How to Soothe A Constipated Puppy

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Vaseline
Glycerin Suppositories
Disposable vinyl gloves
Milk
Pumpkin pur'e
Love and patience
Bran,
Metamucil,
Benefiber

Step 1

Constipation in dogs has pretty much the same symptoms as in humans - an inability to pass regular bowel movements. Straining (with or without obvious pain) which doesn't produce a bowel movement, or the passing of small, hard/dry feces at irregular intervals.

Although this isn't generally anything that needs immediate veterinary attention, there are health issues/conditions that cause constipation which need to be treated by your veterinarian.
Step 2

Diet
Just like in people, a diet that contains enough fiber will help the digestive system to function properly. If your puppy or dog is prone to constipation, choose a dog food with a minimum of 4% fiber, 5% is even better. Solid Gold Dry Dog Food has 5% fiber, and you can also buy special 'prescription' or high-fiber foods such as Hills I/D or W/D which have significantly higher fiber content Giving your puppy snacks of raw carrots, celery, apples or pears can also be beneficial.
Step 3

Fluids
Your puppy needs access to fresh water at all times during the day. Aim for a daily minimum of about one ounce of water per pound of body weight, in hot weather, a centrally heated/dry environment or if your dog is very active he'll need more. If your pup has some issues with slow moving bowels and you can't seem to get him to drink more, you can always add some warm water to his dry food at one mealtime each day to get some more fluids into him.
Step 4

Exercise
Plenty of exercise is essential to keep your puppy health and happy. If you have a constipated puppy (or one who tendency towards it), increasing his exercise and activity level can help. The benefits are two-fold; firstly, the physical aspects of the exercise help to keep his digestive system and bowels 'moving along' preventing the sluggishness that can lead to constipation. Secondly, long walks or a game of 'fetch' or frisbee keep him outside longer and help to give him plenty of time to eliminate when he has the chance. If you're housebreaking or crate training, and your pup doesn't do his business while your out, he may try to 'hold it' for too long, and this can cause the colon to slow down and the feces to get hard and difficult to pass.
Step 5

Trimming Long Hair
This may sound odd, but sometimes in long haired breeds, the hair around the puppy's rear end becomes tangled or matted,feces can get caught in the hair, blocking the passageway. Causing server pain, and it actually physically prevents the puppy from having a bowel movement. If you have a constipated puppy who has long hair around his bottom, keeping it trimmed short will prevent this sort of 'mechanical constipation'.
Step 6

Canned Pumpkin
A simple dog constipation remedy is to add a little canned pumpkin (NOT the pie filling variety, just good old plain pumpkin) in your pups' meals can be helpful. Add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon depending on his size. Pureed pumpkin baby food also works.
Step 7

Add some extra fiber in the form of Bran, Metamucil, Benefiber or similar products. About 1/2 teaspoon added to your pups meals for a few days. If your dog weighs over 50lbs you can use 1 tablespoon instead. 1 teaspoon of oat bran, or 2 teaspoons of Grape Nut flakes added to her food will work the same way.
Step 8

Adding some extra oil to your pups diet can help to soften the stools and help his bowels keep moving along nicely. 1/2 tsp of olive oil added to his meals works. For more difficult cases, try 1 - 2 teaspoons of Mineral Oil, but don't do this for longer than 3 or 4 days. Mineral oil removes Vitamin A from your dog's body and it can be harmful if used for longer than this. You can also try infant suppositories.
Step 9

Special' Dog Foods
Some manufacturers sell dog food that is specifically formulated with extra fiber to help a constipated dog or puppy move their bowels regularly. Most foods contain between 2% and 4% fiber, Solid Gold dry dog food has 5%, and Hills offer two foods - I/D and W/D. These are available from most veterinary clinics.
Step 10

Milk
Dogs don't digest cows' milk properly, and in normal circumstances it causes diarrhea. However, if you have a constipated puppy you can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk to their food or water, or just give it to them to drink. Do this once a day for a couple of days and it should help loosen the bowels.
Step 11

Keeping Long Hair Trimmed
If you have a constipated puppy due to long, tangled or matted hair around his little bottom, carefully trim it away with small scissors. Be very careful not to cut the skin. Keeping this hair short in the future should prevent a recurrence. If your pup has been constipated for a while, just trimming the hair may not be enough to get his bowels moving. You may need to also use another dog constipation remedy as well.
Step 12

Before attempting any of the above steps, remember what the mother dog does to help her young offspring eliminate and imitate that method. Here's what you do: Take a warm, moist cloth and gently rub the puppy's stomach in a downward motion toward the anus. This mother dogs tongue is very gentle but with a slight pressure when she is licking her pups, so keeping this in mind, do not use force but rather, a light touch when attempting this. If the pup is small, use a moist cotton ball instead of the cloth. The warmth of the cotton ball or cloth, combined with the gentle downward motion will help your pup's constipation problem. If this step fail to work as a form of relief. Than you try the above steps.