# How to treat constipation in newborn puppies?



## Margie92

Hi all

I have 2 day old Vizla puppies and 4/8 don't seem to be defecating when I stimulate them.. The mum is ok with washing their bits but won't go near their bums.. The ones that have, their poo's were tiny bullets and the vet suspects constipation, and that they are probably dehydrated from the heatwave we've been having.. She was happy with them and seemed ok to leave them for a few days as she didn't want to give them anything in this heat that could risk diarrhoea. I'm personally not happy to leave it as although they are doing brilliantly and eating, they do seem to be in a lot of discomfort and are grunting and squeezing their tummies in. I've been giving mum a lot of fluids including watered down carnation milk and today I've put a bit of olive oil in her meal but those four pups still don't seem to be doing their business so advice and solutions would be greatly appreciated .


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## Margie92

Forgot to mention that they all defecated on their first day and that the vet also recommended whelpi mixed with a lot of water but was worried as heard that whelpi can cause constipation.


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## Margie92

Anyone please?


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## Sleeping_Lion

Sorry but I've never heard of this problem and having only had the one litter haven't really had vast amounts of hands on experience. My girl had to have an emergency c-section and I was cleaning the pups for the first couple of days, but got her to start cleaning them by putting peanut butter on a couple of the pups. She gave me the most disgusted look at first, but once she'd started cleaning them, she didn't stop, even after they were weaned. 

The first poops from my lot were a bit *different* but were not like bullets at all, what's mum eating?


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## rocco33

Are you giving the puppies whelpi or the bitch?

Are you keeping them cool? It may well be the heat that is dehydrating them, but they do need to be kept cool in this weather as they cannot regulate their body heat.


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## Margie92

We had an enema done in the end.. It cleared the pups up but their poo's are still hard bullets  we are stimulating them every 2 hours and we can only get a little out but not all pups at the same time.. The vet (who also breeds and shows) said they are not dehydrated so confused to where the constipation is coming from. I think the hot weather is bothering them as on their first day of life the air conditioning in our house broke and it was hard to keep the room cool, we now have that fixed and the pups are now happy in their environment. We are feeding mum Beta puppy and puppy canned, scrambled eggs, watered down carnation milk. If anyone can give some feeding or any suggestions I will be very grateful. This is really upsetting me as I have fallen in love with these puppies and the whole experience is making me feel ill with worry


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## Sleeping_Lion

Sorry to hear you're having such problems  

My girl went off her food when she had her pups, and the only thing I could get her to eat for about a week was tinned chappie!! My lot are normally fed raw, but she just wouldn't touch it when the pups arrived, not at all normally a fussy dog (I've just shared my Friday roast beef buttie with them and she jumped over the coffee table to sit on the sofa next to me and get as close to the buttie as possible). 

For the pups, I whizzed up the kibble I chose to wean them onto, in the blender to make it easier to mix up into a porridge, and used whelpi to make a runny porridge initially, and made it thicker until they were eating just the kibble. Is it worth trying something like liquid parafin, if pups can have it, think that's the stuff that helps lubricate their system??


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## gskinner123

I really do sympathise with your worry. I'm a cat breeder and had a similar problem last year with a litter of kittens (or rather some in the litter). although that was a congenital condition where the anus was smaller than usual, leading to apparent constipation. Nevertheless, I'm familiar with the constant worry of it all.

Did your vet not suggest any form of laxative for the puppies? I know some vet are very hands off, especially with very young pups/kittens and don't like to intervene too much in the hope things will correct themselves naturally. But from my experience, the longer constipation is left untreated the worse it becomes with megacolon becoming a possible issue.

Sorry, I don't want to be alarmist and goodness knows you're worried enough already. I just believe that, from my own experience, severe constipation in very young animals needs intervention to keep things 'moving'.


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## catlove844

I had this with a foster kitten, although he was 6weeks old, the vet gave us some laxative (lactulose?) I cant rem the name of it but I know you can buy it in shops for humans, gave the kitten and tiny tiny dose and the next day he was fine pooping like normal, came to the conclusion he may have eaten some litter.

But when the mums cleaned the kittens, they never went near the bums (that we saw) but the kittens never pooped til about 4-5weeks old after trying solid food (that we could see) Only had 1 mum that actually ate the poop, even tried to eat it from the litter tray!! Not sure how much different it is in dog pups


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## Ann Elizabeth

Sure I read on one of the other threads that someone had given honey to their girl or litter and that had helped ease the constipation sorry can't remember which thread....... I give scrambled egg to my dogs if their tummies are a bit off, and their poo is a bit sloppy, so I wouldn't give egg if I was concerned about constipation but that might only be me, Lactulose is used in humans for constipation but I would be very careful about the dose in puppies, sorry the only suggestion I have is to go back to the vet or even call a different one for a second opinion, I know that's not very helpful but wanted you to know I understand how worried you must be Lily's litter is now 8 weeks old, hers and my first litter! Good luck will be thinking of you.


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## Margie92

Hi all sorry for the late reply but thank you for your replies and suggestions..

Just and update :- 

Spent the best part of a couple of days since the enema by trying desperately to stimulate their bums. The mother is being a madam and thinks that bum cleaning is far too below her. My mum has been helping and still can't get them going so in another desperate attempt, called the vet and had another enema done today and it has emptied them out. Two hours later still no poo's  I did ask about lactulose but he said because they still could have a little blockage it would be unwise to give them diarrhoea as could get trapped behind hard poo's.

He gave them all a stimulation and they all did something for him even before the enema but again large hard lumps.  I'm actually starting to wonder if I should just take them to the vets a couple of times today so he can stimulate them until they can do it on their own, what do you guys think? Just desperate to try anything right now , the day I walk in to the room covered in poo will be a happy one I tell you!


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## Margie92

Vet said something interesting to me that the puppies should only be feeding off teat every 2-3 hours and be sleeping most of that time. They actually feed a lot more than that and spend more time eating than sleeping.. I know that over-eating can cause diarrhoea but what about it also causing constipation? I know that it has to be coming from somewhere as vet said what we are feeding her is good.. So maybe if I monitor their feeding every 2 hours instead of every 15 mins, maybe it would help? Maybe worth a try? Will update you and let you know how it goes. Sorry if I am babbling x


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## Sleeping_Lion

That's interesting, re the over feeding bit, if the pups are all good weights, perhaps it might be worth taking mum away for a couple of hours, or sitting with her on lead so she can see them but just can't feed them?? See if that makes a difference. I know Tau spent very little time outside of the whelping box for the first week or so, but the pups didn't feed as much as you describe with your let.


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## Margie92

Had to take puppies puppies to different vets today that were open because they still haven't done anything since they were flushed out yesterday lunchtime - wish I never went! She was as much help as a brick wall and infact was digging them far too hard :cursing:!!! I am in despair, absolutely sobbing right now. I just want them to be ok :crying:


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## Sleeping_Lion

I've asked a breeder with a lot more experience for any advice they have, will get back to you once they reply. You must be at your wits end, it's hard enough when they're all doing well xx


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## Margie92

Thank you so so much xx


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## Sleeping_Lion

Hope the pups are ok, not heard back yet from this person, will post as soon as I do with any info they can give that might help other than what you're doing already.


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## Sleeping_Lion

Ok, just been chatting with the breeder briefly; they think it sounds perfectly normal poops wise - also, if the pups were having problems, you would know with the volume. I know a couple of mine were a bit colicky for a couple of days and they screamed their heads off. 

Hope the pups are ok, keep us updated and hopefully mum will just start cleaning them and all will come through naturally, as it were!


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## Westy

They would be noisy and yelling if they were constipated and uncomfortable. I'd just top them up with cooled boiled water in this weather.

If I thought they were constipated I'd give them sugar water but I'm not sure yours are.


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## Margie92

Hi thanks for that its just worrying as they can go a day without going for a poo. They are definitely constipated, they scrunch up and they cry randomly and it takes us hours to stimulate them for a poo ( we mostly don't get anything) but when we do the pups start screaming in pain because the poo is rock hard and huge . Vet has decided to give them lactulose, something he's been trying to avoid because of the hot weather but he said they can't carry on like this as it dangerous for them


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## Westy

That's posh sugar water. 

I would use a syringe to drip feed them boiled water in this weather too.


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## Westy

http://www.petmd.com/pet-medication/lactulose#.Ue0x720hVLM


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