My dog holds it in?

Question

She is physically able to defecate, this is not a problem. I've taken her to the vet and she is fine. However, she will not deliberately poop. She will only go when she can no longer physically hold it in, as in when it's coming out on it's own. At which point she will finally get into position and finish the job. I take her out on walks, to the park and such, but always she reaches this extreme. It makes me very anxious because I can tell she needs to and she's uncomfortable but she hold it in still. It's 3am and I'll go to the kitchen for water, and I'll see her just sitting down (not laying down) uncomfortably with her behind pressed on the floor, I let her out and nothing. I want her to just do it and be calm. She's always been encouraged to do it and never reprimanded except when she was a puppy and she did it inside but she is 6 now. It's kind of driving me insane seeing her do this. Once I left her with my mother for 3 days, in which she didn't get walked, but still had access to the yard. When I walked her she actually pooped 3 times during that walk so I'm pretty sure she held it in all 3 days. I don't understand why she would torture herself like this instead of simply going. She's a lab btw.

Verulam 1 · Answer

It sounds to me as if, being scared apart, she may actually be constipated.    What kind of food is she eating - she should be on a non-cereal based food, one that lists the ingredients starting with meat, or fish.    It doesn't need to be the most expensive (in fact not at all as you often pay for the advertising hype with highly priced food).

I do think this may be a mental problem, rather than a physical one with her.   Bitches can be difficult.   Mine won't empty anywhere off her property and hasn't apart from twice when we were away overnight, the first time resulting in her holding her urine for 22 hours, and the second from around 8 am (setting off) to around 9.30 that evening.   On neither occasion did she pooh - but she went before leaving and didn't eat much inbetween then and coming back home, so I wasn't too worried about that.

If you have her on a regular routine, she should need to empty at around the same time every day - digestion in the dog, with a normal stool, wouldl usually take 4 hours.

allknowing · Answer

She's obviously scared to go....

GllntKnight · Answer

"I let her out and nothing."  Then go out with her, walk her and supervise, praise when she does relieve herself.  You can't know for sure whether she actually relieved herself if you don't go out with her and witnesses it or search every inch of the yard and pick it up.

Minimally a dog requires 3-4 walk/elimination times outside daily, 30-40 minutes each time, so it maybe observed if there are any difficulties eliminating, as well as the consistency of the fecal material, and parasites/blood, that may or may not visible.

Walk her, observe closely, also provide daily aerobic exercise, such as running/swimming, minimally 3-4 times daily 20-30 minutes each time.  Activity helps the elimination process, and keeps the intestines moving properly.

Are you feeding her properly?  If she's being fed properly, she should be eliminating properly.  Obviously food must be consumed in some amount otherwise nothing comes out the other end.  Without consistent observation, you're only guessing, you need facts.  Which may only be gotten by close observation, other than that you're only guessing.

If you're feeding a diet specifically formulated for canines nutritional needs, that is complete/balanced on a set schedule, twice daily, am/pm,a total daily set amount, split equally into those two meals according to body condition/activity, he should be eliminating once for each meal, occasionally plus one additional time, daily.

After a week to ten days of consistent observation, during the walk/elimination times, if you don't see an improvement and your vet can't figure it out, get a second opinion, perhaps a specialist, such as gastrointestinal, or a vet teaching college.

Boy · Answer

May she be so well right now and get all the help she needs.

Anonymous · Answer

Is there a certain area, time, or location that she prefers, from what you can tell?

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My dog holds it in?

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