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Constipation In Old Gsd


dogmatic
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I have a 13-year-old GSD. All her life, she has been fed the same diet - raw meaty bones (chicken, lamb, beef, pork - whatever's cheapest - almost always chicken wings, necks, frames, whole, etc plus a harder bone to chew on), premium canned food, a small tin of fish in the morning (started off as the cats' leftovers before they passed away, now cheap sardines in springwater) and sometimes a raw egg or two. Over the last two years, I started giving a glass of warm milk and yoghurt before she goes to bed - she now demands this is part of the nightly routine.

Over a longer period of time - probably three or four years - she started to become occasionally constipated - becoming more frequent as she gets older. It can take three or four - even five - goes over a period of up to ten minutes before anything comes out and it's usually a little larger than normal.

Is there a safe remedy that I can introduce to her daily diet?

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I find if I give my boy a 'working mums meal' of canned food he'll have a soft/poo run the next day, the same with sardines.

Maybe add a bit of those more frequently?

What type of yoghurt are you giving her?

eta: it might also be worth a trip to the vet to have a bit of a probe. When my boy was straining to poop it turned out he had anal fistulas, but his main symptom was constant licking at his bumhole.

You could also try adding some mashed pumpkin

Edited by Vehs
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Maybe she's so used to canned food and sardines that they don't do the trick. The sardines I give are in springwater. Wondering if I should try the ones in oil.

The yoghurt is the same that we eat - full-cream biodynamic - she gets a single spoonful every night.

"a bit of a probe"? :eek: Honestly, I don't think it's that serious at the moment. :) Next time I'm at the vets I will ask though. Thanks.

I have used mashed pumpkin for the opposite reason - no idea if it works, because it's usually just a 24-hour affair anyway.

Thanks for the suggestions.

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Just a thought, could she have an under active thyroid? I know in humans one of the symptoms is constipation. Maybe a general check-up at the vets could be a good idea, they may also give some dietary advice. I would try cooked pumpkin but don't really know. I hope things improve for your dear old girl.

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Just a thought, could she have an under active thyroid? I know in humans one of the symptoms is constipation. Maybe a general check-up at the vets could be a good idea, they may also give some dietary advice. I would try cooked pumpkin but don't really know. I hope things improve for your dear old girl.

She was at the vets for an operation not long ago, and came through wonderfully. I didn't ask about her other issues. Personally, I think the constipation is a simply dietary issue for geriatric dogs (hopefully). She doesn't have any other ailments apart from stiffness when she gets up. I guess what I am looking for is a mild laxative that can be given on a regular basis, or avoidance of anything that might tend to block things up. Pumpkin is cheap and she will eat it if mixed in with other things. I suppose it won't hurt, but seems like a pain to prepare.

Vehs, I think I knew what you meant.. but still. :) I will start taking note of what she eats, and see if there is a pattern. Good idea.

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Pumpkin is cheap and she will eat it if mixed in with other things. I suppose it won't hurt, but seems like a pain to prepare.

I worked out a really easy way to cook pumpkin for my dogs:

Using an apple corer put about three holes into the top, through to the inside, then put the whole thing in the oven (in one piece) and bake it in the oven a tray with about 1cm of water. In about an hour or so (depending on the size) you have a fully cooked pumpkin easy to cut/mash up. I feed mine the skin as well and some of the seeds. Mine are big dogs (Labs) so the seeds are ok too.

Edited by LabTested
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Tried all sort once for a dog with constipation & nothing did much until I tried brussel sprouts. Cooked a few until soft in the microwave, mashed & mixed in with food & it did the trick like magic. Added them for about a month & stopped & lucky the problem never recurred. Old dogs get things & sometimes there is no cure only relief.

Worth a go & not expensive.

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She was straining yesterday, and it is gradually becoming an almost daily struggle.

I'll try the pumpkin tonight. If not better in a couple of days, it's off to the vets to see what they prescribe.

I'm reducing the amount of chicken bones and increasing the amount of canned food, but keeping the harder chewing bones.

Thinking of switching to low-fat milk and yoghurt for her bed-time tipple.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll save the brussel sprouts as the last resort. Flatulence? :laugh:

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Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll save the brussel sprouts as the last resort. Flatulence? :laugh:

Flatulence wasn't a problem at all. They just softened her stools so she was able to go.

I had tried metamucil, pumpkin, liquid paraffin & making half of her food mixed vegetables & non of it worked but the sprouts did on the first feed.

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Constipation can be a common problem with feeding older dogs bones. My old shepherds would be given plenty of charchol biscuits to keep their teeth clean and rarely be given any bone - on the odd occassion if they went to a friends house and found a bone to chew I would let them have this as a treat but then ensure I added extra oil to their diet for the next couple of days to ensure they kept loose. However I would also recommend you put the old dog on the Vets All Natural diet which will process thru her system much easier - and pumpkin does work very well.

Edited by alpha bet
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I'm very happy to report that things were a lot easier today; first pop (so to speak) :)

Slight variations in the usual diet - less bone, slightly more canned food - and the addition of pumpkin at a proportion of less than ten percent of the canned food - not much at all really.

Over the coming days and weeks, I'll test out some subtle variations to fine tune the diet, and let you know of any developments.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Edited by dogmatic
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The other night I forgot the pumpkin, and it was back to same old struggle. From what I have observed, the small proportion of pumpkin softens the stools and gives a bit of colour. :) I have also been feeding the same dish to the younger one, but didn't notice much difference. She is still getting lots of meaty bones though.

Yesterday, the older one was lagging behind for the entire walk - first time in her life. Ordinarily, I'd think it was the heat which she doesn't tolerate, but I felt it was something more. So, it's off to the vet for a checkup in a day or two. Still worried about that "bit of a probe" though. :laugh:

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