Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My puppy is constipated. Home remedies failed. When to see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Female | 1 month and 22 days old | 1.3 lbs

I have a chiweenie puppy and she is constipated. I have given her whole milk, pumpkin and I even bought homeopet digestive upsets but it's not helping. Should I wait and see if it's gonna work or should I give her something else. I also do not know what to feed her. Can you please help me because I do not know what to do.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on September 30th, 2017

I would take Dulce into the vet as soon as possible if the home remedies you have tried haven't helped. She likely needs either a laxative or an enema. Please do not give her any human laxatives. There are many that aren't safe for dogs, and your vet can give her one that is safe for her to have. In addition, do not give her an enema yourself. Human enemas contain ingredients that cause electrolyte imbalances in dogs, and those can be fatal. The vet is the best person to decide the next course of treatment, I would bring her into one now.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have two three week old Japanese Chin puppies they are doing wonderful we have to supplement puppy milk because the mom is not producing enough one of the puppies is constipated is there anything I can do
Poor Baby Girl! Constipation can be common in puppies, and I recommend diluting the puppy milk and feeding her more frequently in smaller amounts. If this doesn't help and she is still constipated in 24-48 hours, then I would take her into the vet for treatment. Please do not give her a human enema, they contain ingredients that can be toxic to puppies.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 9 week old puppy is constipated what home remedy can I give her pl
Because Rosie is such a young puppy, it's a good idea to take her into your vet to diagnose the cause of the constipation. You need to treat what's causing it to stop it from happening. She also might need an enema, which only Iike vet can do. In young puppies, heavy worm burdens are a common cause of it. You can get a worming tablet from your vet. I would take her to the vet in the morning. In the meantime, you can give her some canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed in with her food. You can also feed her wet food to get more moisture into her system.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is 10yrs & is having problem trying to poop won't eat just drinking water, ate a little bit yesterday nothing today. What can I do to help him have a bowel movement?
Constipation can be caused by anal sac impaction, enlarged prostate gland, intestinal parasites, a foreign body, too little fiber in the diet, lack of exercise, or even tumors in the GI tract. I recommend giving him a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed in with his food to see if that helps. You can mix it in with some boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice if he is refusing to eat his normal diet. Another option is to give him a teaspoon of mineral oil or olive oil. If he is still constipated in 24-48 hours, he will need to see a vet as he will likely need a laxative or an enema. Your vet can diagnose the cause of the constipation as well.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
i have a 11 week chihuahua, she's 2lbs. She was on a raw food diet and her stool was great, but i thought she wasn't eating enough. Changed her diet to higher end kibble for now. Last 2 days she's been constipated. She strains a lot, today i had to p
Hi, and thanks for your question. Mild constipation that lasts no more than two days can usually be resolved at home with increased fiber and hydration. Canned pumpkin (not pie filling, just the straight-up pumpkin) or liquid paraffin can be used, and should work straight away in the following 8 hours from administration. DO NOT TRY to give an enema as it could be dangerous and cause electrolyte imbalances and colon perforation. If constipation lasts more than 24 hours from administration of those or 48 hours in general, a check up at your local vet is required. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Lilo poop has hair strands. She seems constipated. What can we give for constipation?
Give Lilo some canned food and add water to it. You can also add a teaspoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) to her food. I'd take her for a long walk, as exercise can stimulate the need to poop. If this doesn't help, then she will have to see a vet to get a laxative or enema. Please do not give her either of these at home, it's not safe. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hoonie, my 4 monts old, shipoo, has not pooped since last night, i tried walking him earlier but still it didnt work. Do i have to send him to the vet? I am extremely worried. Hope you will answer me.
Hi, and thanks for your question. Mild constipation that lasts no more than two days can usually be resolved at home with increased fiber and hydration. Canned pumpkin (not pie filling, just the straight-up pumpkin) or liquid paraffin can be used, and should work straight away in the following 8 hours from administration. DO NOT TRY to give an enema as it could be dangerous and cause electrolyte imbalances and colon perforation. If constipation lasts more than 24 hours from administration of those or 48 hours in general, a check up at your local vet is required. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
severe constipation in dogs
Severe constipation requires medical treatment by the veterinarian. Therapy is often stool softners, intravenous fluids, enemas and manual evacuation of the feces. A diet change is indicated as well. The longer fecal material sits in the colon, the more the feces dehydrate. This makes the feces sticky and harder to pass. That's why all the medication is needed (to soften, rehydrate and lubricate) or that the feces must be manually removed. This treatment may last 3-4 days in a severely constipated pet. Additionally, pets who have chronic issues with constipation generally benefit from a special diet. Royal Canin makes a diet called Fiber Response that helps many many constipated pets maintain regularity. Any pets that has constipation for longer than 2 days needs to be examined by the veterinarian. This is a time sensitive situation and earlier intervention may mean less medications and veterinarian visits so have Maizy examined today. Here is a link about constipation: https://www.p
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
my puppy has not gone to the bathroom (po-po) for 3 days.now. what can i do. she will be 2 in august
Oh no, poor Molly! I would take her into a the vet right away. It's quite serious that she hasn't pooped in three days, and it could be caused by anal sac impaction, intestinal parasites, a foreign body, too little fiber in the diet, lack of exercise, or even tumors in the GI tract. The vet can give her a laxative or an enema to help her poop, or it may need to be removed manually under sedation. The vet can also diagnose the cause of the constipation and can treat her for it. Please do not give her a human enema. In addition to potentially causing trauma to her colon, human enemas are not safe to use in dog's due causing electrolyte imbalances.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Our 22 lb sheltie spayed 48 hrs ago. Thinking medication has hardened her stool -- three unsuccessful attempts to go. Appt to see vet in 20 hrs. Can we help her in any way now?
You can try adding a tablespoon of pumpkin puree to her food. This will add fiber to her diet, and may help her pass feces. Please do not give her a human laxative or enema, as this is not safe to do. Human laxatives should only be given under strict veterinary supervision, and human enemas contain ingredients that can cause fatal electrolyte imbalances in dogs. If need, the vet can prescribe laxative and give an enema. Having her seen by a vet tomorrow is a good idea. Good luck, I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
My dog is constipated. What food should i give her so she won't be constipated anymore, she won't eat her food , and also what should i do? Thanks
Dogs can become constipated for many reasons. Some are simple and can be fixed with some dietary changes, but others are much more serious and require medical intervention. It would be a good idea to have your dog checked out by a vet and discuss how long the issue has been going on, how severe the issue is, and do some tests to determine if this is a simple fix or if there is something more serious going on. Also, if your dog ever cannot urinate for any reason, that is a medical emergency. As for food that can help in the short term, you can try mixing some pure pumpkin (canned) in with her regular food daily for a couple of days to see if that moves things along. If you don't see any improvement I would definitely suggest a vet visit to make sure there isn't something like an impaction going on. Good luck and I hope your baby feels better soon! Please Feel free to contact me with a Consultation if you have further questions!
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Food Cat Laxatives Prescription Dog Digestive Medications Dog Health & Wellness Electrolytes for Dogs Diuretics for Dogs Veterinary Diet Dog Food Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Prescription Dewormer for Dogs At-Home Dog Vaccines Lactulose Prescription Dog Digestive Medications Lactulose Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Lactulose Cat Laxatives Lactulose Pet Pharmacy Metoclopramide Cat Laxatives Lactulose Cat Medicine Lactulose Prescriptions for Small Animals & Other Pets Famotidine Cat Laxatives Sucralfate Cat Laxatives Entyce Prescription Dog Digestive Medications
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored