It seems that mankind is suffering from an epidemic of poor health, so it should come as no great shock that man's best friend is also. Just as in humans, canine constipation can be quite uncomfortable and even painful, potentially leading to other more severe issues, like gastrointestinal blockages. While it is possible that canine constipation is due to something serious, it is more likely a poor eating habit, dehydration, or lack of exercise. However, treating dog constipation and making sure your dog can eliminate regularly is critical for a dog's general wellbeing.

Often, constipation in human beings or animals is treated with a laxative. Doctors warn, however, that over dependency on laxatives can cause a series of other health problems, like the inability to eliminate in the future, as the body becomes used to a laxative and will not eliminate effectively without it.

In nature, animals, including dogs, consume a diet high in protein. If they get an upset stomach, they are often seen consuming fiber, like grasses. Unfortunately, most typical commercially available dog foods are weak in protein and fiber and high in wheat, corn, fillers and carbohydrates. Dogs in the wild will not eat bread, it's that simple. Household dogs often have another unhealthy habit, they will eat just about anything, even items that are inedible!

Indications of canine constipation are usually not hard to spot, if you pay attention. A dog will not be able to eliminate, though he could continuously try. Eventually, he will become bloated and sluggish, less playful and less likely to eat. He may even become a bit gassier, as the undigested food left in his bowel begins to ferment.

While prevention is usually the best route by means of a good diet, large quantity of water and exercise, by the time your dog is constipated, it will be time to take more proactive measures. First, increase your dog's water consumption. One solution I have myself used included a few cans of very high protein dog food with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. The results were unpleasant but very effective. A change in diet to include more oil and protein is usually quite effective.

It is often a good idea to give your dog a nice little body rub. This shouldn't be anything too extreme. Don't rub too hard and always rub downwards, towards the tail. This might help you find out such things as a hardened stool, in which case a canine enema might be necessary. In any case, making these adjustments should have your dog with some relief.

Again, managing canine constipation is important. Prevention is obviously best, but should your best buddy be unable to eliminate, it's necessary to deal with the problem immediately, usually with a change in food and more water and exercise. Should these techniques be insufficient, more aggressive strategies might need to be employed, including a trip to the vet before the problem becomes more serious.

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