Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

282 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
bran (1 to 5 tablespoons, 15 to 75 ml per day) and Metamucil (1 to 5 teaspoons,
5 to 25 ml per day). Plain canned pumpkin (1 tablespoon to 1 ⁄2 cup,
100 ml) depending on the size of the dog, can also help. Bulk laxatives or
pumpkin can be fed indefinitely without causing problems.
Emollient laxatives containing docusate are indicated when the feces are
dry and hard, but should not be used if the dog is dehydrated. Examples are
Colace (50 to 200 mg per day), Surfak (100 to 240 mg per day), and Dialose
(100 mg per day). These products promote water absorption into the feces,
thereby softening the stool. They can be used daily.
Mineral oil is a lubricant laxative that facilitates the passage of hard stool
through the anal canal. However, mineral oil interferes with the absorption of
fat-soluble vitamins, so daily or frequent administration may cause vitamin
deficiency. Mineral oil also reacts adversely with docusate and thus should not
be used in conjunction with Colace and the other emollient laxatives. The
best way to give mineral oil is to add it once or twice a week to the dog’s meal
at a dose of 1 to 25 ml, depending on the weight of the dog. Never administer
mineral oil by syringe because it is tasteless and can be inhaled into the lungs.
Medications can also be given that influences intestinal motility, such as
cisapride. These medicines should only be used under veterinary guidance.
FECAL IMPACTION
A fecal impaction is a mass of hard stool in the rectum and colon. There may
be a predisposing condition, such as an enlarged prostate, that compresses the
rectal canal (see Anorectal Obstructions, page 287).
Dogs with fecal impactions pass little or no stool despite repeated and
forceful straining, are lethargic, have no appetite, experience abdominal distension
and vomiting, and may have a hunched-up appearance. Digital rectal
examination reveals a large, tubular mass.
Treatment: Veterinary examination and treatment is needed. A severe
fecal impaction requires rehydration with intravenous fluids prior to removal.
Most will need to be removed under general anesthesia using finger extraction
and forceps.
Mild fecal impactions may respond to a combination of an osmotic or stimulant
laxative (see Constipation, page 280) and a small enema. (Be careful
when giving an enema; if done improperly, you could perforate the rectum.) A
safe and effective small enema is warm tap water administered at 2.5 to 5.0 ml
per pound of body weight. Tap water enemas can be repeated every few hours.
Tap water enemas are given through a rubber catheter connected to a plastic
syringe or enema bag. Lubricate the tip of the catheter and insert it 1 to 2
inches (2.5 to 5 cm) into the rectum. Administer the enema. After the enema
has been expelled, administer 10 to 20 ml mineral oil (5 to 10 ml for a small
dog) into the rectum through the catheter to facilitate passage of the remaining
stool.