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My dog has hard poop stuck halfway out. How do I safely remove it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labradoodle | Male | neutered | 1 year and 1 month old | 63 lbs

My dog has a poop stuck halfway in halfway out. What do we do. I tried wiping it with tp but it’s fairly hard.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. B. DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)

Veterinarian

Published on January 24th, 2019

You can try moistening the stool with warm water or a lubricant jelly. Sometimes if it is very hard it will need to be digitally removed which can be uncomfortable for the pet and not so fun for you. It would require gloves, lubrication, and trying to gently pull the stool loose while lubricating the sides of the anus. If you do not feel comfortable doing this or your pet acts uncomfortable or painful it will be safer and quicker to see your vet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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    Answered By Dr. Davis

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 4th, 2018

    You can use a warm damp cloth and wash around the area to stimulate defecation. Use a small amount of Vaseline or K-Y jelly around the anus and gently hold the stool and pull. Hopefully you can remove the hard stool so he can push out more that is probably backed up. Puppies need to be stimulated to pee and poop several times daily to keep them regular. If you are not able to get the stool out, call another veterinary hospital and bring him in. They can give a small soapy water enema with a tiny syringe to help lubricate the area and loosen the stool. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Baze Rivera.

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 18th, 2018

    I am assuming it got stuck in his fur around the anus, the fur will need to be clipped gently, this is not always possible to do without sedation especially when the dog is in great pain, i would recommend taking him to the emergencies in order to have it done by a professional and very possibly under sedation.

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