How to help my senior dog with constipation and walking issues?

Dehydration can be a cause of constipation in dogs. Give Honey canned food and add water to it. Lack of exercise can be a problem, so I'd take her for a walk. Too little fiber in the diet is another cause, and you can add a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (no pumpkin pie filling) to her food. Other causes include a foreign body, blocked or abscessed anal sacs, or GI tumors. Having her checked out by a vet for a health check is a good idea. Best of luck.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. 17.5 years old is great! My late dachshund just passed away in June and was 20 years old. It's always nice to have a friend that sticks around this long! It sounds as though Zak may be dealing with some arthritic pain causing him difficulty to position himself to defecate. I would recommend starting joint supplements and pain medications to see if this helps. I would also add fiber to his diet such as canned pumpkin or green beans to help normalize his stool movements. I would have a veterinarian examine Zak and discuss pain medication and joint supplement options with you . I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns that I may help you with.

Hi. I'm so sorry about Bella's diagnosis. Be sure to talk with her veterinarian about palliative care and pain management. If she is straining try to differentiate if she is trying to urinate vs defecate. If she is having difficulties with defecation you can try increasing the fiber of her food with a bit of canned pumpkin and/or moisture content with wet/canned dog food. Make all diet changes slowly so as not to cause diarrhea. If this isn't enough ask her vet about stool softeners or laxatives she can have.

It sounds like Nal is experiencing some constipation, which would cause her appetite to decrease. You can try to make her feces softer by getting more moisture in her diet and trying a home remedy. I would soak her food in gently warmed low sodium beef or chicken broth, or by mixing her dry food with some canned food. In addition, mix in a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) to see if that helps with her constipation. If these methods do not help over the next 48 hours, and her appetite continues to be less than normal, I would take her into the vet for an exam.

Poor Alexia! This constipation could be due to impacted anal sacs, not enough exercise, GI tumors, a foreign body, intestinal worms, not enough fiber in the diet, or a neurological disorder among other causes. I would try taking her for a short walk to see if that helps her poop, and mixing in a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) in with her food to see if that helps her poop. Because this has been going on for a few days, should these methods not work, I would take her into the vet tomorrow. She may need a laxative or an enema to help her pass feces, and the vet can diagnose what is causing the constipation in order to treat her appropriately.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bonita. It is unlikely that she is constipated unless she is straining to defecate and only producing small firm stool. She will likely defecate soon, but it can take awhile after having diarrhea. The diarrhea and vomiting emptied the gastrointestinal tract. After she is eating normally for a period of time, then she will begin having regular bowel movements. This can take a few days in some cases though. So I would not give her milk of magnesia at this point. I hope this information helps!

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A few tablespoons of plain canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) or a tablespoon of Psyllium powder (unflavored) can help move things along. However the other symptoms you mentioned do sound concerning to me. Decreased appetite along with drinking more water frequently and constipation may signal a kidney function issue, liver issue, or may be due the development of diabetes among other causes. My recommendation would be to have Pretty girl seen by her veterinarian as soon as possible for an exam and perhaps some blood work to check her organ function as there may be an underlying health issue here. I hope this helps and thanks again for posting!