For some people, taking some mineral oil when constipated can be very helpful. The oil serves as a wax, and this makes bowel movements less straining.
If you observe that your dog is also having some problems with constipation, you might consider giving him or her the same substance that you found effective on you. But before doing so, you should find out first if mineral oil is safe for your pet dog or not.
The answer to that question is a big NO!
Mineral oil will rob your dog’s body of all the healthy nutrients inside. You see, mineral oil is a substance that falls under the category of being a lipid solvent. What that means is that is absorbs the nutrients inside the dog’s body just like a magnet. And when that happens, the internal mechanisms in your dog’s body will be disrupted as the mineral oil interferes with the normal absorption processes.
Can I Give My Dog Mineral Oil? Answer: No.
Moreover, mineral oil is stored permanently inside the dog’s body as the substance attaches to the inner linings of the dog’s system. This situation can then lead to serious cases of inflammations such as the inflammation of granuloma (a type of skin inflammation).
Causes of Constipation
Instead of finding ways to treat constipation in dogs, it would be better if you simply try to avoid situations that can lead to your pet’s constipation. As a diet without sufficient fiber can be the main cause of this problem, you can simply switch to a new diet (or dog food) that has more fiber contents. Just make sure that you don’t make any sudden changes in your dog’s diet as this can lead to diarrhea.
Dehydration is another reason for constipation. So you should always have fresh water available for your pet dog at all times. If your pet is not an avid water drinker, you can place some ice cubes in your pet dog’s water container. Dogs usually like drinking cold water and this will encourage him or her to consume more water.
Old age also plays a huge role in having constipation problems. If you own a senior dog, you can ask your vet for a special diet that’s high in fiber.
In very rare cases, constipation can be traced to obstructed intestines. So if you suspect that your canine friend may be suffering from this condition, you should take your dog to a vet as soon as possible. An x-ray may be needed to find out for sure if there is some blockage in your pet dog’s intestines.
Symptoms of Constipation
You really should be very observant with your pet dog. By being an observant dog owner, you can monitor your dog’s health more efficiently. You will immediately see signs of trouble and be able to call a vet or make some first aid treatment.
While constipation is not a high-risk health problem, it can prove to be very uncomfortable to your dog. If you see that your dog is hurled up and straining while trying to defecate, they could be suffering from constipation. Sometimes, your dog won’t be able to poop at all in spite of straining. Or there could be some very hard and solid stools.
If the constipation problem doesn’t improve in a couple of days, it would be wise to call a vet and ask for an examination.
Recommendations for Dogs with Constipation
Aside from choosing a dog food with higher fiber contents, you can also feed your dog some rice, cereal and oatmeal. All these people foods are high in fiber and they are proven safe for dogs too.
You can also put some olive oil in your pet’s dog food. Olive oil is safe for dogs (and nutritious too) and it will soften your dog’s stool too.
Exercising is also good for dogs suffering from constipation (actually, for people too). So allow your dog to play as a form of exercise and it can possibly stimulate him to poop more regularly.
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Choosing the Right Type of Oil
As you can see, some types of oil that people normally consume are very harmful to dogs (Mineral oil) while some are safe (Olive oil). So before giving any type of oil to your canine friend, make sure that the oil is safe first.
