Best Natural Laxative

GSD-Jay · #1 07-06-10, 07:49 AM

What's the best natural laxative to give a dog? He hasn't been properly for 6/7 days now. I have no idea why and hoping it's not a blockage but the little bit he has done is quite jelly and gravy like but not much of it. I have starved him for 48 hours but no change. Reluctant to rush off to the vets just yet but will be going if he isn't sorted by Wednesday.

Any help of foods to feed would be appreciated.

pangolin · #2 07-06-10, 08:00 AM

I would have him checked by the vet before giving laxatives - if it is because of a blockage, a laxative could make things a lot worse. If you've been starving him then he may not have much to help push out the little that is in there though.
I think given the breed's proneness to tummy problems, and the fact this has gone on a week, I'd be getting to the vets now, not Wednesday.

GSD-Jay · #3 07-06-10, 08:21 AM

I understand what you are saying. Although he has done this twice before now. Each time I have gone to the vets and with not much outcome other than something to squirt on his food and then he has passed everything pretty soon after, although I have little doubt he would have done without the vets.

Last week he seemed a little off his food and a bit down but in the last few days his appetite is back, he is jumping around and is 100% in himself. If he was blocked would he pass anything at all? As he has passed something that looks the same 4 times in the last week, although there was no look of any bone content.

His last regular meal was Friday night but he has has some veg and chicken from a Sunday dinner last night and I got him some minced meat out this morning for his tea tonight.

I think laxative may be the wrong word. I remember in response to a thread before that you feed more bone to harden them up and more **** to loosen them. Just after what to feed to loosen them incase he is taking a while to process a build up of bone or something similar.

maxandskye · #4 07-06-10, 08:30 AM

Have you tried adding some Olive oil to his food (1 tablespoon) for a couple of days ?

If things get really bad you could get some liquid parafin from the chemist, this really works, LOL.

super D · #5 07-06-10, 08:34 AM

Hey Jay, D was constipated once, and gave him olive oil in his food, like a spoonful, but Your man sounds a little odd, because he is passing stools, but they are gooeey yeh?, so i wouldnt advise the olive oil really because D was passing really hard stools, am i making sense here lol.
If the vet gave you sachets to put on his food before, could you not just buy some of them over the counter at the vets, i know sometimes, they will just sell you stuff if you have had it before, but not heavy duty meds ofcourse.
Hope this helps
xx

pangolin · #6 07-06-10, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSD-Jay

I think laxative may be the wrong word. I remember in response to a thread before that you feed more bone to harden them up and more **** to loosen them. Just after what to feed to loosen them incase he is taking a while to process a build up of bone or something similar.

Offal (especially liver) will loosen a dog. Constipation is actually a bit more complicated/confusing than just being bunged up - you can still be 'going' (or even have diarreoah) and be constipated. It's up to you but personally I'd be taking him down the vets just for a checkup to be on the safe side.

GSD-Jay · #7 07-06-10, 08:40 AM

Well I wouldn't say it was gooey. The stools themselves where hard but where covered in a bit of goo, lol.

He eats bones as part of his diet but I haven't seen him pass any of that recently. Like I said in a previous thread, he seems to be frantically searching for female scent at the minute and I had put it down to either that, the heat or all the commotion that's been happening in my house up till last week but since he hasn't got any better over the weekend I am starting to get a little worried now. I've pushed and felt his stomach but he is in no pain, has not been sick and seems just fine. Hard to know what to do.

pangolin · #8 07-06-10, 08:48 AM

I know with humans (and rabbits), a gooey covering over stools can be down to a particular type of bacterial infection in the intestine, I've just googled this and it can be a sign of colitis in dogs so I probably would err on the safe side and get vet advice.
Colitis & Diarrhoea in Dogs and Cats - Fact Sheet - Denes Natural Pet Care

GSD-Jay · #9 07-06-10, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pangolin

I know with humans (and rabbits), a gooey covering over stools can be down to a particular type of bacterial infection in the intestine, I've just googled this and it can be a sign of colitis in dogs so I probably would err on the safe side and get vet advice.
Colitis & Diarrhoea in Dogs and Cats - Fact Sheet - Denes Natural Pet Care

Read the sheet. Some symptoms seem right but not all of them.

Symptoms of colitis can include:

Stools containing mucus or jelly-like material - Yes

Small stools, which are passed frequently - Not frequently (4 times in 7 days)

Fresh blood in the stools - Nope

Diarrhoea or loose stools - Not really

Variable stool consistency, from complete liquid to solid or a mixture of both - All been the same so far

More frequent passage of stools up to six times a day or more - Nope (4 times in 7 days)

Straining before, during and after stools are passed - Not this time, usually after too much bone intake but this is not the same.

Flatulence - Nope, just me.

Vomiting, fever, abdominal pain and weight loss in severe cases - No vomit, no pain and still growing

I can't get him to the Vets today anyway. Will give him his dinner tonight and take him on a really long walk to try and get him to go. If not better tomorrow, I will call the Vets.

maxandskye · #10 07-06-10, 09:05 AM

Jay, just a thought but try missing out the bone content in his meal tonight & gentley steam a few veggies for him.

They are such a bloomin worry at times arent they.