Constipation Cures for Canines

Constipation in dogs can be an easily treatable condition or a symptom of a more serious condition. And curing constipation depends on the kind of constipation a dog has. In general terms, constipation is the inability to evacuate the bowel. This results in a build-up of feces that gets drier and harder as the water it contains is absorbed by the colon.

CHRONIC CONSTIPATION

Chronic constipation may be caused by eating large amounts of foreign material such as grass, paper, bone chips, cloth and cellulose. It can also be the result of inappropriate diets, for example, low-fiber or high-meat, or giving your dog cooked or small bones that splinter easily, then cement together and get stuck in the colon. This can actually lead to fecal impaction, a more serious matter. Another cause of chronic constipation is simply not getting enough exercise, which can slow down the elimination process.

CHRONIC CONSTIPATION TREATMENTS

One common treatment for constipation is an enema, usually done under light anesthesia or sedation by a veterinarian. It can also be done at home, with great care, by the more adventurous, using 1 ounce of over-the-counter Fleet enema fluid per 10 lbs body weight, according to Delbert G. Carlson, DVM and James M. Giffin, MD in "The Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook." They add that a tap water enema is effective for grass-induced constipation. It consists of a rubber catheter connected to the enema bag, with a lubricated tip, inserted so that the rectum retains fluid (2 or 3 inches.)