My dog has diarrhea and keeps straining to poop. Is this normal?

Straining is common with diarrhea caused by colitis, and as long as you’re not seeing blood and Athena is eating normally and not vomiting I wouldn’t be too concerned. If the diarrhea doesn’t resolve in the next couple of days you should plan to see your vet.

It sounds like Ellie could have diarrhea and that's why she's straining. She could also be constipated but it's not common in dogs. Since she's also vomiting I recommend taking Ellie to the vet to find the cause. They can check for constipation or diarrhea and treat the cause. Good luck and kisses to Ellie!

It's actually normal to see some straining after diarrhea. Odie still feels the urge to do, but nothing comes out making it look like straining. I can give you a home remedy to see if that helps. Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, he starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Diarrhea resolving can take a few days, so it is normal that it isn't as solid as normal. The straining however isn't normal. I would recommend checking to make sure around her anus looks ok (no bleeding or wounds), and if you can feel under her anus at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions, does it feel like hard marbles are under the skin. If this is the case she could have full anal glands which can be making her uncomfortable in her back end. This would require a vet visit to empty them before they burst. Otherwise, as long as she is eating/playing, I would just monitor her to see if the behaviour continues. If she is still straining tomorrow I would take Riley to the vet to make sure she isn't constipated, but it might just be a one-off episode. If her next poop is normal without straining then I wouldn't worry about it. Best of luck with Riley!

The brownish red anus is likely due to the underlying gastritis/inflammation of the gut and the repeated defecation due to the diarrhea. The straining to defecate is probably because Tango is empty from having so much diarrhea. (Poor guy!). You should follow the bland diet directions provided by your veterinarian. There is no need to go to the ER vet now. However, if the diarrhea does not resolve within the next 24 hours despite the bland diet, you will need to take Tango back to your veterinarian or to the ER vet if your regular vet is unavailable.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Molly. A lot of times a dog is actually having diarrhea when they are straining to defecate. It will appear as if nothing is coming when there are actually small liquid drops being produced. If her good attitude continues and she does not have any further problems defecating, she is likely fine. If she struggles to defecate again or acts like her back is bothering her, she will need to be seen. I hope this information helps!

Owners typically think a dog is constipation when they have diarrhea at the same time. It's not constipation. The dog still feels like they have to go poop, but nothing is left to come out, so they are appearing to strain. You can't be constipated and have diarrhea at the same time. Anyway, the chicken is ok to feed him, but if he's not showing any improvement, I would take him back into the vet.