Why is my dog constipated after switching to new renal food?

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A few tablespoons of plain canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) or a tablespoon of Psyllium powder (unflavored) can help move things along. However the other symptoms you mentioned do sound concerning to me. Decreased appetite along with drinking more water frequently and constipation may signal a kidney function issue, liver issue, or may be due the development of diabetes among other causes. My recommendation would be to have Pretty girl seen by her veterinarian as soon as possible for an exam and perhaps some blood work to check her organ function as there may be an underlying health issue here. I hope this helps and thanks again for posting!

Hello. It is very uncommon for puppies to have constipation, so I would be worried that maybe a piece of stick or mulch or bone (most common culprits) may be stuck in the colon or rectum. You can always look and if something is stuck try to gently manoeuvre it out, however be very careful not to cause a cut, as a cut in the bum is hard to heal due to the bacteria in the poop. If you are seeing something stuck it may be best to have it removed by a vet. If it is constipation, I would be switching the food that you are feeding to a better quality food. Canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling, just plain canned pumpkin) is very good as well at increasing the fibre and helping with constipation. Also, if you are feeding any bones then stop this, and it could be that Boo has a colon full of re-formed bone bits and this will require a veterinarian to remove bit by bit, likely under anaesthesia. (yet another reason to never feed bones to dogs). I would overall recommend that Boo be seen by a vet as there could be many different things causing his issues. Good luck with Boo.

Travelling is always a stress on the system. Try to increase fluid intake & make sure she gets plenty of exercise while you are travelling. We often advise feeding canned pumpkin , 1- 2 tablespoons twice a day to help move the bowels. As long as she is not vomiting, try feeding her some special treats like some chicken or cooked hamburger. If she actually seems unwell, or starts vomiting, you will have to find a veterinarian to see her. I hope she is feeling better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would definitely not add salt as this can cause him to have salt poisoning and subsequent neurological problems. I would suggest adding 1-2 tsp of canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) to his food daily which will add fiber and hopefully allow him to go #2 a bit easier. If he is still having issues then I would have his prostate examined to check if it is enlarged and possible the underlying problem as to why he can't go easily. An enlarged prostate will push up on the colon, making the hole narrower so that poop can't easily pass through. The cure for this is to have him on a laxative through your vet and ultimately getting him neutered can resolve this issue for good. I hope everything works out for your pet Kitty. Take care.

Hi and good morning! Thank you for your question. If he has gone 3 days or more with no bowel movement, then I'd bring him into your veterinarian to check him out. He could have a blockage or a neurological issue causing dysfunction of the nerves innervating his colon, a GI tumor or kidney dysfunction causing a dehydrated colon. Keep an eye on him and keep feeding a high fiber diet as you have been. Hope he passes stool soon!

Sorry Aubie is having this issue. It is not recommended that you feed a homemade diet to a dog unless you have it balanced nutritionally by a veterinary nutritionist. You will be causing vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Low magnesium can be the cause of the GI tract slowing down. Here is a website you can refer to if you want to make a homemade diet: https://secure.balanceit.com/ If you want to stick with feeding a softer food and do not want to continue the homemade diet then I suggest you buy canned dog food instead as it is nutritionally balanced for dogs. If hard food seems to hurt her to chew she may have an issue with her teeth or mouth that needs to be addressed by your vet. A 6 year old dog should not have problems chewing hard dog food. To resolve the current constipation issue I would recommend you feed her some canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not pie filling) ~1/4 cup twice a day. Feed it right out of the can. Do not mix it with her regular food. And you should also get a probiotic like Fortiflora and feed that to her for at least 2 weeks: https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets/dp/50029 All of that being said, I strongly recommend you have her spayed if she is mix breed and you are not breeding her. Problems with her uterus can cause issues with the colon - if it is enlarged or has a tumor in it, that can push up on the colon making it hard to defecate. Also hormones can contribute to this issue. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

You could try really gradually introducing the new food, mix it with chicken and rice to see if that keeps the tummy settled and gradually increase the amonut of new food. You can try giving the probiotoc at the same time.