Home remedies for dog constipation and when to worry

Key points

• Most dogs poop one to three times a day; if yours goes more than 48 hours without pooping or strains hard, keep a close eye on them.
• Water, cooked pumpkin and walks resolve most mild cases in one or two days.
• Bones are a very common cause of hard, chalky white stools, and of blockages too.
• Don't give them human laxatives or enemas from the pharmacy: some are toxic to dogs.
• Vomiting, a swollen or painful belly, lethargy, straining again and again with nothing coming out, or straining to urinate without result are an emergency.

Home remedies for dog constipation are simple and work in mild cases: more water, a little cooked pumpkin in their food and more walking. If your dog is fine, eating eagerly and has only gone a day without pooping or is passing slightly hard stools, it usually sorts itself out in a day or two.

First of all, make sure it really is constipation. A dog straining without producing anything may actually have diarrhea with a lot of urgency, a prostate problem or, most serious of all, a urinary blockage, which is an emergency. Here we explain how to tell them apart, what to give and how much, what never to give and when you need to see the vet.

Is it constipation or something else?

We call it constipation when a dog passes small, hard, dry stools with effort, or goes more than 48 hours without pooping. But some situations look very similar:

• Straining to urinate, not to defecate: if your dog squats or lifts their leg again and again and only drops come out, or nothing at all, they may have a urinary blockage, for example from bladder stones. It's an immediate emergency, especially in males.
• Colitis: they strain many times and pass small amounts of soft stool, with mucus or a little blood. It's the opposite of constipation and isn't treated by simply adding extra fiber.
• Prostate: in unneutered males, an enlarged prostate makes it hard to defecate and flattens the stools.
• Anal glands or a hernia next to the anus: they scoot their bottom along the floor, lick the area or you see a lump beside the anus.
• Pain: a dog with arthritis or back pain may hold it in because squatting is hard.

Common causes

• Not enough water: in summer, with very dry food or if the water bowl is far away or dirty.
• Not enough fiber in the diet.
• Bones: they cause white stools as hard as plaster that are very difficult to pass, and fragments can block the intestine. Cooked bones are the worst. We explain it in our guide to types of bones.
• Swallowing things: hair from grooming, lots of grass, fabric, bits of toys or stones.
• Too little exercise, stress or changes in routine, or holding it in because they don't get the chance to go out.
• Age, excess weight, some medications and diseases such as hypothyroidism.

Home remedies that help

Water first

Put out more than one bowl of fresh, clean water. Add lukewarm water to their food: homemade food, being moist, already helps. A little homemade broth with no salt or onion, with the bones strained out, encourages reluctant dogs to drink.

Cooked pumpkin

It provides fiber and water, and helps make stools softer and easier to pass. Use steamed or roasted pumpkin, mashed, with no salt, sugar or spices, or canned 100 % pure pumpkin, never pumpkin pie filling. Mix it into their food, split across the day's meals, for two or three days. More details on the pumpkin page.

Dog's weight	Cooked pumpkin per day
Under 10 kg (22 lb)	1-2 teaspoons
10-25 kg (22-55 lb)	1-2 tablespoons
Over 25 kg (55 lb)	2-4 tablespoons

Start with the lowest amount. More fiber without more water can make things worse.

Walks

Movement stimulates the gut. Two longer, calmer walks than usual, giving them time to sniff and do their business without rushing, help a lot.

If it happens often, a higher-fiber recipe can help, like our turkey, oatmeal and pumpkin recipe, always after your vet has ruled out other causes.

What you should never give them

• Human laxatives from the pharmacy: the doses and some active ingredients aren't meant for dogs. Only those your vet prescribes.
• Enemas of any kind: never at home. Phosphate enemas can cause severe poisoning, especially in small dogs, and putting anything into the anus can damage the rectum.
• Mineral oil or liquid paraffin by mouth: if it goes down into the lungs when swallowed, it causes severe pneumonia.
• Milk: it can cause diarrhea because of the lactose, but it doesn't fix constipation. More on the milk page.
• Generous glugs of olive oil: a little in their food usually does no harm, but there's no evidence it works, and in large amounts it can cause diarrhea or, in predisposed dogs, pancreatitis.
• Bones or very hard treats while the problem lasts.

When to see the vet

Book an appointment if:

• They've gone 48-72 hours without pooping despite the remedies.
• Constipation keeps coming back.
• They're an older dog, or have kidney, heart or hormonal disease.

It's an emergency, right now, if:

• They vomit, even once.
• Their belly is swollen, hard or painful to the touch.
• They're lethargic or stop eating.
• They strain again and again with nothing coming out, especially if they whimper or cry.
• You suspect they've swallowed a bone, a toy, a sock or a stone.
• They strain to urinate and no urine comes out.
• There's a lot of blood or the stools are black.
• It's a puppy.

What you need

• Steamed or roasted pumpkin, mashed, with no salt or sugar (or canned 100 % pure pumpkin)
• A second water bowl with fresh water
• Homemade broth with no salt or onion (optional)
• Measuring spoons

Step by step

1. Check that they're well

   They should be eating, drinking, lively, not vomiting and urinating normally. If any of these is off, don't wait: call your vet.

2. Increase their water

   Clean water bowls in several places and lukewarm water in every meal. If they drink little, add a splash of unsalted homemade broth to their water.

3. Add pumpkin

   The amount in the table for their weight, mixed into their food and split across the day's meals.

4. Walk more

   Two long, calm walks, with no rush so they can do their business.

5. Remove bones and hard treats

   No bones, antlers or very dry treats until everything is back to normal.

6. Check again after 48 hours

   If they've pooped and the stools are normal, keep up the pumpkin for two or three days and go back to their usual diet. If they haven't, see the vet.

Frequently asked questions

What can I give my dog to help them poop?

For mild constipation, more water, a little unsalted cooked pumpkin in their food and longer walks are usually enough within one or two days. Don't give them human laxatives or enemas. If they're also vomiting, have a swollen belly, are lethargic, keep straining with nothing coming out or are straining to urinate, don't wait: it's a veterinary emergency.

How long can a dog go without pooping?

Most dogs poop at least once a day. If yours goes more than 48 hours without pooping, try the home remedies and keep an eye on them; if it reaches 72 hours, take them to the vet. Don't wait that long if they vomit, won't eat, are lethargic, have a sore belly, are straining without result or you suspect they've swallowed something.

Is olive oil good for dog constipation?

There's no evidence that it works. A little in their food usually does no harm, but it isn't a reliable remedy either, and in large amounts it can cause diarrhea or, in predisposed dogs, pancreatitis. For mild constipation, water, cooked pumpkin and walks work better. Never give them mineral oil by mouth.

How much pumpkin should I give my constipated dog?

As a guide, 1-2 teaspoons a day for dogs under 10 kg (22 lb), 1-2 tablespoons for 10-25 kg (22-55 lb) and 2-4 tablespoons for large dogs, mixed into their food. It should be cooked or canned pure pumpkin with no salt, sugar or spices. Start small and make sure they drink water, because more fiber without water can make it worse.