Alleviate and Eliminate Your Pet's Constipation

You've been noticing that your pet is not having a bowel movement as much if at all. You suspect constipation because you notice them straining. So, how can you help alleviate your pet's constipation? Just take note of the following helpful tips. But if your pet is having difficulty be sure to take them to the vet to make sure there is nothing seriously wrong.

The first and best thing you can do to alleviate your pet's constipation is to increase their fiber intake. Like humans, pets need fiber in their diet to help keep things moving. When looking for foods with enough fiber for your pet, make sure the pet food contains 7 to 13 percent fiber. By increasing their fiber intake, your pet will more than likely never have problems with constipation again. Since pets actually don't get constipated often something like increasing their fiber will not only alleviate their constipation but eliminate it as well.

Try some Metamucil to help alleviate your pet's constipation. It helps humans and it can help pets too. Give your pet about ½ teaspoon twice a day to small pets and 2 teaspoons twice a day to large dogs. Now, the difficult part is getting your pet to take the Metamucil. You can mix it in their food if feeding them canned foods or if you are feeding them dry food mix the food and Metamucil with water or broth. Be sure you give your pet plenty of water so the Metamucil won't upset their stomach.

Try giving your pet some oat bran by sprinkling it on their food. Again, depending on the size of your pet add between ½ teaspoons to 2 tablespoons of oat bran to their food. Mix the bran with water to make it go down easier. Another helpful is pumpkin. You can give it to your pet by mixing it in their foods but you can give it to them plain because pets love pumpkin and will eat it by itself. Not only will they enjoy the pumpkin, you will help alleviate and eliminate their constipation. In normal conditions, avoid giving your pet milk. However, in the case of constipation you can give your pet some milk, which can help alleviate their constipation. Give small pets 1/8 cup twice a day and large pets ½ cup twice a day. Once the constipation is alleviated, you can stop giving them milk.

Water helps get things moving in the digestive system. Make sure your pet is drinking plenty of water. Also, get your pet moving. Take them on daily walks, exercising helps bowels move. Cut down on giving your pet bones because it can block waste from coming out. Be sure you take your dog outside. They may be holding it more often if they are inside the house all the time. The longer they hold it the more difficult it becomes to have a bowel movement. If your pet's hair is long around their rear end, this can prevent them from having a bowel movement carefully trim the hair around their rear end or take them to the vet for a trim.