13 Foods That Help Dogs Poop

By: Andrew
Time to read: 8 min.

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A constipated dog is never a pleasant experience. Since they can’t tell us, it may take some time to realize that constipation is the issue they’re having with their bowels. What are some foods that will help your dog poop?

Foods that help dogs poop include pumpkin, spinach, cooked green beans, and wheat bran. These foods add fiber and high water content. You can also try adding ginger, or coconut oil into the diet. Add some aloe vera juice or dilute apple cider vinegar in water.

Let’s take a closer look at these 13 different foods that will give your poor canine buddy some relief.

Table of Contents

How To Tell If Your Dog Is Constipated

When a dog is constipated, you might notice that it is still making bowel movements, so it might take you a while to realize that it is actually constipated. Below is a list of signs to look for if you suspect your dog might be constipated.

Straining to go.
Going two or more days without pooping.
Pain while going.
Blood in the feces.
Decreased appetite.
Pebble-sized feces that are dry and hard.

Why Dogs Get Constipated

Just like us, there are plenty of ways dogs become constipated. Some of the common causes in dogs are dehydration, eating non-food items, intolerances to certain foods, and gastrointestinal disease.

Despite the other possible causes, the most common one for constipation in dogs is swallowing non-food items. These non-food items can be grass, bones, toys or toy parts, or even hair. These objects can’t be digested and impair your dog’s ability to pass digested food.

It’s always a good idea to speak with your dog’s vet to find the root cause of your dog’s constipation. They will be able to work with you to come up with a solution that helps.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the foods that will get your dog pooping again. Always talk to your vet if you have any concerns about introducing new food to your pet’s diet.

Canned Pumpkin

Canned pumpkin is the number one food recommended for a constipated dog, as it is an excellent source of fiber. Increasing the fiber in its diet is always a good first step to take when you have a constipated pet.

A note of caution: Try not to give your dogs too much pumpkin, as the high fiber in the pumpkin can cause diarrhea if given too much.

For small breeds, it’s best to start with ½ teaspoon to see how they tolerate it. You can increase the dose to one to two teaspoons if you think it’s necessary. For larger breeds, you can start with one to two teaspoons and increase gradually as needed.

Cooked Spinach

Increase your dog’s fiber intake by giving it spinach, which is full of the necessary dietary fiber that helps regulate your dog’s digestive system.

But you’ll need to give your dog steamed spinach, as it is more manageable for dogs to digest. Never boil it, as boiling it will destroy almost all of the nutrients. Never give your dog uncooked spinach because it’s difficult for them to digest it this way.

Cooked Green Beans

Green beans are full of nutrients beneficial to your dog, including fiber. It’s a high fiber vegetable that will help your dog’s constipation, and they make excellent treats that your dog will love.

Don’t overload your dog’s diet with green beans, as you risk causing diarrhea if you feed them too much. They are fine in small quantities, either raw or cooked. Don’t give your dog more than 10% of their usual food intake.

Canned Dog Food

Sometimes, a simple solution to your dog’s constipation is to switch their dog food. Dry food may not agree with your dog’s digestive system, and the added moisture from the canned dog food can help loosen your dog’s stool to cause bowel movements.

Give your dog one can of wet dog food for two days. After that, switch back to their regular dry food. It should help, but if it doesn’t, you may want to speak with your vet.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an excellent option for dealing with a dog’s constipation, as it’s rich in fatty acids that work to improve the digestive health of your dog. When considering coconut oil for your dog, go slowly. If you give too much, there’s a chance you’ll give your dog diarrhea.

If you have a small dog or a puppy, start with ¼ teaspoon in their food, but larger dogs can start with up to one teaspoon. If you don’t see any improvements in your dog’s bowel movements, take a break for a few days and then start back up.

Ginger

Ginger can help ease symptoms of nausea constipation in your dog. When you notice your dog’s constipation, give it a small amount of ginger in its food. Sprinkle it on top or give it to them as a solid.

Another way people like to give ginger to their dogs is to mix it with chicken broth. Use half a cup of chicken broth and mix in ¼ teaspoon of ginger to it, which can be adjusted for your dog’s size. Remember to start slowly.

Wheat Bran

Wheat bran is high in fiber which works in a similar way that pumpkin does. It’s going to loosen your dog’s stool and help them make their bowels move. You’ll need to add it to your dog’s diet regularly.

As with all changes to your dog’s diet, take it slowly to make sure they are handling it well. If they aren’t, check with your vet on alternatives.

Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe vera juice can help get the bowels moving because it works similarly to a mild laxative. Put a small amount in your dog’s food or water to help get things moving.

This aloe vera juice is used by many as a way to generally maintain their dog’s overall health. To be successful, give your dog one teaspoon of aloe vera juice for every 10 pounds (4.53 kgs) of the dog’s weight. So, if your dog weighs 40 pounds (18.14 kgs), you’ll put four teaspoons of aloe vera juice into their food or water.

Apple Cider Vinegar

There isn’t as much research provided for using apple cider vinegar in dogs. However, it’s another natural way to potentially relieve constipation, as it is a remedy for many ailments and it restores good gut bacteria.

When giving apple cider vinegar to your dog, dilute it with water by 50%. Start with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, then add the water. Never give your dog undiluted apple cider vinegar, because it’s an acidic product that can irritate your dog’s stomach if given too much or undiluted. Add the mixture to your pet’s water bowl.

Herbs

Some herbs can help your dog get its digestive system back on track. One of those is powdered psyllium, which is the main ingredient in Metamucil and known to help humans and animals get their bowels moving. Sprinkle the powdered psyllium onto your dog’s food. It should take anywhere from 12 to 72 hours to work.

Other herbs that help your dog with constipation are licorice root, milk thistle, and slippery elm. Licorice root is an anti-inflammatory that can help with digestion. Milk thistle works to balance your liver and aids in digestion. Slippery elm has a substance known as mucilage in it, which can’t be digested so it improves your digestive tract.

Mineral or Olive Oil

If your dog is only mildly constipated, try giving your dog a little mineral or olive oil to get their bowels moving again. Give them only one teaspoon for every 10 pounds (4.53 kgs) of their total body weight by adding it to your dog’s food, and their constipation should subside.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are another high fiber vegetable that works for easing constipation in dogs. It’s full of other nutrients your dog needs, such as vitamin A, iron, calcium, and many others.

The serving size you’ll need to feed your dog will depend on the size of the dog. If you plan to try sweet potatoes for your dog’s bowel movements, you should consult the vet first. Other health issues can come up if your dog ingests too much vitamin A.

Water

One of the biggest reasons a dog becomes constipated is because they need more fluids. One of the best ways to find out if that’s the cause is to increase your dog’s water intake. With all of the exercise your dog gets every day, they need plenty of water to stay hydrated.

You can also tell if they’re dehydrated based on the look and feel of their stool. If your dog’s stool is pebble-like, hard, and dry, there’s a good chance they need to drink more water.

What To Do if Your Dog Still Won’t Poop

While foods can certainly encourage bowel movements, exercise is another way to get your dog to poop again. Take your dog on a walk or run once a day to get its digestive systems working again.

If you’ve tried everything you can think of to help your dog poop and it still isn’t helping, you may need to call your vet, as there could be deeper issues that your dog is suffering from that need medication.

Summary

When your dog is constipated, it can cause other health concerns if not taken care of quickly. Remember that if nothing else works, it’s best to talk to a vet. Hopefully, this article has given you a list of 13 foods that can help your dog poop.

Sources

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