My 5-week-old puppy struggles to poop. How can I ease her pain?

Rex needs more fiber in his diet to bulk up the stool and make it softer. I would give a tablespoon of plain canned pumpkin with each meal. It will add both fiber and fluid. I recommend adding additional water in the food also as dogs that are dehydrated will also have hard stool. Make sure he’s not eating dirt and feed a good quality dog food two to three times daily. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Rex.

Poor pup! If his stool seems too hard, you could try mixing a spoonful of canned pumpkin into his food at every meal to see if this helps. Switching from dry to canned food may also be helpful, since canned food has a higher moisture content and usually results in softer stools.

Have Max examined by your veterinarian to diagnose medical causes. Sometimes this can be a neurological issue or a congenital condition. You can try mixing one teaspoon of plain canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling) per 10lbs body weight into the food once or twice daily. Continue to make sure he is drinking adequate amounts of water. Dehydration, even minor, can cause difficult defecation.

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!

I would not be overly worried about not pooping for a day or even two. It is not common. You can try feeding her 1/4 cup of pumpkin twice a day (pure pumpkin, not pie filling). The extra fiber may help push things through.

Poor pup! If nothing at all is coming out except some mucus, it would really be best to have him seen by a vet tonight if possible - severe constipation like this is very uncomfortable, and he may need an enema along with prescription medication to treat it effectively. If this isn't an option for you, you could try giving him a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin if you have some available - this helps to increase fiber and moisture in the stool, which can make it softer. I would also encourage the puppy to drink fluids, either water or low-sodium beef or chicken broth, which can also help to soften the stool a bit. He should still be seen by a veterinarian as soon as you are able to take him, especially if he is still not able to poop by morning.

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!