My puppy hasn't pooped since I brought her home. Is she constipated?

Congratulations on your new puppy! If Bella is acting completely normal otherwise and defecated a large amount yesterday, I wouldn't be too concerned. It is common for puppies to take some time to regulate their bathroom habits after changing homes and/or changing foods. If you do notice signs of illness (vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, poor appetite), then I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam.

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would not be concerned at this time. Sometimes a sudden change in environment can cause bowel movement irregularities. If Mia still has not had a BM by tomorrow, make sure to mention it to the vet. If she does, it is a good idea to collect in in a plastic bag so that they can use it to check for intestinal parasites, which are common in puppies. I usually recommend that you continue to feed the food she was on from the breeder to avoid digestive upset. Make sure she has access to clean, fresh water, which will help keep stools moist and easy to pass.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I wouldn’t worry yet at just 36 hours. Some dogs are particular about their pooping habits. As long as she is eating, playful and not straining give her more time. If she can urinate in her own she can poop on her own. You can also call the person you got her from to double check what she did with them. Since you are seeing your vet tomorrow she should be fine. Have a good 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!

I wouldn't be too concerned about not passing stool unless Bowie goes more than 24 hours without going, or seems in distress/ill (trying to go but can't, vomiting, not eating or drinking, lethargic, etc.) A play session and some running around may help encourage his bowels to get moving as well!

You can wipe her perianal area with hypoallergenic baby wipes every 2 hours to help stimulate her to poop. Mother dogs generally lick their puppies perianal regions throughout the day to simulate them to pee and poop. A 6 week old puppy generally should still be given puppy milk replacer via a bottle every few hours. Increasing drinking will improve hydration and help facilitate pooping as well. Cake is not recommended for puppies or dogs, and boiled rice and chicken is very easily absorbed compared to puppy chow. Many dogs on just boiled rice and chicken will not poop for 2 days at a time. I recommend adding puppy milk replacer (you can get this from most pet stores) to Gyspy’s daily diet and slowly adding a high quality puppy food (canned and dry) such as Royal Canin medium dog breed puppy chow. Good luck!

Puppies can sometimes become constipated especially when they are being bottle fed formula. If he otherwise seems comfortable and is eating well you could try diluting the formula with water 50:50 (remember to offer twice as much so he gets enough calories). If he still doesn't produce stool in the next 12-24 hours I would recommend seeing a veterinarian - he may need to have an enema or could have another medical problem that is making him constipated.