# Constipation?



## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

I posted last week when I was told my dog had yeast infections, and that she didn't poop for a couple of days after starting meds.

Well her infected paw is healing at an astounding pace. She's on prednisone, and anti biotic, and an anti fungal pill regimen.

But she's not a very happy German Shepherd.

She pooped Monday morning before the vet visit, then not again until like Wednesday.

She pooped again Thursday once instead of the usual twice a day, and not again until tonight just a few minutes ago, and not nearly as large as normal, and a drier harder stool.

She is also yelping in pain randomly with no obvious reason about once a half hour all day yesterday and today, she's not limping or lifting a paw when she yelps. I'm thinking her gut is hurting her. She's also slowing way down while out on a walk off and on in a very unusual way like her feet hurt or something, like trying to limp with all 4 feet with her head low.

I'm thinking maybe a mild laxative would help, and keeping her on canned food only for a while. 

Anyone know of a safe mild laxative I could try? Something simple to loosen things up a bit?

She's supposed to go back to the vet in a week, but I figure maybe trying something tomorrow and seeing if it helps might be good, and taking her in Monday morning if she is still not better.

Edit:

After reading around the web I narrowed down to two things I have on hand, milk or Olive oil.

I gave her 1/2 cup of milk, we'll see how it goes. Maybe another 1/2 cup in the morning a couple hours before I take her for a walk.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

Bacon grease is also another great one to get the tracks moving again. Adding a little water or chicken broth (low sodium) to her food will also increase her moisture levels in her GI by presoaking some of the food. A tablespoon or 2 of canola will do the same as bacon grease, and lastly some plain yogert in her food to help restore her guts natural flora and for god's sake get her off the pred as soon as you can. Nothing screws up a system like steroids... plus they supress her immune system. Doesn't seem to make sense to me that a vet would put a dog with a paw injury on pred. I know there's some anti inflamatory qualities to it but not near enough to justify (to me) putting a dog on it for a paw injury.


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Dog_Shrink said:


> Bacon grease is also another great one to get the tracks moving again. Adding a little water or chicken broth (low sodium) to her food will also increase her moisture levels in her GI by presoaking some of the food. A tablespoon or 2 of canola will do the same as bacon grease, and lastly some plain yogert in her food to help restore her guts natural flora and for god's sake get her off the pred as soon as you can. Nothing screws up a system like steroids... plus they supress her immune system. Doesn't seem to make sense to me that a vet would put a dog with a paw injury on pred. I know there's some anti inflamatory qualities to it but not near enough to justify (to me) putting a dog on it for a paw injury.


Well she has an infection and the side of her paw and between her toes, her dew claw has been swollen and nasty for a month.

She did two weeks of antibiotics and a different anti inflammatory already and it didn't take care of it. It's responding much better now, but he said she has both a bacterial and yeast infection going on with it. I was afraid she was going to chew it off, and was constantly licking it. That and between two of her toes was also looking nasty and starting to bleed. It's all dried up, swelling is way down, and is healing now.

She's only getting 7 days of pred before I start weaning her off Monday.

She hasn't yelped again since she had the milk, hopefully she's feeling a little better, hard to tell as the pred weirds her out too. Knowing my luck I'll end up with a pool of 2 days worth of poo to wake up to. She wants to go out often, but nothing happening yet.

I don't eat bacon any more or she would already get all my bacon grease, but I think I do have canola and olive oil. I might try a little of that if she doesn't go by morning walk.

I'll have her on some probiotics when it's done, but she's got 3 weeks of antibiotics and anti fungal pills to go yet. I'll be treating her feet from there on out I think, if I can figure out what's best to keep yeast away. I already do her ears with vinegar and water.

Right now she's snoozing nicely on the sofa like this... A pic from last month..


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## lulusmom (Nov 12, 2008)

If your dog is on prednisone, do not add any extra fat to your dog's food, especially not bacon grease!! Prednisone is a synthetic gluccocorticoid which in excess can predispose a dog to pancreatitis and if your dog's problem is already an intestinal/gut issue, giving any fat at all could prove to be a disaster. Milk is also a bad idea as like humans, a good number of dogs are lactose intolerant. I'm lactose intolerant and I know how sick I get when I drink milk. Severe bloating, gas, diarrhea and abdominal pain is not fun. 

Your dog should be seen by the vet to diagnose the problem but if you can't get in right away and you think your dog is constipated, try plain 100% pure canned pumpkin. No spices, no sugar, just plain canned pumpkin. Most dogs love it and the beauty of pumpkin is that it is a natural remedy for both diarrhea and constipation. 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/ar...a_natural_remedy_for_constipation.html?cat=53


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Oy, 

Well she had a cup of milk, and a little canola oil and she still hasn't gone. I didn't feed her much at all today.

I guess it'll be off to the vet in the morning, I have a new rescue I picked up today that needs to go in anyway, heartworm positive.

It's usually not a problem getting in to see him, or one of the other vets at the hospital.

I think it must be the anti fungal or something she ate blocking her up, she's been on predisone and antibiotics before and didn't have these issues.


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Well still no movement so to speak after a walk this morning. She's looking obviously uncomfortable, but doesn't look like she's in terrible pain or anything.

I only gave her half a can of food last night, and a about a half cup of kibble she stole from Monica, the new dog.

My vet is booked solid today, I have an appt with a different vet at the clinic for 4:30. We'll see how it goes.

I just hope she doesn't have bloat or some foreign object stuck in there. It'll be 4 days now if she doesn't go today.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

If it was bloat your dog would be dead by now. It sounds to me like a partial obstruction. Good for you getting her to the vet. I would have him do an x-ray to determine what's going on. If it's any kind of blockage he should be able to palpate it and confirm with an x-ray. Then you're likely looking at surgery to remove the blockage. Do some reading on bloat. Any dog over 50 pounds are succeptable to it and every dog owner should know exactly what to look for because bloat can kill your dog in less than 6 hours. My Dane bloated twice (totally unprovoked, was doing it all "right" according to the books and info and He STILL bloated). He never has the twist but it was scary and really uncomfortable for him. We had to have a prophylactic Gastropexy done and now if he does bloat again at least he can't twist.


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Dog_Shrink said:


> If it was bloat your dog would be dead by now. It sounds to me like a partial obstruction. Good for you getting her to the vet. I would have him do an x-ray to determine what's going on. If it's any kind of blockage he should be able to palpate it and confirm with an x-ray. Then you're likely looking at surgery to remove the blockage. Do some reading on bloat. Any dog over 50 pounds are succeptable to it and every dog owner should know exactly what to look for because bloat can kill your dog in less than 6 hours. My Dane bloated twice (totally unprovoked, was doing it all "right" according to the books and info and He STILL bloated). He never has the twist but it was scary and really uncomfortable for him. We had to have a prophylactic Gastropexy done and now if he does bloat again at least he can't twist.


Yeah I'm thinking either just bad constipation or a partial obstruction, she's still urinating like normal, maybe even more frequently, but we'll see.

She's not randomly yelping today, just groaning a lot.

Edit:

Well had the vet xray her, looks like just bad constipation, what a relief, vet gave her a can of pumpkin laced dog food. Hope did not like the xray, I could hear her crying and howling from the front of the office.

Since she hasn't been fed today I gave her another can of food when I got home, she was quite ready for it.

He said she should be cutting loose a significant amount tonight. I hope so, her gut is looking awfully stuffed.

He also gave Monica, the girl I brought home yesterday from the GSD rescue that was closing a free exam, says she's at least 3, likely 4 years old not one year as the shelter told me.


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## soliaris (Sep 27, 2009)

i would stop feeding for 24 hours, lots of water, rectal pedia lax for kids, poor thing, let us know how it is going; rice - helps hard stool, you may consider it;


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

With the dog heavily medicated, I wouldn't risk home remedies. Call the vet. If the dog is having severe side effects, the vet may choose different medicine.


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Well the vet said if enough goes in one end, it'll have to come out the other.

She got a nice big meal last night, and dropped a little one, about half what she normally drops, even after a 2 mile walk. She's usually at the end of her leash but she was lagging last night.

Edit:

Gave her another can of food this morning with a little warm water and a cup of kibble.. And thar she blows! Whining at the door to get out and a great big pile of hard stuff. Relieving to see after 4 days.

ROFL, and ten minutes later another full day sized pile of a more normal stuff..

I'm wincing as to what I will come home to after work, with her being inside all day. In fact I think I'm going to call it a day early today.

I think she'll be getting a canned food with a lil pumpkin with her meals until she goes off the drugs in another three weeks, and all will be well.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

YAY... who ever thought they'd be so happy to see their dog poo. Now let's just hope that she doesn't go he other way and get really runny. Did the vet give you any ideas as to what med caused the consitpation? that would be good to know for the future. And finally glad to see a vet confirm that pumpkin was a laxative.


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## digits mama (Jun 13, 2007)

Glad to hear shes doing better!


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

digits mama said:


> Glad to hear shes doing better!


She's back to her old self now it seems, she did about 4 days worth starting from hard and dry this morning to runny at the end this afternoon.

I took off work early, and had no mess!

So both the girls got a 2 mile walk, a trip to petsmart for new matching collars, and a couple of hours at the dog park. Once Hope was emptied out at the park she played like she hasn't since I got her, even fetched a tennis ball about 8 times when her limit is usually 2-3 times.. Must have felt good.

The new girl Monica was a bit overwhelmed by the walk, the store, the people, all the roughhousing dogs at the park, and even got into a spat with Hope, but it's a big move from a year in a kennel to a crowded world and she did better than I expected and pretty darn good I think.

I'm pretty sure it was either the anti fungal, or maybe she just didn't drink enough water with the mix of drugs. She's been on the predisone and antibiotics before for her ears without this issue.

Her foot is looking very very much better as well.

She started weaning off the prednisone today.

They both got a good canned food mixed with warm water and kibble with a couple of strips of chicken jerky for dessert and are both sacked out like a couple of potatoes right now..


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

Be careful with the chicken jerky. A bunch was just recently recalled.

http://www.itchmo.com/fda-investigating-bestro-chicken-jerky-strips-in-dogs-deaths-2350

http://www.wellsphere.com/articles/chicken-jerky-recall


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Dog_Shrink said:


> Be careful with the chicken jerky. A bunch was just recently recalled.
> 
> http://www.itchmo.com/fda-investigating-bestro-chicken-jerky-strips-in-dogs-deaths-2350
> 
> http://www.wellsphere.com/articles/chicken-jerky-recall


Wow, well it wasn't one of those brands, but looking close at the package it is made in China.

It's Waggin train brand.

Do they sell anything that is actually good for your dog these days?


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

I did a google search for it and waggin train was one that I did see. You might want to check it out more indepth honestly. I also heard that even tho a lot of jerky treats say made in the USA they actually get the food product from overseas.


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Dog_Shrink said:


> I did a google search for it and waggin train was one that I did see. You might want to check it out more indepth honestly. I also heard that even tho a lot of jerky treats say made in the USA they actually get the food product from overseas.


Guess I'll have to start raising my own chickens.. 

Thanks for the tip, I'll look em up.


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## lulusmom (Nov 12, 2008)

I was pleased to find a healthy treat at Petsmart. It was dried chicken wrapped around a slice of dried banana. My dogs love it.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

Honestly I would avoid ALL chicken jerkey treats (the sweet potato wrapped banana wrapped.. any of them) right now. Better to err on the side of caution than pay for it later.


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Well they both seem fine, Hope is definitely back in form, and feeling and looking fine.

What was supposedly in these chicken jerkies that was so harmful?


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

I'm not entirely sure I didn't read it since I don't give my guys those but I can research it a bit more if you like.


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Dog_Shrink said:


> I'm not entirely sure I didn't read it since I don't give my guys those but I can research it a bit more if you like.


And I chose them because they appear to be just plain dried whole slices of chicken breast, not processed and mashed or formed into a strip.

How can you screw up a plain slice of chicken drying it out and preserving it like we've done for tens of thousands of years? I guess they found a way.

Must have soaked them in some nasty stuff to preserve them I guess.

I've eaten jerky myself that looked didn't look as well made, and the thought did pass my mind that these might actually be worth a taste.


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