Raw Diet for Dogs and Constipation

9 MIN READ

Is your dog constipated when they try to poop? They strain and produce nothing, or they produce rock-hard stools. Diet and swallowing inedible objects are two of the most common reasons dogs become constipated.

Raw food is easy to digest, so it is one of the best kinds of diets to give your dog to avoid constipation, boost energy, and improve overall health. Raw food contains natural moisture called intracellular moisture.

It helps keep the process of digestion lubricated, which will make the food pass easier through your dog's gut and help avoid constipation.

Read more about dog constipation and several simple treatments.

What Are Signs Your Dog Might Be Constipated?

Common signs of dog's constipation include:

• Hard to poop for a few days
• Hard, dry stools that resemble pebbles
• Tenesmus- straining in defecation with only little to no or excreting small amounts of stool mixed with blood
• Dyschezia- pain or difficulty in defecation

What Causes Dog Constipation?

When your dog's colon gets filled, and they don't have the capacity to defecate, the contents inside the colon will get dehydrated and become firmer and dryer. The fecal matter travels in the colon through a process called "peristaltic waves."

If this process slows down or becomes impaired, the fecal mass will stay in the colon and lose its moisture, becoming hard, dry, and difficult to pass. This will result in your dog's poor appetite. In worse cases, your dog will be dehydrated and sick.

The most common cause of constipation in dogs is their digestive tract's blockage by objects that are not easily digested. This may include bone, grass, dirt, cloth, rocks, garbage, or fur when grooming.

Some most common causes why dogs become constipated include:

• Diet – a dog diet that lacks fiber can cause constipation in dogs. Sometimes, dogs ingest non-food items such as hair, toys, and kitty litter. These items may cause blockage and difficulty in passing fecal matter. Bones and bone meals can also contribute to a dog's constipation.
• Age – older dogs are more prone to constipation
• Activity level – having a sedentary lifestyle can result in slower transit.
• Digestive tract tumors
• Tumors that narrow their pelvic region
• Issues in the anal gland
• Enlargement of prostate
• Imbalance in electrolytes and dehydration
• Drugs like opiates, diuretics, antihistamines, some antacids, and certain drugs for cancer
• Metabolic diseases, such as hypothyroidism and kidney issues
• Spinal diseases and injuries
• Central nervous system disorders
• Stress and psychological problems
• Orthopedic disorders that cause difficulty for the dog to squat
• Post-Surgery

Older dogs are more susceptible to constipation. This is because they don't get enough electrolytes or they have underlying kidney problems. Enlargement of the prostate can also be a cause.

Constipation may also be from a side effect of medication. This may be because of the medication's impact, or it makes your dog pee more and get dehydrated easier.

Dogs who are not receiving grooming services often or have poor feeding habits and ingest non-food items can get constipated quickly. Giving your dog a low in fiber food, drinking not enough water, or not getting enough exercise can also cause constipation.

Dogs who are inactive or don't get enough exercise can also be susceptible to constipation. Giving your dogs a regular exercise or activity can aid the fluids in your dog's body to get moving, and its organs properly function.

What Are the Symptoms of a Dog's Bowel Obstruction?

Bowel or intestinal obstruction refers to a complete or partial blockage of food or water in your dog's small intestines. The blood supply in the gastrointestinal tract is compromised, leading to necrosis (death) of intestinal tissues and perforation.

Bacteria coming from the fecal matter can spill into the abdominal cavity and can cause septic peritonitis. This can be harmful to your dog's health when left untreated.

Signs and symptoms of obstruction in dogs include:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Dehydration due to inability to hold any water down
• Diarrhea
• Hunching or whining, even crying
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting, especially when repetitive
• Weakness
• Inability of defecating for a few days
• Hard, pebble-like stool
• Straining when trying to poop
• Discomfort during defecation
• Difficult and painful defecation
• Presence of blood and/or mucus in stool

What Should You Do if Your Dog Is Constipated?

If you suspect your dog is constipated, you must determine the underlying cause first. Is it because of your dog's diet? Remove food ingredients that might cause your dog's constipation, such as bones.

Have your veterinarian perform a physical exam. Blood tests, Xrays, and medical history evaluation may also be necessary.

During early signs or stages of constipation, home remedies might help your dog's normal bowel rhythm. But it is better to consult with a veterinarian before adding supplements to your dog's diet. Some home remedies for treating a dog's constipation include:

• Pumpkin is high in fiber and moisture that works nicely for dogs with either constipation or diarrhea.
• Fiber supplement powder
• Food and herbs like ginger, wheat bran, powdered psyllium seeds, and olive oil.
• Hydrate your dog with water or electrolyte supplements
• Do exercise- sedentary lifestyle can be a factor of having constipation. Get your dog moving to keep his bowel movement moving as well.

One of the easiest ways to prevent and treat constipation is to keep your dog hydrated. Whatever the cause may be, drinking a lot of water will help their intestines be lubricated so that the fecal matter will pass easily.

Giving laxatives may also help to lubricate the digestive tract and make the large intestine active.

But things are different when your dog has a persistent or chronic constipation. Your dog's constipation may require treatments such as:

• Low -residue diet – in this diet, your dog will ingest more nutrients with less waste to pass into the colon
• Laxative medication
• Manual removal of fecal matter in the colon when it is impacted
• Enzyme-blocking or nerve-stimulating medications
• Surgery
• Enemas

If the cause of your dog's constipation is external, for example, due to matted hair around its anus, the best way to ease this is to remove the said blockage.

Should I Take My Dog to the Vet?

Constipation is not a critical emergency, but it needs attention. When your dog's constipation becomes chronic or long-term, it may cause a build-up of fecal matter that may obstruct their colon.

Your veterinarian should be made aware when this happens. Your veterinarian might request exams and diagnosis such as:

• Abdominal palpation
• Rectal exam
• Abdominal radiographs
• Barium enema
• Colonoscopy or ultrasound
• Complete blood count
• Urinalysis
• Neurological exam

When your dog's constipation can not be resolved using mild or non-invasive treatments, like hydration, getting more dietary fiber, or more exercise, drinking laxatives may also be helpful.

But in the worst cases, invasive procedures such as manual removal of impacted stool, intake of drugs to activate colon movements, and surgery.

Do not let your dog's constipation go untreated. This can later develop into obstipation. This happens when waste in the colon becomes so dry and hard that it can not pass stool or gas. This will subsequently lead to megacolon.

Megacolon is when your dog's colon becomes uncomfortably large, which causes your dog to be bloated, lethargic, lose in appetite, straining in defecation, vomiting, and result in serious complications.

What Can You Give a Dog for Constipation?

Naturally, dogs' diet is high in protein, such as animal carcasses, bones, tendons, meat, etc. That is why they lack plant fiber in their diet. This fiber is a group of complex carbohydrates that comes from plants.

Fruits and vegetables have two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibers absorb water in the intestines and slow the amount of time needed to empty the intestinal tract.

This type of fiber is good for diarrhea. This includes rice, pasta, oatmeal, barley, quinoa, potatoes, carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, turnips, bananas, mangoes, and papayas.

On the other hand, insoluble fiber draws water to the intestines, making the bowel movement and amount faster.

This includes seeds, nuts, berries (like blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, cranberries, etc.), pineapples, peaches, grapefruits, green leafy vegetables (like spinach, kale, arugula), green beans, bell peppers, eggplant, celery, kale, Brussel sprouts, and fresh herbs.

Some simple treatments for dog constipation are :

• Bran cereal
• Canned pumpkin
• Exercise
• Extra water
• Metamucil, Siblin, or a similar product

Is Raw Food Good for My Constipated Dog?

Raw food diet improves digestion. Dog's digestive systems can absorb more ingredients that make them poop less frequently and reduce their production of fecal matter.

When you compare your dog's stool when eating processed dog food versus raw dog food, you will see the difference in volume, color, and odor.

Raw dog food produces 25 to 30% less fecal matter than processed dog food. Raw food diet makes chalky white stool that is smaller in volume and has little to no odor.

Raw food diets give dogs a healthier build. This diet is known to make them lose or gain weight. This also gives them more energy.

The Key to A Perfect Raw Food Diet

A perfect raw food diet has enough bone ingredients in it. Bone comes from minces or chewing which is called recreational bones.

It is good to always remember that too many bones in your raw food diet play a huge role in dogs' constipation. Ideally, only 10% of bone content can be added to a raw food diet; more than that can be a struggle for some dogs.

Balance in the bone content is a trial and error. It should usually have 10-2-% chopped or blitzed green vegetables. Having green vegetables in your dog's diet provides medicinal phytonutrients and helps with the stool's excretion since it pushes them out with indigestible plant matter.

Raw Food Gives My Dog Constipation

Your dog's diet will always determine how much waste you are going to clean. Dog's stool will determine if the quality of food you are giving to your pet is of excellent quality.

During the raw food diet, dogs eat fresh meat and raw bones. When dogs digest it, their stool usually comes out dry. Some dogs strain more than before when this happens, and dog owners believe the straining is from constipation, which isn't accurate.

The 'straining' is because the fecal matter being produced during the raw food diet is firm, and this kind of stool helps your dog express his anal glands, which reduces impacted anal glands and infection.

If, after a long time eating raw food and your dog is still straining and producing a small amount of stool, this is already a signal that he is constipated. Reduce the serving size of raw food diet until your dog feels better.

Adding fiber to your raw food diet will reduce the susceptibility to constipation. Fiber can be used to soften or firm up a dog's fecal matter. It makes the stool softer and wetter and easier to pass because fiber absorbs water into the fecal matter.

Adding oils such as coconut, olive, or sunflower helps your dog's fecal matter soften. Apple cider vinegar is also good at aiding digestion.

Prevent this by feeding a pumpkin-based vegetable mixture. Also, make sure that your dog has a bowl of water readily available. Making your dog exercise every day can also help to prevent constipation. Always make your dog walk in a safe and quiet place to poop.

How Does a Raw Food Diet Affect Your Dog's Poop

When your dog produces a large poop, it means that less food is being digested. This is why commercial dog food causes significant stinky fecal matter.

It is primarily an indigestible filler. Commercial canned or dried dog foods contain a considerable amount of fillers- more than 70%. This may cause straining when your dog is trying to defecate.

One of the obvious benefits of making your dog eat a raw food diet is to make their stool smaller and less smelly. It is also firm and light, making it easier to pass through the intestinal tract, which will help your dog prevent constipation.

The color of a dog's fecal matter during a raw food diet will range from white-grey-tan-brown-black. Everything is normal as long as your dog controls his bowel movement; it is not liquid in form and does not have blood in it.

After Care for Dog's Constipation

To prevent constipation from reoccurring or becoming chronic, make sure to always watch over your dog's diet. If constipation is the norm, consider altering your dogs' diet. Also, make sure that your dog is getting sufficient hydration and aid with any digestive issues.

Some dogs might be more susceptible to constipation; ensure that you are giving your dog a healthy diet. Some dog owners turn to alternative medicine or homeopathic remedies to help ease their dog's constipation. This includes massage therapy, acupuncture, and herbal supplements.

Always keep your dog hydrated. Adding moisture to your dog's body helps to resolve and prevent constipation. Make sure there is always a bowl of water available for your dog. Your dog's food should also contribute to the additional moisture to help their fecal matter pass quickly to the intestinal tract.

Give your dog enough exercise. Getting your dog to move and be active can help your dog's bowel to move. Take a nice long walk or play fetch. This can also help older dogs to prevent constipation.

Add more fiber to your dog's diet. Raw food diet is a good source of dietary fiber for dogs. This can aid in the digestion of food and the excretion of waste. But slow down on giving your dog bones. Bones can be a source of constipation.

If your dog likes to chew on things, like toys, shoes, rocks, or other non-digestible items, remove or put them away. This can be a cause of intestinal obstruction. Replace them with appropriate things like a chew toy.

A healthy diet is the best way to keep your dog regular with bowel movements. Consult your veterinarian on what is the best food for your dog. It depends on your dog's age, breed, and overall health.

You should also pay attention to your dog's fecal matter and the frequency of his excretion. Not pooping on a schedule signifies that your dog's digestive system may not be working efficiently.

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Raw Diet for Dogs and Constipation

Source: https://wagave.com/can-raw-food-help-my-dog-with-constipation/

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