Constipation’s no fun for anyone, certainly not for your Morkie. Small dog owners are generally more used to dealing with the opposite – bouts of diarrhea – so we don’t always know how to handle constipation.  Here are some tips.

First, how to tell if your Morkie is constipated

Pretty easy – if she’s missed two days without pooping, or if she’s straining and straining, only to produce a small, hard stool, chances are your Morkie is constipated.  Remember, older dogs tend to suffer from this condition more than younger, top-shape dogs.

Three ways to treat constipation at home

Pure canned pumpkin – not the pie filling kind – works for both diarrhea AND constipation!

First, encourage your Morkie to have as much water as possible.  I know, how do you do that? But if there’s plenty of clean, fresh water around, let’s hope the dog will drink more, in response to his discomfort.

Second, that miracle food for dogs – canned pumpkin.  Two or 3 tablespoons in your Morkie’s meal or mixed with a treat, is all you need.  The strange thing is, canned pumpkin is also a great fix for diarrhea! Just be sure you get 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.  Tip: freeze the rest of can by dividing it up into sections in your ice cube tray, then put it all in a zip-top plastic bag. You’ll have some ready if either condition reappears.

Third, a good long walk can often get things moving again for your Morkie. Increased exercise can often trigger a bowel movement because of its ‘massaging’ effect on the internal organs, so give it a try.

By the third day if you haven’t seen results, please see your Vet!

As I mentioned earlier, diarrhea is the more common digestive upset in small dogs, so if your Morkie’s constipation lasts longer than 2 days, you need to contact your Vet. He will examine the dog and may prescribe a special stool-softener, medication or give him an enema. (Do not try that one at home).

Three or more days of constipation is not only very, very uncomfortable and even painful for your Morkie, it could be the sign of other serious conditions such as:

• blocked or abscessed anal sacs
• worms
• an enlarged prostate gland
• something lodged in his intestines
• a hernia
• a mass or tumour in the lower intestine or anal area
• or a more serious neurological problem or kidney disease.

One more thing, don’t give your dog this:

Laxatives meant for people.  Not only are they too harsh,think of the size and weight variations between people and Morkies!  ExLax, Metamucil, Dulcolax, whatever the brand – if it’s meant for people, it is not meant for dogs.

As the website CanIGiveMyDog.com says, “Human medication can have serious side effects on animals. Remember, they are a lot smaller than we are, and if the medication isn’t suitable for children, chances are it’s not suitable for dogs either.