Help, I think my dog is constipated :(

I think my poor lab is all blocked up. He was sick on the lounge room floor a couple of nights ago, and now he's just not himself. He's very mopey, lying on the lounge room rug and has his tail between his legs - he's just really unhappy. His belly looks a little bigger than usual too.

He went outside a while ago, had a big drink, a wee, and then went to poop so I stopped watching. When I looked back he was somewhere else going to poop again. I thought nothing of it, but now he's hunched over, and just not right. So I went to see where he'd tried to poop, and there's nothing there. There is an old one, with what looks like a baby wipe in it. He got in a bin a while back, so now I'm worried he's got something in there blocking him up.

DH's old dog once had a piece of plastic from a pot plant stuck in his bowels, they took him to the vet and they prescribed cod liver oil. Should I try this, or just take him straight to the vet now? We're supposed to be travelling 3 hours away tomorrow for the weekend and he's coming with us, I don't want to make him travel that far if he's unwell though :(

ETA: He's breathing funny too now, like he can't get comfortable. DD won't sleep and DH won't be home for half an hour, I'm getting worried about my poor guy :(

I'd get him to a vet ASAP. Now that hrs breathing funny it can be a sign of bloat.



Typical symptoms often include some (but not necessarily all) of the following. Unfortunately, from the onset of the first symptoms you have very little time (sometimes minutes, sometimes hours) to get immediate medical attention for your dog. Know your dog and know when it's not acting right. Your dog may show any of the following signs:

- Attempts to vomit (usually unsuccessful); may occur every 5-20 minutes

- Doesn't act like usual self

- "Hunched up" or "roached up" appearance

- Bloated abdomen that may feel tight (like a drum)

- Pale or off-colour gums (Dark red in early stages, white or blue in later stages)

- Coughing

- Unproductive attempts to vomit

- Heavy salivating or drooling

- Whining

- Licking the air

- Looking at their side or other evidence of abdominal pain or discomfort

- Accelerated heartbeat (Heart rate increases as bloating progresses)

- Apparent weakness; unable to stand or has a spread-legged stance (Especially in advanced stage)

- Heavy or rapid panting

- May refuse to lie down or even sit down

- Drinking excessively

- Pacing

Yeah, I'd get him to a vet too. I'd want to get him checked out before traveling with him. If you can't get out of the house with him and DD, maybe the vet will do a home visit. Hope he's okay.

I would get him checked out straight away if you can, even if it's nothing major - you can have piece of mind.
Is there someone who can help you, I imagine it would be hard to juggle a lab and Belley at the vet at the same time?

Thanks guys. DH managed to get home quickly. Zed (dog) was making sounds like he wanted to be sick, so DH took him outside while I called the vet. They asked us to bring him in now, so DH has taken him.

It's just not a good day with Belley today, she won't sleep unless she's on me, hates the sling and is crying at everything. Don't know how I would have gone at the vet with both of them.

Hoping DH calls with some good news soon, he got me really worried :(

:comfort:
Fingers crossed Zed is ok - i can understand your worry, my dog is like my other baby.

Having an unsettled bub makes it even harder. Hopefully she settles for you while your DH is at the vet, and he comes home with some good news.

Ohh hope your dog is ok, doesnt sound nice the poor thing.

Hope it all gets sorted.... Sounds like there could have been something dodgy in that bin!


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Just got a message from DH. Zed absolutely loves the vet, so he's perked up since getting there the little bugger lol. Hoping that means he's not too ill, they're still waiting to be seen. Belley has finally settled, but I'm not game to move her just yet!

Well the poor guy has a fever :( Hence the funny breathing and puffing. Apparently his bowels feel ok, and the vet thinks he may have an infection of some kind or something. He's getting a blood test, but we won't get the results til lunch tomorrow. He's also getting ABs, and we have to watch him closely. So I think the weekend trip might be cancelled, we want to be able to get him to the vet ASAP if he takes a turn.

Yules, it was the outside bin he raided, it's full of yuck!!

Poor furbaby. It's horrible when they're sick. Hope he picks up overnight and you can go tomorrow :hug:

hope he is feeling better :(

our vet has told us if we suspect something may blocked in their to give her a few tablespoons of olive oil and it fixes her up no probs.... she is a boxer by the way, hence why she can have a couple of tablespoons worth :lol:

Poor thing. I was wondering if he may have pancreatitis. It is acute in dogs so comes on quickly usually from eating too much fatty stuff (like at BBQs when everyone gives them a sausage) so would tie in with the bin. they also usually vomit and are in a lot of pain so hunch over. Well I hope you get some answers soon and he gets better quickly :hug:

Thanks again everyone :) I've just spoken to the vet about his blood test, which she said showed inflammation and moderately elevated liver enzymes. So she said it could be early/mild pancreatitis, and it's putting pressure on his liver.

We have to keep an eye on him, and keep up the chicken and rice for a week then slowly introduce dry dog food over a week. As you said Krysaliss, if he has any fatty foods it something yucky it could upset him more.

He's so much better this morning though, much much happier :) DH and I were up every two hours last night checking him, DD didn't even get up that often! :lol:

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Glad he is feeling better. Silly thing for scrounging in the bin! It is such a worry when they are sick and can't tell you what is wrong.

Definitely worrying! I cried when the poor guy came home with his little bandage on his leg :( It was just so sudden, but I'm really glad we took him to the vet quickly rather than waiting and maybe having it get worse.

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glad he is doing ok, our boxer has to have a low fat diet, she used to have eukanuba but now its rice and veg and a scoop of super coat lite and mature and she hasnt had a tummy problem in ages!

How's Zed? Hope still he's doing well :)

He's fantastic now, completely back to his old self :) We did do the trip for SILs engagement party, and was perfect the whole time. Had a few issues with MIL (he's not sick, he's just a sook; he should be sick more often if it keeps him quiet like this, etc) but thankfully BIL & SIL turned up and told us about how their dog got pancreatitis a few years ago and spent two nights at the vets. Made me very happy that we took him to the vet right away and didn't just wait it out!