My dog had diarrhea, now constipated. When will his stool normalize?

It is actually normal for them to have this pause in the regular bowel movement cycle after a bad case of diarrhea. With bad diarrhea they tend to empty their bowels and when it abruptly gets better it can take a couple of days before the gut is functioning regularly again. From what you described, it looks like the treatment is working well and he is likely on the mend. I hope that helps and all is well with Blitz.

After a period of profuse diarrhea, the whole gastrointestinal tract is generally pretty empty. It can take several days for normal stool to form and pass normally. I wouldn’t worry about the little pellets - Lilly’s intestines are still just trying to get back to normal. The pellets mean that her overall stool quality is improving. Constipation rarely occurs right after diarrhea. As long as she isn’t straining while trying to poop, and is otherwise eating, drinking, and acting normally, it sounds as though things are improving. If she hasn’t pooped by Thursday, it’s worth having her rechecked by your vet. I try to give dogs up to 5 days to form normal stool after profuse diarrhea. I hope that everything goes well for Lilly!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Duncan isn’t feeling well. It doesn’t sound like he’s constipated, it sounds like more of the diarrhea. There just isn’t a lot left because he emptied his bowels. Since this has been going on for a few days and the diet change didn’t help I recommend taking Duncan to a vet for an exam and stool sample check. He could have intestinal parasites, a virus, a bacterial problem, or many other problems. Once the vet does an exam they can discuss testing (microscopic stool exam, blood work, radiographs). Once the cause is determined, they can discuss the best treatment options. Good luck and kisses to Duncan!

Poor Benzo! Sometimes after they have diarrhea it takes a little while to build up a full bowel movement so he could be straining simply because he has the urgency to go but there isn’t much there. On the other hand, with the hair he could be constipated. Either way fiber will be beneficial. You can give him 1/4 teaspoon of canned pumpkin twice a day to help balance his GI tract. If the chicken and rice, has any chicken broth or water in it then that could be why he is having decrease water consumption. If not, you could certainly add some water to his meal to help him drink more water. I am concerned that he is more lethargic. Since he is so small, I would have your vet take a look at him to assess his hydration and make sure he doesn’t have any parasites or anything more serious going on like parvo. Your vet will be able to give him some fluids if needed and prescribe his some medicine to help make him feel better. I hope this helps and he feels better really soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If she is not eating well, she could go several days without defecating. However, if she is eating well, it should not be more than 2-3 days. She may be constipated. You could consider adding about 1 teaspoon of canned pumpkin to her meals which will likely help her go to the bathroom. Good luck and have a great day!

I am very sorry to hear that Lelani has been so unwell. It sounds as though she is on a great treatment Plan. It can be normal for some constipation to follow a gastrointestinal upset. I would continue to monitor her at home for a few hours. If by the end of the day she still hasn't had a bowel movement, or if she seems in pain or lethargic I Would take her back into the veterinarian. The concern is for a foegein body obstruction. But because she seems happy and active it is less likely.

It is very common for a cat to not have any bowel movement for a couple of days after having diarrhea because it takes time for stool to build up again in the colon after an episode of diarrhea. I would be concerned if she is straining to defecate without producing any stool, vomiting or not eating. If everything seems normal other than the lack of stool production, then I would just give it a little more time. My guess is that she will pass some stool tonight or tomorrow. If she has not passed stool by tomorrow night, I would have her examined on Friday before going into the weekend. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.