Help For A Constipated Dog - Reader Question and Vet Suggestions

by Jasper
(Indiana)

My 3-year-old Schnauzer mix was fine 2 days ago and Friday afternoon she wanted to go out to potty. She was jumping up and down and then she yelped. I thought I had stepped on her but I didn't.

She just jumped up and acted real funny, she went outside and whined a lot, came in the house and just laid down.

That is not her normal behavior. She tends to be more hyper. She was like this all night and I thought she had pulled a muscle in her stomach. I took her to the vet the next morning and he thought the same thing and told me to watch her. She is doing better now but has had no bowel movements since Friday. Today is Sunday. I gave her 2 stool softeners today and still nothing.

My vet told me to call him if she is still like this on Monday...What else can I do?

Suggestion From Our Veterinarian

Hi Jasper,

Based on your description, it does sound like your dog could be constipated. If you have already given her two stool softeners to no effect, it wouldn’t be a good idea to give her anything else until your vet has an opportunity to assess the situation on Monday.

In the meantime, focus on encouraging your dog to take in as much water as possible. Make sure she has fresh water available at all times, and you can even supplement her water intake with a little bit of dilute broth.

If she eats dry food, try mixing some water or broth in to make it into a soft slurry.

Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM