Constipation – Not just a “Human” problem
AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterTwitterShare to PinterestPinterestPinterestShare to MoreAddThisMore1
I don’t know if it’s common behavior or not but whenever the lawn is wet “Daisy” absolutely refuses to “poop.” I walk around in circles with her, go in a straight line, jog, beg, and yell… nothing! If the lawn is wet Daisy will just hold it, no matter how bad she has to go. This normally wouldn’t be a big problem if she wasn’t getting constipated all the time. When Daisy gets constipated she begins to strain and to look like she is in pain whenever she is passing stool. The stool that she then passes after so much struggle and effort is normally small and dry. over the years I have found a few things that have helped my Daisy so I will share those with you so if your pet is going through the same thing you can hopefully have an idea what has helped others.
In pets, constipation is defined as infrequent and tough defecation of hard feces. As the stool stays long in the intestine it continues to lose moisture until it becomes very hard and dry, making it tough to pass. When food stays long and passes very slowly through the intestines the pet gets constipated. Constipated family pets typically strain to pass stool and will look very uneasy doing it. If the condition persists then it may become so hard that passing it becomes nearly impossible. When the colon is filled with dry impacted feces the walls may get weak and dilated requiring immediate medical intervention.
There a few causes of constipation other than “holding it in” like my Daisy does. Some family pets ingest too much hair while grooming and the digestive system gets clogged, not much different than the sink at home getting clogged with hair. the best way to lessen the risks of a “hair clog” it is best to keep the pet well groomed. Some have found a tool called the FURminator deShedding tool very valuable in minimizing the risks of hair ingestion. There are also products called Shed Terminator for Dogs and Shed Terminator for Cats that help keep the coat healthy and help stop shedding. other skin products such as The missing link and Be Well replace certain deficiencies and have shown to not only keep the skin healthy but also keep the fur from shedding as much.
Another major cause of constipation is not giving the pet enough water. Dehydrated family pets absorb the moisture from the stool resulting in constipation. The a lot more dehydrated the pet is, the a lot more severe the condition becomes. considering that older family pets have a lot more of a tendency to become dehydrated, that group is a lot more likely to suffer from constipation. Cats are also notorious for not taking in enough fluids so the highest risk groups for constipation are normally older cats.
In some cases it is possible for a pet to eat a foreign object from the yard like small rocks, sand or dirt making it tough to pass stool and there are also certain medications that may cause constipation. other causes of constipation could be an inflammation of the intestinal wall, an imbalance in the levels of magnesium or potassium, a growth inside the intestines, pain in the legs or back making it tough to “squat,” and certain medical conditions such as kidney disease or diabetes.
If the pet is suffering from short-term mild constipation, here are some ideas that can help minimize the severity or incidence of the constipation:
Keep the pet frequently active. exercise has been shown to help keep not only the intestines healthy but the whole pet derives a benefit. finding a toy that you can run along the floor for your cat to follow is a terrific way to get the cat to exercise. A toy that I have recently seen at my neighbor’s house is called the FroliCat Dart Interactive rotating Laser. I was checking out last week and the whole time I was there going over our next fishing trip to the Keys, the cat did not stop running and playing with this toy.
Other ways to stop constipation is to keep the pets’ hair short when possible or at least well groomed to help stop the “hair clog.” giving a multivitamin such as VitaChews can help keep the hair and skin healthy.
Increasing water intake in the diet can also go a long way towards helping stop dehydration. I recently switched my cat’s diet from hard to soft because I observed that they weren’t drinking enough water and I know that a soft diet consists of a lot more water than a hard diet. A small switch like that can really help stop dehydration if your pet isn’t drinking as much as he or she should. always have fresh clean water available. Cats can be very finicky about dirty water so if you want your cats to drink you may have to replace their water several times a day and give them fresh clean water.
Natural fiber can also help increase the stool volume and along with lots of water can help maintain regularity. Fiber can be found in vegetables, whole grains, and certain foods. Halo natural foods are terrific sources of fiber and are very useful at naturally maintaining intestinal health. Halo foods also consist of probiotics that help keep the intestines healthy. Probiotics can also be found in NaturVet Digestive Enzymes with Prebiotics and Probiotics. This supplement balances the pet’s digestive tract and helps regulate bowel movements and even strengthen the immune system.
If your pet’s constipation lasts longer than a few days and seems severe, it is crucial to take your pet to the veterinarian for an exam. The veterinarian may need to do a complete checkup to find out exactly what is going on. Prescription medication may need to be prescribed in some a lot more severe cases. considering that impacted stools can cause an emergency and possibly cause severe harm to the intestines, it is very crucial to keep close contact with your veterinarian and follow their recommendations closely. As always if you have any other medication questions a 1800PetMeds pharmacist is always delighted to help answer those for you.