My dog ate a human laxative. Will he be okay? What should I do?

Hi and thank you for your question, It's difficult to say really. The type of laxative is important to know. You would have to watch him closely for the next day and rush him to the vet if he develops a significant diarrhea or any other abnormal sign. Alternatively, you could take him to the vet and have them watch him for the day just in case. that would be even better. Regards

Bisacodyl (Dulcolax) is often used as a laxative for dogs, so there should be no problem other than soft stool, maybe some loose stool. Side effects such as cramps, nausea and diarrhea are common, especially if your dog takes other medications. However these should pass relatively quickly. If those side effects appear severe, have your veterinarian examine your dog and make sure there is not another problem lurking.

Poor pup! Depending on how big your dog is, it's hard to say whether toxicity from the chocolate in the medication will be a problem. As far as the laxative itself, this will probably cause diarrhea but would not be expected to cause any serious toxicity issues. The safest bet would be to have your dog seen by a vet right away, but if this isn't possible, you will need to monitor her closely for the next 24-48 hours. If you see symptoms such as tremors, seizures, or repeated episodes of vomiting, then this would be an emergency and there would be no other option except getting her to a vet immediately.

If Lola got into medications or a bunch of laxatives she may get pretty ill and have a large volume of diarrhea, so I would keep her somewhere easy to clean. If the diarrhea doesn't resolve after a day or so, she is extremely ill/lethargic, or she got into more than just a laxative, it would be best to seek veterinary care immediately. If you're having trouble affording veterinary care, this site can help give you some options to that Lola can be seen: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care

I suspect Harold will be fine. He may get some diarrhea or softened stool. Sometimes these human stool softeners can work too well. If he gets severe diarrhea, decreases drinking or seems uncomfortable, take him to the veterinarian immediately. Feeding him a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and boiled plain white rice may help to counter act any GI upset that may occur. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any further questions!

Ex-lax contains sennosides which cause water to stay in the intestinal tract which can help with constipation. They can cause diarrhea if too many are ingested, and sometimes abdominal cramping and discomfort as well. I agree that the amount of cocoa present is probably negligible, and I would guess that only 4 laxatives are unlikely to have much of an effect although it could take several hours for diarrhea to appear. I am a little concerned about the cause of Hercules' constipation however - it is rare for dogs to become constipated unless they have an underlying problem like kidney disease, high calcium levels, or bones or a foreign object causing a blockage in the colon. If the constipation continues or if you notice significant diarrhea you should see a vet.

Hello, I am sorry for your concerns. I do not think you need to rush to the emergency clinic as the side effects from overindulging in Ex Lax are not really too serious. The ingredient, Senna, can take up to 8 hours for it to have an effect, so there may be a delay in the possible development of diarrhea if this happens. You did not indicate how much Darby ate, but I generally recommend a wait & see approach with this. It amazes me how many dogs manage to not develop much in the way of GI upset from these laxatives. Hope this helps. Take care.