My dog is constipated and yelping. Is a laxative like Senekot safe?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Lucey. I'm so sorry she isn't pooping. Unfortunately we cannot legally recommend giving her any drugs, including OTC drugs, without seeing her in person. We simply can't safe if it's safe or not. I do not recommend giving her any OTC drugs without speaking to her vet first. I'm not sure what tests you've had done, but I recommend an x-ray of her abdomen to see what could be causing this problem. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Neiko. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian as he sounds painful. He may be experiencing joint pain. This would make it difficult for him to hold the posture to defecate which would explain why he has not gone recently. Based on his exam findings, x-rays may be recommended and pain medication will likely be prescribed. Do not give over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear that CoCo seems “off.” If you have not noticed her straining to pass stool, it is unlikely that she, as a young dog, is constipated. Most commonly whining will be due to pain/discomfort, stress, or boredom. Since she is eating and it doesn’t sound like she’s vomited, as long as her attitude seems normal (not dumpy) it is reasonable to give her some time and see how she is in the morning. However if she seems dumpy/lethargic, if she is limping noticeably or is not wanting to walk, or is having any vomiting, I would recommend you take her to a vet tonight. As far as a laxative, for future reference, hold off on giving any laxative until a vet has evaluated her and given specific instructions. A laxative could make another underlying problem worse due to its potential to cause dehydration. I hope you can both get some rest this evening! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Senokot tablets (stool softeners) are safe to use in dogs and the dosage is 25-50mg per pet for small breed dogs. Your pet may experiene some soft stool but she likely will be just fine. The vomiting is likely some mild stomach upset, which can occur with just about any medication or from her ingesting something else she shouldn't have. I would recommend giving her a bland diet of boiled plain chicken and rice or cottage cheese for the next few feedings to settle her stomach and fast her (no food, only water) for at least 12 hrs following her last vomiting episode as you have indicated you have already started to do. Otherwise, if she continues to vomit, there may be something else going on concurrently, and I would suggest taking her in to your vet for an overall health check. I hope that Sophie feels better soon! She likely will be just fine, especially if her energy level is good and she continues to have a good appetite with no further vomiting episodes. Best of luck to you both and take care. : )

Constipation can be a very serious condition, it can be caused by a physical blockage (foreign body like a bone) or a functional peristalsis deficiency of the intestines. In order to treat simple constipation, you should increase the fibers in the food (e.g. canned pumpkin) and can add a little mineral oil to the diet. I strongly advise taking your dog to the vet in order to check if there is a serious condition causing the constipation first.

Poor Princess! It sounds like she may be constipated - but if she's so severely constipated that she's crying and vomiting, this is a serious problem that needs immediate veterinary care, not something that can be treated at home. I would recommend taking her to the vet right away for an exam. He/she can palpate her abdomen and take x-rays if needed to help determine why she can't poop, and get her started on appropriate treatment. For severe constipation, this may mean giving her a manual enema under sedation to remove the impacted feces.

Poor Delgado! The yelping indicates that something hurt or really upset him! I would recommend to take him in the see the veterinarian today if possible. He could be severely constipated. He would also be trying to pass something that is causing pain in the colon. He could also have a significant anal gland infection or tumor. It’s best to get this figured out quickly before something gets worse, especially since you have not seen him have a bowel movement in a few days. Chronic fecal retention can cause some long term effects. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.