The dog is antsy…moving around restlessly, whimpering and acting as if it wants to go. So you take the dog outside to do its business. Fifi starts to move around in circles, squats and tries very hard but nothing comes out. Nada! The dog is constipated. So it’s true…dogs too suffer from constipation. Unless you would want to stick your finger in there to manually remove the “thing”, you need to find ways to help the poor pet.

A low fiber diet is one of the most common causes of constipation in humans. Therefore it follows that a constipated dog’s diet is low in fiber too. Exercise plays an important role to make the pet go regularly. Experts tell us that stress can often result to constipation. Know what causes the stress in your pet. Have you brought home another dog? The “old” pet may be feeling left out because all eyes and ears of the family are turned to the new comer. Also consider the fact that dogs are great eaters. Because they eat anything, constipation may be due to an obstruction in the bowels. Dogs that are under medication may suffer from constipation too.

Now that you know what causes constipation how would you help a dog that is overwhelmed by the task of doing its business? Naturally, the best option is to take the dog to a veterinary facility. Taking the dog to the vet would rule out any other medical concerns like an enlarged colon that causes the constipation. In most cases the vet would prescribe laxatives. It would be a good idea to give the dog plenty of water to drink. Aside from making sure that the water bowl is filled at all times it would also be a good idea to place water bowls in several places in the house. Mineral oil helps lubricate and soften the stool. For every 25 lbs. of weight you can add a tablespoon to the meal of the dog. Green beans and canned pumpkin are good sources of fiber. Add these foods to the diet of the dog. Two teaspoonfuls of bran added to the meal are guaranteed to make the dog go. You love your dog and you want to share with the pet what you eat. But table scraps, and foods with high sugar content triggers constipation. It would be easy to maintain the regular bowel movement of the pet. You simply need to provide a high fiber diet and to make sure that the dog is taken on its daily walks.