My senior dog has cancer and can't poop. What can I do to help?

I'm sorry Pooh Bear has cancer. It sounds like your vet is doing a good job of trying to treat as best as possible, and I'm assuming the type of cancer diagnosed was transitional cell carcinoma since piroxicam has been prescribed. If that is the case, I have seen these dogs get many more months of good quality life, as long as clinical signs are controlled. If the type of cancer hasn't been determined and the diagnosis has been made on just the fact that he has an enlarged prostate, then I would caution that dogs can have adenocarcinoma of the prostate, another type of cancer which metastasizes readily and is quite aggressive, and ultimately difficult to treat. It typically does not respond to piroxicam. Straining to defecate and pain on defecation with prostatic cancers is usually due to the colon becoming trapped between the enlarged prostate and the enlarged sublumbar lymph nodes. If the cancer is a TCC, it should respond to piroxicam, and the prostate should shrink a bit, which will hopefully improve the symptoms. If the cancer is another type of cancer, unfortunately it's unlikely that the current treatment plan is going to help. Stool softeners such as lactulose may help to improve the consistency of the stool, and make it easier to pass. Your vet might also consider adding on gabapentin as an additional pain reliever to the current regimen, as that may add some additional relief.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry that Bella has this cancer, but glad that she is still eating and happy. Depending on the type of cancer, steroid may or may not help, I would discuss with your vet about a steroid vs. an NSAID. The two cannot be given at the same time so you will have to pick one or the other. Gabapentin is good for pain as well, so continue this and ask your vet if you can increase this dose. CBD oil is controversial for sure, but the biggest issue is that the amount of drug in each 'pill'/'capsule' is highly variable, so sometimes there will be no drug and sometimes far too much. If Bella isn't responding well to it, then I would suggest stopping it. Ulcerated skin will be painful, but gauge her quality of life based on if she is eating, walking, wagging her tail, happy otherwise, you know her best. Best of luck with Bella, I hope she feels happy for a long time!

I'm sorry Frank has cancer! Brands of food I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. You can try adding some pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) to his dry dog food to add more fiber in his diet, which may help. Keep in mind, however, that this tumor may be blocking his anus, making it hard for him to poop, and that no diet will stop the growth of the tumor. You can speak to his vet to see if surgery is an option to remove the tumor, or if chemotherapy is an option. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

I am so sorry to hear that Bonita is not doing well. Difficulty walking is a common ailment in older dogs and, while there is little you can do to help relieve swelling in her spine, some good joint supplements (MSM and GLucosamine) as well as Omega 3 Fatty acids could help with Bonita's hind limb discomfort. With regard to her constipation, high fiber foods such as canned pumpkin could help her defecate. Finally, significant weight loss especially in an older dog can be of great concern. I recommend getting the blood work done as soon as it is affordable.

Some pain medications can cause constipation and decreased appetite. You should discuss this possibility with your vet. The vet may also want to examine Bella to determine the level of her constipation. She may need a mild laxative for a few days to make it easier for her to have a bowel movement.

I am very sorry that Missi is so ill. Unfortunately there is a chance that the cancer has spread to her lungs, which would likely cause the coughing, unless she has a congestive heart condition. Not pooping could be because either the mass has grown so big it is obstructing the rectum and poop cannot pass by it to the outside, or pooping is painful and she just holds it in. So the next step here would be to check if the coughing is indeed caused by metastases or not. An x-ray would be diagnostic. As for the mass in her anal gland, your vet probably is afraid of removing it as it could make your dog incontinent, while not really extending her life as it already has spread to the lymph nodes, and is likely spreading through the body. So, as painful as the thought is, I believe you may need to prepare to say good bye soon in order to prevent her from suffering. Listen to Missi. She will tell you when it is time to let go. Your vet may be able to give her a laxative to facilitate feces to pass, after checking whether there is any gap at all. If there is not, then I am afraid it would be cruel to wait until she has serious life threatening problems with fecal toxicity and constipation. So I am very sorry the news is not better. :isten to Missi. Missi will know. And give her lots of TLC.

In an unneutered male dog the likely problem is an enlarged prostate. When it enlarges, it pushes on the colon and can make defecation painful. He should see a vet for an exam. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/prostatic-disease-in-dogs