If you read our post yesterday on dog constipation, you might be wondering if we have any thoughts on safe dog laxatives to help your pet. Good news! Here are a few things you can try at home to help your dog unload their bowels safely.
- Exercise: Believe it or not, consistent exercise will help facilitate regular bowel movements in your dog. If often walked, there is a good chance your pet will not suffer from constipation; however, if your pet is experiencing dog constipation, you might want to increase the amount of exercise, either by lengthening walks or making the activity a bit more rigorous.
- Hydrate: As we mentioned yesterday, even a mild case of dehydration can lead to constipation. Make sure your dog has access to water at all times. Since your dog may not be feeling well if he is unable to relieve himself, consider making the liquid intake more enticing by adding broth to your dog’s drinking bowl or making your four-legged friend soup for a meal.
- Pumpkin: If you’re looking for safe dog laxatives, and water and exercise don’t seem to be working, consider adding pumpkin to your dog’s diet. Pumpkin is a plant high in fiber – and also water content. To add this to your dog’s meals, consider either mashing up a pumpkin yourself, or purchasing a can of crushed pumpkin. If you choose to purchase the canned pumpkin, make sure to buy the plain version, not the one with spices.
- Milk: Drinking too much milk might turn into a diarrhea situation for your dog, but if he isn’t using the bathroom at all, you might want to consider allowing your pup to consume fresh dairy milk twice a day until he can defecate regularly on his own.
It’s always best to attempt to relieve dog constipation by using safe dog laxatives at home. However, if your pooch doesn’t take well to these options, here are a few other things you might want to consider:
First, is your dog very furry? Make sure the fur near his rectum is well-trimmed at all times. Matted fur may make defecation more difficult, and in turn cause inflammation in the area, which might discourage your dog from actually attempting to release any stool.
Also, you might want to consider more frequent bathroom breaks. If your dog is used to holding it for a prolonged period of time, he might not be willing to try to defecate. Bring him to his favorite potty spot more often when constipated, and he could feel more comfortable, relaxed, and willing to try.
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Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post! It is the little changes that produce the most significant changes. Thanks for sharing!