Dog Constipation Needs To Be Brought Out Into The Open
Most of us these days are suffering from an epidemic of poor health, so it should come as no great surprise that man’s best friend is as well. Dog constipation is a painful and uncomfortable complaint and can lead to other more serious issues like intestinal blockages. Constipation in dogs is usually due to dehydration, a bad diet or insufficient exercise. This is why it’s critical to recognize and treat dog constipation and ensure your dog’s general health and wellbeing.
Traditionally constipation both in humans and animals gets treated with a laxative. However be aware that most doctors advise that relying too heavily on laxatives can bring about a slew of other medical complications, which may include the inability to expel waste in the future.
Wild animals naturally eat a high protein diet. If they get an upset stomach, they are often seen consuming fiber, like grass. Unfortunately, most typical commercial dog foods are low in protein and fiber and high in wheat, corn, fillers and carbohydrates. Animals living in the wild don’t eat bread! Dogs kept as pets commonly have yet another less than healthy eating habit: they will consume pretty much anything, even things that we don’t even consider to be food.
The signs of a constipated dog are not hard to find if you look for them. A dog will have trouble eliminating even though he keeps trying. At some point he will become bloated and lethargic and will be much less energetic and may even refuse to eat. He may even be a bit more gassy, as undigested food his intestine begins to create turmoil.
Taking steps to prevent constipation from ever occurring is usually the most advisable way to go by means of a healthy diet and enough water and exercise. At the point when your dog actually becomes constipated, it will be necessary to take more drastic action. First, increase your dog’s water consumption. One solution I have personally used included a couple cans of very high protein dog food with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. The outcome was a bit of a mess but it worked! Changing your dog’s diet around to include oil and more protein can do the trick.
It is often a good idea to give your dog a nice little belly rub. No need to go over the top here. Don’t use too much pressure and always rub in the direction of the tail. This might help you detect such things as a hardened stool, in which case a doggie enema might be necessary. In any case, making these changes should provide your dog with some relief.
To reiterate, dealing with canine constipation is vital. Prevention is clearly best, but should your best buddy be unable to eliminate, it’s necessary to deal with the problem immediately, usually with a change in diet and in increase in water and exercise. Should these methods be insufficient, more aggressive methods might need to be used, including a trip to the vet before the problem becomes more serious.