxative. So long as you don't give too much, to cause the runs, your pet will be fine.
It is effective overnight. If you need a correct calculation, ask here.