How long is okay for a dog to not go to the bathroom?

Question

I have a dog who has torn his ACL. He has not used the bathroom (#2) in two days. When should I worry?

Answer 1

It may be too painful for him to go to the bathroom. Consult with your vet and see if you can get him some Rimadyl for the pain. Your vet will probably require a blood test first to see if his liver is healthy enough to tolerate Rimadyl. If not, they may suggest giving him a children's aspirin. Dosage on that would depend on size of your dog. You may also need to give him a laxative to get things moving again.

Answer 2

um yeah he may be constipated...time to try the vet... and may I ask...whats an ACL by the way? If you want to try something now, try putting some (go ahead, get a gob) vaseline on the dog's nose. Its safe to ingest, and will try and loosen things up. Also check the pet store for some over the counter meds that may help with things, i.e. some kind of fiber based treat. If its a larger object, then some x-rays are definately in order. Try palpating his stomach (gently) and see if you can feel anything. Something much more serious could be happening: Several factors can be the cause:
1. dietary – bones, indigestible material such as plastic or plants, hair

2. pain on defecation – spinal pain, arthritis, anal sac disease or a foreign body in the rectum such as a sharp piece of cooked bone or an action-man figure

3. obstruction of the large intestine – tumour, stricture, foreign body, a fractured pelvis that has healed abnormally to reduce the size of the pelvic canal through which the colon passes, other masses pushing onto the colon, etc.

4. dysfunction of the colon due to other diseases or nerve problems

5. behavioural – inactivity, lack of house-training

6. perineal hernia – a condition which results in the rectum deviating into a hernia adjacent the anus

7. some drugs

8. inability to squat to defecate – limb and nerve problems



FYI: For future reference: They say for puppies that every month old they are is how many hours they can hold it. A four month old pup could hold it 4 hours max. And after a year old, they usaully need to go out every few hours if your home, and if you work or away from home then its 3-4 times a day. They get better after a year old and being potty trained. Obviously depending on how often you feed your dog (I feed mine 2 times day) then they need to have a bowel movement 2 times a day, and depending on how often you see them drinking, you pretty much have to gauge that one yourself, as every dogs bladder is different just like people. I put mine out just as I stated above 3-4 times a day. And when I am gone, they are kenneled with water bottles and bowls under them for the bottle to drip in, so they don't dehydrate. And dogs typically won't go in their kennel\den where they sleep unless they are sick or something or they are a small dog, i.e. smaller bladder, then the puppy rule as I stated above would apply to them.

Answer 3

Is he on any medication? Medication especially antibiotics can cause this problem.

Either way, call the vet, and let them know the medication he's taking. They're probably going to ask you to come in since almost every living thing has a bowel movement at least once a day.

Do not give any human laxatives or any other human drugs since they will be the wrong dosage.

Answer 4

my one dog kona is a newfoundlander and when my fiance leaves to work out of town she wont poop for the first 2 or 3 days he is gone. she gets sad when he goes away. i usually feed her something like a hamburger from mcdonalds or give her something like that and then she will go.

Answer 5

NOW!! Get it to the vet for some care.

Answer 6

yah you may want to take him to the vet and see whats wrong.

Answer 7

You should be worried...Contact your vet and he can prescribe a laxative for him.