My dog with DM needs help pooping. What can I do to stimulate him?

You can stimulate him to defecate by tickling his anus with an ice cube or q-tip with vaseline on it. I would make him defecate twice daily so he doesn't get constipated. If needed you can give him a soapy water enema to get him to go. If he still has anal tone like you are seeing he still has some control over the defecation. I recommend trying acupuncture to improve the fecal incontinence. Also doing hydrotherapy can maintain his function longer so you may want to find a veterinary acupuncture and rehabilitation veterinarian in your area. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jackie.

Unfortunately yes, most dogs with DM will eventually develop fecal incontinence. The nerves controlling the bladder can also be affected. The nerves that tell the brain that they need to use the bathroom no longer function so the pet doesn’t know. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

You can try moistening the stool with warm water or a lubricant jelly. Sometimes if it is very hard it will need to be digitally removed which can be uncomfortable for the pet and not so fun for you. It would require gloves, lubrication, and trying to gently pull the stool loose while lubricating the sides of the anus. If you do not feel comfortable doing this or your pet acts uncomfortable or painful it will be safer and quicker to see your vet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I'm assuming the vet said his prostate was enlarged? He is on the correct food but you may have to add in some Miralax. Here is a link to an article about using this product in dogs. The dosing is also on there but a 40# dog I would give 1/2 teaspoon twice a day mixed in with a small amount of canned food. You will have to adjust dosing based on how his stools look. I strongly recommend you call your vet and ask before using this. Use the non-flavored powder. Be sure to let him drink as much water as he wants. ( https://www.petplace.com/article/cats/drug-library/polyethylene-glycol-3350-miralax-for-dogs-and-cats/ ) ( walmart.com/ip/Equate-Polyethylene-Glycol-3350-Powder-for-Solution-Osmotic-Laxative-8-3-oz/12444636 )

My practice does rehab for animals like yours that are recovering from paralysis. I find doing laser like you are doing in the photo helps, also acupuncture. For my acupuncture treatments I start with three treatments several days to a week apart then every 2-4 weeks. This can help the nerves start functioning again. The incontinence may improve with time also, I generally continue to see improvement over the first 4-6 months after the paralysis. Make sure you are fully expressing his bladder and repeating a course of antibiotics to cure a low grade urinary infection may help also. To manage the fecal incontinence you can learn to stimulate him to poop twice daily which helps control accidents in the house. Check Dodger's List for other ideas on how to manage him. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. 17.5 years old is great! My late dachshund just passed away in June and was 20 years old. It's always nice to have a friend that sticks around this long! It sounds as though Zak may be dealing with some arthritic pain causing him difficulty to position himself to defecate. I would recommend starting joint supplements and pain medications to see if this helps. I would also add fiber to his diet such as canned pumpkin or green beans to help normalize his stool movements. I would have a veterinarian examine Zak and discuss pain medication and joint supplement options with you . I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns that I may help you with.

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this with Woody. I have a few options for you. First, make sure we are controlling any pain he may be having that is contributing to his trouble walking. Even if he is on medication for this, that might need to be modified. Here is more information about some of the medications that are available. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&species=All&id=4951467 Second, older dogs often have trouble holding a squatting position. Using a harness like a Help Em Up harness ( http://helpemup.com/ ) can be very useful. Finally, I have had a lot of luck with acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapies for this condition, so you might see if you can find someone near you that is able to help you with that. You may be able to find someone near you here. http://www.tcvm.com/Resources/FindaTCVMPractitioner.aspx Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.