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Why is my dog straining to poop, not eating, and sleeping more?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

10yr old miniture long haired dachshund straing to poop.obly small amts of diarrhea coming out. refuses to eat,drank a few sips of water,sleeping more.fed rice/veg/fruit/chicken/fish/beef 1/4cup 3x a day. Had a small cut up semi cooked chicken neck 3 days ago that she gets on rare occasions.otherwise a fit healthy dog.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jacqueline Nobles, DVM, DACVECC

Veterinarian, Board-Certified Emergency/Critical Care Specialist

Published on March 10th, 2017

The straining to defecate may indicate constipation but often that is a symptom of another disease. Because she is a female, you should note that it can be easy to misinterpret straining to urinate for straining to defecate. Often we see this when a patient has urinary bladder stones. Additionally, straining to defecate can be observed secondary to an intestinal blockage, enlarged lymph nodes or even a mass. You should have her evaluated by a veterinarian and request a rectal exam and urinalysis. The veterinarian may need to perform an x-ray or ultrasound to make a definitive diagnosis.

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    Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    It sounds like she needs to be examined by your vet for treatment. She could be constipated, have an upset stomach from something she ate, pancreatitis, etc. Your vet can run lab-work and take an x-ray to help diagnose. If she is constipated than she may need an enema and stool softener to treat. Hope she feels better soon!

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