Why is my French bulldog in pain, hiding, and constipated post-neuter?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Smudge! Shaking and crying are signs of pain. If Smudge is not straining to defecate then I doubt it is constipation. Constipation is not common in dogs, it is much more common in cats. The only constipated dogs I have seen have perineal hernias or are secondarily constipated from eating bones and their stool is very hard from digested bony material. My thoughts are that Smudge has a painful neck or back. Or muscle pain somewhere. Be sure he can open his mouth, yawn and chew. I would have him rechecked. If constipation is a worry then a rectal exam and a belly X-ray should be taken to prove this. I hope this helps and I wish Smudge a speedy recovery!

Poor Carl, the bruising is definitely more than expected, especially around the surgical wound. I would be suspicious he may have an infection or poor clotting ability resulting in easy and extensive bruising. This should resolve over 7-10 days, your vet can prescribe additional pain relief if uncomfortable and you should monitor for any fever

Given that Stanley was recently neutered and had abdominal surgery to find the undescended testicle, he may be a little painful still and that's causing him to cry out in pain when pooping. It could be as well that if he is on pain medication, it is making him a little constipated, and you can try adding a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) in with his food to see if that helps. If this doesn't help, and he's still crying when pooping after 24-48 hours, then I would take him into the vet for an exam.

Something's not right - Copper should be recovering normally at this point. I'm worried about a potential reaction to pain medication, or even a completely unrelated problem, such as parasites or a bacterial or viral GI infection. I would get him seen as soon as possible - he needs to be examined to determine the exact cause, and treated with appropriate medications.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Nietsche. I worry that he seems so uncomfortable for you after his surgery. Pain should be well managed after surgery and it is concerning that his is not. Is he eating, drinking, urinating and defecating? I recommend having him re-evaluated by his veterinarian today. You need to be sure that he has not developed a fever, that his incision is intact and not infected and that he is comfortable when the doctor feels his belly. He may need adjustments to his medications. If not, it is best to know that he is recovering well. I hope this information helps!

It does look like the incision may be infected. I would have this checked out as soon as possible with a veterinarian. If Charlie has been seen licking it, even once, he should wear an e-collar to prevent spreading bacteria and to avoid a problem with healing. Constipation after surgery can be caused by some types of pain medications, or may be from pain caused during the squatting process. This is also something to discuss with your vet. If Charlie is not on pain medications, then he may need to start them. If he is on pain medications, they may need to be changed or discontinued.

Since you are unable to determine what is the cause of Brixton's I would recommend taking him in the see the vet for a full exam. Sometimes when the source of pain cannot easily be identified the dog can have spinal/back pain or possibly abdominal pain. At the very least your vet can prescribe some pain medication to help get your dog more comfortable.