![]() Stress and psychological problems-Something in the environment that will lead a dog to hold it.Metabolic diseases, like hypothyroidism and renal (kidney) issues.Drugs, including opiates, diuretics, antihistamines, some antacids, certain cancer drugs.Activity level-For reasons unknown, being sedentary often results in slower transit.Age-Elderly dogs seem more prone to constipation.Bones, bone meal, and other sources of dietary calcium can contribute to constipation. Also, unlike humans, dogs tend to eat things that are not food-like hair, toys, and kitty litter-and these may cause blockages and abnormal fecal transit. Diet-As in humans, a diet lacking in fiber is often the problem.Some of the most common reasons dogs become constipated include: Intrinsic (diseases and nerve injuries).Extraluminal (obstructions originating outside the colon, such as tumors or pelvic fractures).Interluminal (referring to blockages inside the colon).Veterinarians categorize these causes, based upon where the problem occurs along the digestive tract. Veterinary textbooks list scores of underlying causes, some as benign as lack of exercise, others much more serious problems, like cancer. Scientists have long used a term usually associated with geology-“ concretion”-to describe stool that is as hard as a rock. Water reabsorption is the colon’s main function.įecal material in the colon is moved through a process known as “peristaltic waves.” If this process becomes impaired or slowed, the fecal mass will stall in the colon and continue to lose moisture, becoming hard, dry, and, ultimately, impossible to pass. Under normal circumstances, fecal matter travels through the digestive tract, reaching the colon where water and electrolytes are absorbed from the mass. ![]() Dyschezia, which is painful or difficult defecation.Tenesmus, which includes straining to defecate with little or no result, or producing small amounts of liquid fecal matter mixed with blood.Two other signs of discomfort are associated with constipation, including: Hard, dry stools that feel like pebbles when you pick them up.The signs of constipation are pretty obvious, including: Luckily, there are ways to help relieve dogs of constipation, including stool softeners. This is known as obstipation, in which there is so much fecal matter that it becomes compacted and the dog cannot defecate at all. In chronic cases, dogs may retain hard, dry fecal matter in their digestive tracts. Dogs who are suffering from constipation will not “go” at all, strain to defecate, or produce rock-hard stools. Constipation refers to an inability to produce normal stools on a regular schedule, which, for a dog, is generally once or twice per day.
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