When to see a vet for dog constipation
Disclaimer: This article, its content, and its related references do not constitute veterinary advice and should not be considered a substitute for veterinary care. If your pet is showing any symptoms that could indicate a medical emergency, please seek immediate emergency care.
Constipation in dogs is when a dog strains to defecate and has difficulty emptying the colon. The most common sign that your dog may be constipated is if they’re passing only small, dry, crumbly bits of stool with a lot of effort.
Constipation in dogs is uncommon and nearly always caused by another medical issue. Constipation itself is uncomfortable and can be dangerous if left untreated. It can be hard to tell why your dog is straining without help from a veterinarian, and it’s important that you not try treating your dog’s constipation at home without talking to a vet first.
When to speak to a vet about your dog’s constipation
A veterinary consultation is always the best way to learn about your dog’s overall health and to address any concerns you may have about their toileting or other habits.
Pet parents often assume that constipation in their dog is a normal, minor issue that can typically be managed at home with the same remedies used on humans. However, unless a dog becomes constipated after eating a large amount of something particularly hard or dry, it’s typically a symptom of a more serious underlying condition that’s led to chronic dehydration or disruption of the muscles and nerves responsible for normal bowel movements.
In addition, when a dog appears to be straining without producing stool, it’s more often due to diarrhea and their colon is irritated but empty. A vet can assess the situation and help you distinguish whether your dog is actually constipated, straining to urinate, or having other digestive issues.
Constipation can also be a sign of a more serious underlying condition requiring prompt treatment. These conditions can include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Intervertebral disc disease
- Degenerative myelopathy
- Chronic kidney disease
- Anal gland tumors
- Other types of anal gland disease, such as impaction, abscess, or rupture
- Injury or hernia
- Prostate diseases, such as hyperplasia, prostatitis, or cancer
- Ingestion of nonfood substances
When constipation in dogs is an emergency
It can be difficult to tell the difference between constipation and other conditions that cause your dog to strain to defecate, some of which are emergencies. It also isn’t always easy to differentiate straining to have a bowel movement from straining to urinate, which is an emergency.
Some ongoing medical conditions can cause chronic constipation. Proper diagnosis is important so your vet can help you know when your dog’s straining to defecate is an emergency.
Seek emergency care immediately if you notice any of these signs:
- Pale gums
- Labored or fast breathing
- Passing frequent, small amounts of jelly-like blood
- Collapse
Vetster for quick, 24/7 online vet appointments
If you think your dog is constipated, consider contacting Vetster. Our licensed veterinarians are available 24/7 to assess your dog’s condition, providing online vet care when needed and usually with short wait times. Our experts can chat with you from the comfort of your home and evaluate your pet by video, giving you the information you need to determine the appropriate course of action.
A virtual vet appointment is a great first step for helping you determine if your dog is straining to defecate due to constipation or some other issue. Depending on the situation, the vet may be able to offer specific treatment recommendations for your pet, including prescriptions. (The ability of the vet to prescribe to a pet they haven’t already seen in person is determined by state/provincial law and is always at the discretion of the veterinarian.)
Constipation in puppies
Puppies can exhibit the same behavior as adult dogs when straining to defecate, but the underlying cause may be different. While older dogs may become constipated due to chronic conditions like dehydration or reduced mobility from arthritis, puppies are more likely to have difficulty passing stool because they’ve ingested a nonfood item.
As with adult dogs, it’s more common for straining to defecate to be associated with diarrhea than it is with constipation. In many cases of diarrhea, irritation in the colon causes discomfort, mimicking the signs of constipation.
If a puppy is straining, it’s important to start by trying to determine if the puppy is constipated or has gastrointestinal upset, like diarrhea.
What will a vet do for a constipated dog?
When presented with a dog who’s straining to defecate, a vet typically starts by trying to determine if the dog is straining due to constipation or some other reason. If they’re seeing your dog in person, a rectal exam may be advised so they can tell if the colon is full or empty. If they’re seeing you virtually, they’re likely to rely on getting a detailed history of your dog’s symptoms, including the appearance of their most recent bowel movement. In both situations, getting complete information on any medications the dog is taking, how long they’ve been straining, and what they’ve eaten is also helpful.
The vet may also recommend additional diagnostics, such as:
- Bloodwork
- X-rays or ultrasound
- Neurologic exam
Treatment depends on the cause of the straining. Since constipation is usually due to some other underlying condition, treating that condition is usually the priority. If your dog has a chronic condition contributing to constipation, it’s possible that managing that condition will allow your dog to have normal bowel movements. Once these considerations are addressed, options for treating any remaining constipation may include:
- IV fluids or other hydration therapy
- Enemas
- Sedation for manual removal of impacted stool
The importance of seeing a vet promptly
If you suspect your dog is constipated, it’s best to consult a vet right away. Getting veterinary care as soon as possible is best any time your dog is uncomfortable. Since straining to defecate can be caused by things other than constipation, it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis quickly so you can know what to do to get your dog some relief. In addition, since constipation is usually due to an underlying condition that interferes with the normal process of passing stool, it’s important to identify what that problem is in order to avoid complications.
An accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for your dog’s health and can prevent the situation from worsening. Some of the underlying conditions associated with both straining to defecate and true constipation, such as kidney failure or cancer, can be serious or even life-threatening.
Length of treatment and signs of improvement
The length of treatment for dog constipation varies depending on factors like the underlying cause of the constipation, the treatment method used, and the individual dog.
In mild cases, improvements may be seen within a day or two. However, if the cause is more complex — such as in the case of an obstruction or illness — more intensive treatment may be required and recovery might take longer.
If you’re managing your dog’s constipation at home with a vet’s guidance, be sure to ask what you can expect in your dog’s unique situation. In addition to telling you how long it should take to see a response to any treatment, a vet can also advise you on what to watch for and signs that your dog may need additional care.
Can I treat my dog for constipation without going to the vet?
In order to help your dog, it’s important to determine why they’re straining to defecate. If they’re straining and managing to pass at least a small amount of dry, crumbly stool, it’s likely that they’re constipated. However, if you’re seeing other symptoms, such as loose stools, vomiting, appetite loss, sticky gums (dehydration), or difficulty moving, there may be something more serious going on. Either way, it’s safest to seek professional veterinary advice.
Even if it seems your dog is otherwise healthy, home remedies, such as fiber supplementation, laxatives, and enemas, can end up making things worse. It’s also important to know that it may not be safe to give an enema at home — not only do you risk being scratched or bitten, some human enema products are toxic to dogs.
Why at-home treatments may not work
While constipation can be a routine issue for some humans, often managed with laxatives and stool softeners, it’s different for dogs. It can be difficult to tell if your dog is truly constipated unless you're noticing small, dry, crumbly, infrequent stools. In many cases, dogs may actually be straining due to diarrhea or an irritated colon. Since diarrhea and constipation require different treatment, mistaking one for the other could potentially make your dog’s condition worse.
Using a home treatment for constipation may also cause you to miss an underlying, more serious medical condition that requires attention. Aside from ingesting nonfood items, dogs typically become constipated due to underlying issues. These may include chronic dehydration (as seen in kidney disease), reduced mobility (from osteoarthritis), disruptions in the muscles or nerves involved in defecation (such as in degenerative myelopathy), or physical blockages that impede stool passage (such as if there’s a tumor, hernia, or matted fur).
While it’s common for a dog with a GI obstruction (such as when they swallow a sock or part of a toy) to not have bowel movements, they don’t usually strain to defecate. The lack of stool is usually the result of not eating or being unable to keep food down rather than a colon full of hard, dry feces. Once an object (not material like sand or a bunch of crunched up bone) has made it far enough to cause straining, it’s in the rectum and likely to pass on its own, albeit with some effort.
Common treatments to avoid
Even if you know for certain that your dog’s straining is due to constipation, you may make the situation worse by trying to treat them at home.
Mineral oil or white petrolatum can be easily inhaled and may result in fatal aspiration pneumonia, and some over-the-counter enemas meant for humans can be toxic to dogs. In addition, giving your dog coconut oil or olive oil can lead to pancreatitis, bloat, vomiting, or diarrhea if given in inappropriate amounts. It’s important to get a veterinarian’s guidance before trying to treat your dog for constipation.
