
Have you noticed that your dog makes an effort to relieve himself and does not succeed? Has your dog not pooped in several days? These are signs that should not be overlooked, as your dog’s digestive system may not be working properly, which can pose a serious health problem.
So if you ask yourself “why doesn’t my dog poop? “, keep reading because in this oneHOWTO article we tell you what are the possible causes why your dog has trouble defecating and how you can help him to recover as soon as possible.
How to know if my dog has constipation
You must be aware of the signs that may be warning you that your dog is suffering from constipation. These are the main symptoms of constipation in dogs:
- Your dog hasn’t pooped in a few days.
- He places himself in a position to defecate with effort, but cannot expel anything.
- Stools are darker, smaller, and harder than normal.
- The dog complains when defecating because it hurts.
- Swollen abdomen
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
Given this, it is recommended go quickly to the vet Because, although you can try to help your dog by offering suitable laxatives for dogs, it is best to rule out any serious pathology that is causing constipation in your dog and if there is, act as soon as possible.

Herniated discs
The herniated disc it could be another cause of constipation in dogs and it occurs when the degeneration of the intervertebral discs causes their contents to prolapse towards the spinal cord, compressing it. Depending on the degree of compression and the level of the spinal cord in which they occur, different symptoms may appear:
- Pain
- Parsia (partial paralysis of muscle contractility)
- Walking problems or even paralysis
- Urination and defecation problems
- Loss of sensitivity to touch
If the condition is mild, it can be treated with corticosteroids, otherwise the most indicated would be surgery. In addition, there are neurological disorders that can also affect this level.
In this link you can learn about How to know if my dog has a herniated disc.
Anorectal or intestinal obstruction
A fairly common reason why a dog cannot defecate is anorectal or intestinal obstruction, which can occur due to the following causes:
- Intake of grass, hair, dirt and garbage: If your dog ingests any of these things, an obstruction may appear because they cannot be digested properly. In these other posts we explain why dogs eat grass and why dogs eat dirt.
- An enlarged prostate: This can also cause obstruction of the rectum, making it impossible to pass stool naturally because it compresses the rectum.
- Pelvic fracture: Any type of pelvic fracture causes pain in your dog, so it may not be able to defecate properly.
- Fecal impaction: It consists of the accumulation of stool, until it forms a hard mass that is stuck in the rectum and colon. This may also be due to lack of water.
- The rectal polyps and cancers You can also make it difficult to pass stool, but it is less frequent.
If you are wondering why doesn’t my dog poop and vomit It is possible that you are facing this problem and it is best to go to the vet to prevent it from getting worse.

Lack of exercise
A common cause why dogs have constipation is due to lack of exercise, since if the dog does not move digestions are not carried out correctly, being slower and heavier. Therefore, it is important that if your dog is sedentary Encourage him to play, run and walk him so that the digestions can be carried out in a better way and he does not suffer from constipation problems.
Here we tell you how to exercise with my dog at home.

Dehydration
If you ask yourself “why doesn’t my dog defecate?” make sure he drinks enough water amount, because dehydration it can also be a reason why your dog cannot poop. This happens because if the amount of water in the body is insufficient, the stool does not soften or lubricate properly, making it impossible for it to pass through the rectum.
This is the most frequent answer to the question “why doesn’t my dog pee or poop?” because there is a lack of fluids in your body, although there are other causes, such as hernias or a urinary infection.
Other causes of constipation in dogs
Other causes that can cause your dog to have constipation are as follows.
- Urinary infection: Faced with a urinary infection, the dog may have difficulties both urinating and defecating, it is also possible that he walks with his legs open and has a swollen abdomen. Go to your veterinarian so that he can treat it since you will not be able to help him with this condition yourself.
- Lack of fiber in your diet: make sure your dog’s nutritional needs are met. This includes the amount of fiber, perhaps the cause is an insufficient amount of fiber.
- Taking medications: constipation can appear as a secondary symptom to taking certain medications.
- After an operation: If you ask yourself “why doesn’t my dog poop after an operation?”, you should know that it is normal due to the pain it causes, although generally the vet prescribes pain relievers and laxatives if your dog has this problem.
- Advanced age: As the dog grows and when it is a senior it is normal for the frequency of defecation to decrease.

What to do if my dog doesn’t poop
If you have observed that your dog does not poop, do not wait any longer and try to defecate by offering him some of the natural remedies against constipation in dogs that we show you. In addition, it is an alarm signal that more than two days pass and the dog has not defecated at all or has defecated in very small and hard amounts during these days. If your dog does not eat or is listless, constipation can also be a secondary cause of a more serious problem and that is why you have to go to the vet to treat it as soon as possible and that it does not further harm the health of your dog. Follow these tips to know what to do if your dog doesn’t poop:
- Do not let more than two days go by without your dog pooping, if a day passes and he has not done the best, give him a special natural remedy for him against constipation.
- If you notice that your dog is pooping and the stool does not come out, you can try to remove it by pulling it carefully, but if it is very dry or hard and you notice that it does not come out, it is better that you go to the vet.
- Hydrate it and make sure your dog has water at his disposal, otherwise the stool will be very hard and will not be able to pass through the rectum properly.
- Exercise moderately with your dog so that his stomach moves a bit and digestions are adequate.
- Observe your dog’s food and make sure it has the right amount of fiber for your friend. You can consult with your veterinarian, he will recommend the food you should give your dog.
- Offer more wet food, as the feed can harden the stool if the dog does not ingest enough water that it needs.

Natural laxatives for dogs
If you have witnessed that your dog has not pooped all day or on his walk he has had difficulty defecating or any other sign that indicates that your dog could be constipated, you can try to give him one of these natural laxatives with the aim of helping the stool to pass through the rectum and colon properly.
- Oils: Give your dog a tablespoon of olive oil once a week. You can mix it with your usual feed.
- Pumpkin: Pumpkin puree is also a good option to treat and prevent constipation, since this food has a quantity of fiber and water that can help your dog to evacuate. Offer him one or two tablespoons a day, but under no circumstances give him more quantity, since diarrhea may appear. In this other article you can learn more about Pumpkin for dogs, its benefits, dosage and how to prepare it.
- Ginger: Mix this with chicken broth, as it is able to relieve constipation after a short time. Add 1/4 of a tablespoon of ginger infusion to half a glass of chicken broth.
- Psyllium: This food is a great source of fiber that helps food circulate properly by stimulating bowel contractions. Offer a tablespoon or two every 24 hours.
Now you know what can you give a dog to poop, but never abuse any of them as you could get the opposite effect. To learn more about this topic and help your dog, we encourage you to read these other oneHOWTO articles about Laxatives for dogs: medicines, foods and doses and Home remedies for constipation in dogs.
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