My older dog can't pass stool. Is surgery safe for bowel obstruction?

It sounds like tour friends dog will need to surgery to save its life. Unfortunately, if the obstruction has not passed yet it is unlikely that it will. The longer the surgery is delayed the higher the likelihood that the bowel tissue will be damaged and cannot heal. There is also a risk that the bowel can perforate causing the dog to become septic. It is important that the surgery be performed immediately in order to give the dog the best chance of survival.

If the growth is stopping the movement and control of his pooping then surgery to remove it should solve the problem. They will know after the ultrasound if it’s a solitary mass or if there are more that may become a problem later. Your veterinarian should be able to give you a better idea of the options once they complete the ultrasound. I would do a biopsy also so you know whether the growth is benign or malignant as that information may change your treatment decisions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Rocko.

Hello. With a partial obstruction, some stool could still pass by, but if Harper Grace is still eating & drinking well, & there in no belly pain, then I would not expect any kind of obstruction. Watch her over the weekend, & if she continues to eat & behave normally, then you can stop worrying. I am sorry for the loss of your mother. I know that Harper must be very precious to you, but she sounds fine to me for now. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I agree with your veterinarian. If there are balls of fiberglass inside she will never be normal until it's removed. The advantage of doing surgery is that they can feel the entire intestinal tract and remove the foreign material, as well as any in the stomach. With an endoscopy they can only see a limited amount. Since Gracie is young and in good health other than this she will recover from surgery quickly. If you wait there is always a chance that it could move causing a full obstruction and then that would be emergency surgery with a sick dog, it would be more expense and higher risk too. Although this does seem extreme, you've already tried a bulk diet and endoscopy which haven't resolved the problem so this would be the next step to get Gracie better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Gracie.

Poor Cooper! That is quite a large bump on his bottom, and it sounds like you are in a tough spot at the moment. Without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain what is best for him but I can give my opinion. Given that he is trying to eat and drinking, and is running around, you can ask your vet if an enema and stool softener may help. The problem is that it would be a temporary fix if it did work, and the hernia will continue to get worse over time. Given his relatively young age, it may be worth speaking with another vet to get a second opinion, such as a specialized veterinary surgeon. Veterinary surgeons have extensive training in surgery, and they may be able to attempt surgery to see if that can fix his hernia and prevent you from making the decision to put him to sleep. I think that would be a worthwhile avenue to pursue for him, and it may give you the option of surgery. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

It would be more dangerous to let Roma live with the stones. Leaving them in her will cause irritation and damage to the bladder lining, leading to bleeding. The stones will also inflame and irritate the bladder walls causing swelling and pain. There is also the potential that the stones could cause an obstruction of the urethra which fatal without treatment. Old age isn't a reason to not do surgery, and as long as she is otherwise healthy, I would recommend having these stones removed from Roma's bladder.

I am very sorry to hear about Gracey. These symptoms are certainly concerning and warrant a visit to Gracey's veterinarian for an examination. We can see constipation in dogs but we don't see it commonly and it usually wouldn't cause enlargement of the abdomen unless it was severe. It is possible she isn't have bowel movements because she hasn't had any intake of food. With a bloated appearance to the stomach we worry about fluid buildup in the belly which can be a result of heart disease, low protein levels (which an be due to kidney or intestinal disease or severe parasitism), bleeding or oozing from a tumor. We can also have enlargement of the belly due to a space occupying mass (such as a tumor). If your dog isn't spayed then another possibility would be a uterine infection (her uterus could be full of pus and causing the bloated look). I would recommend having Gracey seen as soon as possible, if she seems lethargic or has an elevated temperature (over 102.5), has pale gums, or is vomiting then she should be seen tonight at the emergency vet. Some of these conditions can be life threatening if left untreated.