Constipated puppy

Question
QUESTION: Okay so I asked you about my puppy a few days ago. She has a bloated belly. Well I took her to the vet and she doesn't have worms, they said she's constipated. They gave her an enema (without and x ray because I don't have the money) and she pooped on the way home. They called and asked how much and I said just a little that was yellowish and they said that wasn't enough and she needed another enema or she'll die. I called another vet and they said that I could give her Laxatone twice a day to make her stool loose. Now I'm extremely short on money with a baby due next month so I'm trying to save the puppy without spending everything I have. I've already spent $980 in vet bills in the past 2 weeks. What would you recommend I do? It's either $74 for another enema when I spent $104 on the last one or $22 for the Laxatone and I don't know if either is going to work.

ANSWER: They charged you $104 for an enema on a 4 week old puppy? I am shocked and outraged!!

That is so ridiculous I am sorry. What is he doing, making you pay off his school loans? I'm sorry I shouldn't say anything but that just frosts me when vet's charge so much for something so little. I would get the laxatone and give her some olive oil too. That will loosen the stool and make her squirt it out. However be careful that she doesn't get diarrhea.
I am guessing these puppies are eating now?
Maybe you can add some metamucil to her food. Make it wet and add some to the canned or wetted dry food you are feeding her. She should eat it just fine, just don't give her the citrus flavored ones.
Get the plain if you don't have any. Make sure she ingests plenty of water.

Metucil makes the stool softer by adding fiber to it but it is imperative that you (or the puppy in this case) gets plenty of water with it.
Laxatone greases up the stool so it is easier passed. So does mineral oil or vaseline or to a lesser extent, olive oil. Petrmalt for hair balls in cats works too and you can get that at the pet store for $4 or $5.

So those are the choices. We used to use a solution called Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate or DSS. They sell it as Ducosate now.
http://www.drugs.com/mtm/dss.html
I don't know where you can buy it but most likely any drugstore. It is non-prescription. It is safe enough for kids so its safe for the puppy- just use a small amount. You need a syringe or eye dropper (large one!) to get it into her little rectum and then gently put it in there.
You can probably get by with about 6 ccs for her size. I don't know how much she weighs. If she is about two lbs then give her 3 ccs. You can give more later if she doesn't have a bowel movement.

You can also use warm soap and water even Kelley. I don't know what kind to use, most likely a gently hand soap. Don't use an anti-bacterial one. Mix it up and give the same amount as above.
This is from the Merck manual:

Laxatives are classified as bulk-forming, lubricant, emollient, osmotic, or stimulant types. Most act on fluid transport mechanisms and colonic motor stimulation. They should be avoided in the presence of dehydration. High-fiber bulk-forming laxatives are added to the diet. These products absorb water, soften feces, add bulk, stretch the colonic smooth muscle, and improve contractility. Supplementation of the diet with fiber (eg, 1-6 tsp per feeding of psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid, or 1-4 tbsp of coarse wheat bran) is adequate. For longterm control of constipation, commercial high-fiber diets should be fed. Mineral oil (5-25 mL, PO, bid) and petrolatum products are lubricants and are given to affected animals between meals. Mineral oil should be flavored to avoid accidental inhalation of this otherwise tasteless product. Docusate sodium (cats: 50-mg capsule, sid; dogs: 50-mg capsule, 1-4/day) and docusate calcium (cats: 50-mg capsule, 1-2/day; dogs: 50-mg capsule, 2-3/day) are emollient laxatives. These mild laxatives soften feces by promoting water absorption. Osmotic laxatives (eg, lactulose, 0.5 mL/kg, PO, bid-tid) osmotically retain water in the bowel to soften fecal material.

Enema solutions are frequently used to moisten and soften feces making them easier to pass. Warm isotonic saline or tap water (5-10 mL/kg) with or without a mild soap (without hexachlorophene) to act as an irritant is practical and effective. Docusate sodium (cats and small dogs: 5-10 mL; medium-sized dogs: 10-20 mL; large dogs: 20-30 mL) is another option.


So those are your options. Get your husband or someone to help you with this one. Go slowly and gently and the puppy should be fine.
Let me know how it goes tonight.
Jana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well I'm trying to give her food blended with warm water (that's what the vet said to do) but she doesn't want to eat it. The other puppies do but she just wants to nurse or sleep. She weighs 12 oz. They said that her stool was really hard so she's not getting enough water so I'm guessing the laxative wouldn't be good to give to her. I could go buy some canned food and mix the metamucil with it but I wouldn't know how much to give her or if she'll even eat it. Oh and with the Ducosate, I would just put it in an eye dropper and put it in her butt? Is like what you do with the enema? And how much would I use for her weighing 12 oz. I'm sorry so many questions but I don't know what to do. It's problem after problem with this litter. Should I do a combo of things like the ducosate and the metamucil or just the metamucil. Or should I go ahead and try a laxative?

ANSWER: Try to just get as much water into as you can first. Then give her some food. She is feeling toxic which is why she won't eat.

Yes just put the Ducosate into the syringe or eyedropper and stick it in about an inch and give it to her. Just like an enema because that is what you are giving her. I would give her two eyedroppers full. I don't know how big they are however. If it is the usual small one give her two or three. If it is larger give her one and half. In other words, give her what would be equivalent to about three- five ccs worth. A cc would be about half length of one of your joints on your finger. So one finger's worth would be about 3-4 ccs. Does that make sense? (that is if you imagined your finger as a syringe).
If she doesn't move her bowels in about an hour give her some more.

You might want to gently rub her tummy with a warm wash rag also toward her rectum like you do when you stimulate them from nursing from a bottle. Gentle, gentle pressure toward her rectum.

Just mix the little bit of Metamucil into the food with the warm water in it. Just mix a small amount, about a 1/4 teaspoon. It makes the stool softer by filling it with fiber and water- that is why is essential she gets lots of water. Try putting some water in a baby bottle and give it to her that way. That might work to get her to drink some more.

Oh Kelley I wish I was there to help you with all of this!! I feel so helpless when you are going through so much. You are being very brave, strong and compassionate doing so much for your pets. Some would have given up long before now. I hope that you can recoup some of your costs from selling these puppies. And do me and everyone a favor and tell EVERYONE about this experience so as to dissuade others from breeding so many dogs. We have millions being destroyed daily- your story can help curb that even a little.

Let me know how it's going. Where do you live by the way? Just the state.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Okay I went to walmart, vons and petsmart but couldn't find that medicine. I got an eye dropper and just did it with water which made her poop two little poops and I fed her dog feed blended with water and a little bit of olive oil. That was last night around 9 so should I do anything else besides try to get her to eat and drink water? Her belly's alot smaller but still hard.

Answer
Hi Kelley,
Just keep giving her the warm water enemas once or twice a day until she is eating well and her tummy is soft again. I think the olive oil and water in her food will help a lot. Did you get some Metamucil? Make sure you mix a small amount of that into her food also.
That will soften the stool and help her pass it.

You are right on track now. Just keep it up and make sure she has a bowel movement a few times a day. Once is not enough for her little tummy. Their digestive tracts are pretty small still so they should have a few BMs a day.
You are doing a GREAT job Kelley!!
Now get some rest for your baby!


I am from San Diego but I moved 33 yrs ago to Northern California. I am a bit to far to help!