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My senior dog is constipated. What should I do if he hasn't pooped?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Hi my 13 year old Poodle is constipated and has been for around 24 hours. What should I do?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Chad Brown, DVM

Answered By Chad Brown, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 3rd, 2018

Hello and thank you very much for your question. I am jealous that you live in Australia. It seems great.

As long as your poodle is eating, drinking, and playing normally, I would not be concerned yet. In fact, many older animals don’t have as many bowel movements daily as younger dogs do. I have even heard situations about completely normal animals not defecating for an entire week. But, If your pet has not defecated in another 48 hours, you may want to call the veterinarian just to see if they will prescribe a laxative or a fiber supplement to help the bowel movements along. If your dog, however, starts to feel lethargic or if they do not eat as much as they normally do, I encourage you to contact the veterinarian sooner than the 48 hour waiting period.

I hope I have given a satisfying answer to your question. Have a great day.
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