The inability to produce normal stools is one of the most painful conditions that may happen to a dog. So, if you want to know why is your French bulldog constipated, read on and discover the reasons. Obstipation in Frenchies can be caused by many reasons, and here are the most common.
Is your French bulldog constipated? What are the main reasons
If you’ve spotted that your dog deals with a dry stool that looks like pebbles, and doesn’t release it for a few days, then he definitely suffers from constipation. Other, more severe symptoms include the condition called tenesmus. Your dog will strain to defecate, and will even show traces of blood and go through severe pains.
When we talk about the most common causes of constipation in dogs, veterinarians set them in three categories.
1- Intraluminal constipation is referred to blockage inside of the colon.
2- Instristic constipation is triggered by nerve and disease injuries.
3- Extraluminal constipation is triggered by different tumors, polyps, and pelvic fractures.
Aside from the previously mentioned medical types, it’s essential to discover the trigger why is your French bulldog constipated. The blockage in your French bulldog’s gastrointestinal tract can be caused by a swollen foreign object, as well as by many other triggers. It’s nothing unusual to discover that a chimp of hair, grass, or string caused constipation. However, if it occurs daily, then you should check for the following reasons:
Lack of exercise
Even though Frenchies are not considered for highly active dogs, they need to get a daily amount of exercise. To maintain a healthy weight and improve digestion, you should walk your dog for approximately 30-45 min a day. As we all know, physical activity plays an important role in maintaining a healthy metabolism.
Anxiety of stress
If you’re considering buying a Frenchie, then you gotta know that these pooches are prone to suffer from separation anxiety. They belong to companion breeds so spending time alone can cause them to go through severe anxiety. Constipation can be one of the symptoms, as well as chewing and licking body parts, howling, loss of appetite, etc.
Inappropriate diet
If your dog daily struggles with constipation, our advice is to check for his diet. Dry kibble that is rich in grains and calcium can be one of the causes. Therefore, try to switch him to a fiber-rich diet. You can also prepare the meal for your pet by yourself. Make sure you don’t include rice and bananas because they can harden the stool. Instead, you can cook the pumpkin, chicken breast meat, and carrots for your Frenchie.
On the other hand, if you don’t have time to prepare the meal for your dog, you can also check the list of the best dog food brands for French bulldogs.
Other triggers that can cause French bulldog constipation are:
- dehydration
- tumors
- osteoarthritis
- hormonal diseases
- enlarged prostate gland
- a side effect of medication
- a foreign object stuck in the gastrointestinal tract
How to treat constipation in French bulldogs?
You can be quite sure that your Frenchie deals with constipation if he doesn’t have stools for more than 2 days. Besides, he will also ‘cry out’, crouch, or strain when attempting to defecate. In that case, you need to see your vet immediately.
Your vet might prescribe him an oral medication to induce stools, or will perform the enema. Using suppositories can also help, as well as manual removal. Some Frenchies might require hospitalization to perform multiple enemas and to escape dehydration.
Based on your French bulldog’s type of condition, your vet will explain to you how to prevent your dog from constipation in the future. Most pooches will have a fast recovery, but there will be also those that will need lifelong treatment. Unfortunately, for dogs with underlying conditions such as tumors and polyps, some dogs will need to go through surgical treatments.
