Why is my 5-month-old Yorkie puppy constipated and not pooping?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I wouldn’t worry yet at just 36 hours. Some dogs are particular about their pooping habits. As long as she is eating, playful and not straining give her more time. If she can urinate in her own she can poop on her own. You can also call the person you got her from to double check what she did with them. Since you are seeing your vet tomorrow she should be fine. Have a good day!

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would not be concerned at this time. Sometimes a sudden change in environment can cause bowel movement irregularities. If Mia still has not had a BM by tomorrow, make sure to mention it to the vet. If she does, it is a good idea to collect in in a plastic bag so that they can use it to check for intestinal parasites, which are common in puppies. I usually recommend that you continue to feed the food she was on from the breeder to avoid digestive upset. Make sure she has access to clean, fresh water, which will help keep stools moist and easy to pass.

Oh no, poor Molly! I would take her into a the vet right away. It's quite serious that she hasn't pooped in three days, and it could be caused by anal sac impaction, intestinal parasites, a foreign body, too little fiber in the diet, lack of exercise, or even tumors in the GI tract. The vet can give her a laxative or an enema to help her poop, or it may need to be removed manually under sedation. The vet can also diagnose the cause of the constipation and can treat her for it. Please do not give her a human enema. In addition to potentially causing trauma to her colon, human enemas are not safe to use in dog's due causing electrolyte imbalances.

Hi there and thanks for your post! Dogs should defecate at least once every day. If it has been 1 and 1/2 days since Luna's last bowel movement but is still eating and drinking normally, she may be a little constipated. You can try adding a tablespoon or two of plain canned pumpkin to her food twice daily for an extra fiber boost to help move things along. If that doesn't help, I would recommend Luna sees her veterinarian to rule out other causes of constipation such as a parasitic infection or other cause. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If she is not eating well, she could go several days without defecating. However, if she is eating well, it should not be more than 2-3 days. She may be constipated. You could consider adding about 1 teaspoon of canned pumpkin to her meals which will likely help her go to the bathroom. Good luck and have a great day!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear that CoCo seems “off.” If you have not noticed her straining to pass stool, it is unlikely that she, as a young dog, is constipated. Most commonly whining will be due to pain/discomfort, stress, or boredom. Since she is eating and it doesn’t sound like she’s vomited, as long as her attitude seems normal (not dumpy) it is reasonable to give her some time and see how she is in the morning. However if she seems dumpy/lethargic, if she is limping noticeably or is not wanting to walk, or is having any vomiting, I would recommend you take her to a vet tonight. As far as a laxative, for future reference, hold off on giving any laxative until a vet has evaluated her and given specific instructions. A laxative could make another underlying problem worse due to its potential to cause dehydration. I hope you can both get some rest this evening! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.