My dog is whining, eating, not pooping. Is she constipated? Can I give a laxative?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lilly! From your post I am assuming that Lilly is producing stool, but she is asking to go out and poop a lot and is crying before and after pooping. Is the stool normal or diarrhea? If it is loose then she likely has diarrhea and is crying and going more often because she has the urge or feeling she has to go. If the stool is normal then I would have her anal glands examined and a rectal exam performed by your Vet. If she has diarrhea, fast her for 12 hours to rest her tummy then feed a bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger mixed with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20 lbs per day as small frequent meals. I hope this helps and I wish Lilly a speedy recovery! Please repost with more details if needed!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lily. There are two common causes for a dog struggling to defecate. The first is constipation which I suspect you are hoping to remedy by adding the pumpkin to her diet. This can be helpful, but she needs to eat it. With constipation, the dog can become so uncomfortable that she will refuse to eat. The second common is scenario is actually diarrhea. The dog can strain to pass very small amounts of liquid stool. It is easy to miss and most people will assume they are not defecating at all. The treatment options are different for the two causes. Since she is refusing food, she is not feeling well. She will need to see her veterinarian. In the meantime, continue to give her water so that she does not become dehydrated. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She may be constipated. You can start by trying to use something to try to relieve her if she has constipation. You could start giving her 2 tablespoons of canned pumpkin with her meals which may help with cases of mild constipation. If that does not improve this, have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment though it is likely that this will resolve. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She may be constipated. You may add a bit of canned pumpkin to her meals to help with that. If no improvement is noted, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there and thanks for your post! Dogs should defecate at least once every day. If it has been 1 and 1/2 days since Luna's last bowel movement but is still eating and drinking normally, she may be a little constipated. You can try adding a tablespoon or two of plain canned pumpkin to her food twice daily for an extra fiber boost to help move things along. If that doesn't help, I would recommend Luna sees her veterinarian to rule out other causes of constipation such as a parasitic infection or other cause. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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!

Your dog probably feels like she needs to poop but there is nothing left in her colon if your veterinarian did a complete enema. At this point I would try offering her a small now easily digestible food like some plain boiled chicken and rice, and see if she eats. She may need additional pain meds for a few days to get through the discomfort being impacted. I would also recommend you put her on a prescription diet that is specifically made for dogs with G.I. issues because it will help her stay regular. You may also want to ask your vet about a medication called lactulose. This medication can be given daily and can help keeps two songs and make them easier to pass. Make sure Coco has plenty of water as well. If she becomes dehydrated it will make it more difficult for her to poop. If she is still straining to poop, starts vomiting, stops wanting to eat, or has diarrhea, then I would recommend taking her back to your vet for a recheck. Otherwise just trying to keep her comfortable, exercising regularly, and drinking plenty of water and hopefully her stools will return to normal. Please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.