Watching over a dog with a case of diarrhea is not a lot of fun. You may find yourself spending several hours of your day just cleaning up after your pet. Still, diarrhea is a common enough condition that you’re likely aware of how to deal with it.
Some dogs may develop different pooping habits after they have diarrhea and managing those changes may be more difficult for you. Discover what those changes mean and what you should do about them by reading on.
Why Is My Dog Not Pooping after Having Diarrhea?
Diarrhea is a condition that speeds up the passage of waste through the body. Pets tend to leave behind watery poop if they have diarrhea precisely because the excrement doesn’t get enough time to properly form. The improper formation of the poop is related to the increased frequency of your pet’s bowel movements.
The parts of your pet’s body that are responsible for storing and expelling waste will remain empty most of the time while they still have diarrhea. They don’t fill up immediately after you start treating your pet.
It may still take some time before your pet gets the urge to poop again because they have nothing to expel in the first place. On top of that, the medication you’re giving to your dog may also affect their pooping habits.
The medication prescribed to treat diarrhea in dogs is typically meant to slow down the movement of food through their gastrointestinal tract. That medication allows the poop to form properly. It also reduces the frequency of your pet’s pooping.
This is not an abnormal development for your pet. The absence of poop is not a concern at this point. It may just be confirmation that your pet’s medication is working as intended.
My Dog Is Squatting but Not Pooping after Diarrhea
Your dog’s pooping habits may change after they recover from diarrhea. We’ve already talked about a potential change in pooping frequency, but that’s not all you should watch out for.
While monitoring your dog, you may also notice them squatting as they would for pooping, but nothing is coming out. So, what is the explanation for that unusual occurrence? In all likelihood, the culprit is constipation.
Your pet may feel that they need to release waste from their body, but nothing is coming out because of how backed up they are. Some dogs may even strain themselves in an effort to get some poop out.
Phantom poops are not the only symptoms of canine constipation. That condition may also be accompanied by other symptoms such as bloody and/or hard stool, visible discomfort, and a lack of poop that persists for days.
How Long after Diarrhea Will Dog Poop?
After spending the last few days cleaning up your dog’s liquid poop, you probably welcome the respite you’re getting now that your pet is taking medication. Still, your dog cannot go without pooping for too long. If that happens, there could be something wrong with your pet.
It’s normal for a dog to poop within the same day that they start taking medication. Several hours may pass between poops, but they may still occur within the same day. Notably, your dog’s first poop after taking medication should be more solid.
Your dog may also not feel the need to poop until the day after. At this point, your dog not pooping is still considered normal.
Two days is the maximum amount of time that your pet should go without pooping if they were still eating properly while undergoing treatment. If the poop-free period lasts longer than two days, then there is likely something wrong with your dog.
Is It Normal for Dogs to Have Constipation after Diarrhea?
We mentioned earlier that your dog could develop constipation not long after they just dealt with a bout of diarrhea. Although we mentioned that as something that could potentially happen, it’s important to note that it is not normal.
Something probably went wrong if your dog is constipated right after they just had diarrhea. You may have caused the constipation unwittingly by continuously giving your dog medication.
The veterinarian provides a set schedule for the diarrhea medication for a reason. If you keep giving meds to your dog after they have recovered, they may experience the opposite of diarrhea. Food may move through your dog’s gastrointestinal tract too slowly.
It’s unlikely that your dog will develop constipation after having diarrhea as long as you followed the veterinarian’s instructions. If you did everything right and your pet is still suffering from constipation, you should get them checked out as soon as possible.
What to Do about a Dog Not Pooping after Diarrhea?
Has it been a while since your dog who is recovering from diarrhea last pooped? If so, what should you do in that situation?
The steps detailed below should help guide you.
Step 1: Feed Your Dog
The reason why your pet isn’t pooping could be because there is nothing in their system. Now that they’re in recovery, you should start feeding them again.
Feed your dog some plain pumpkin puree or a lean protein like boiled chicken to avoid upsetting their stomach. You can also give your dog some prescription kibble if the veterinarian signed off on it.
Make sure they’re getting plenty of water too.
Step 2: Monitor Your Dog
Next up, you need to monitor your dog. Monitor them for around 48 hours. If they still haven’t pooped after 48 hours, then you can proceed to the next step.
During this time, you should observe your dog’s behavior. Check to see if they are eating, drinking, and behaving normally despite not pooping. You should also jump to the next step if you notice something off about your dog while watching over them.
Step 3: Go to the Veterinarian
If your dog hasn’t returned to normal two days after you first gave them medication, the two of you should pay a visit to the veterinarian. There may be another ailment affecting your pet so it’s best to let an expert examine them.
When to See a Vet about a Dog Not Pooping after Diarrhea?
You must take your dog to the veterinarian if they haven’t pooped in two days or if they have been behaving strangely since ingesting the medication. Waiting until three days have passed is an option in some cases, but that’s risky.
Although there’s a chance they could return to normal on the third day, it’s also possible for their condition to get worse. Risking your pet’s health like that is probably not something you want to do. Err on the side of caution in that scenario and simply go to the veterinarian.