Dog ?

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
My precious Gizmo came through the surgery like a champ. He is on some heavy narcotics for pain. This in turn is causing him to be constipated and not eat or drink very much at all. He has probiotics in a paste to help with the constipation. He hates it. It is a battle to et him to take most of the medications. Do any of you pet parents have any suggestions for giving medication and relieving the constipation?
 

pigless in VA

Well-Known Member
Can you mix the paste with peanut butter? Most animals will eat yucky things in peanut butter. Poor little Gizmo. It is likely that the narcotics are also killing his appetite. He's small. Maybe you need to cut the narcotic dose in half.
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
He is refusing medication altogether today. I mixed the probiotic with yogurt which he loves and that was a no go. I have tried just about every combination I can think of. I may have to take him back to the vet today. He is refusing water.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
By now, he probably needs a whopping good enema, which the kind folks at the vets can provide.

Ask your vets for some Lactulose(Harmless stuff) and ask if he also needs a stimulant laxative.

Once he is cleaned out, get him on a high fiber food, of feed canned, solid-pack pumpkin with his regular diet. (most dogs love it)

I deal with this with Thomas, the cat in my avatar, both due to age-related neurological problems, and because he is on chronic painkillers for his arthritis. He is on Lactulose 2x daily, and on Cisipride (a motility stimulant) for several days when he gets backed up. (after the enema at the vets)
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Let us k ow updates on Gizmo.

One of my small dogs needs tbyroid and allergy pills. My husbansticks them in a hotdog, which he li es, and he takes it in one bite. But if he can taste it at all he will spit out tbe pills. Hotdogs are the only thing that he isnt sudpicious about.

Do ask the vet about the constipation. Poor little Gizmo. Hugs and prayers. I love dogs, even more than people.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Keep trying to fool him. We had to. Otherwise Hub has to stick pill down his throat and hold his muzzle shut until he swallows. It can take some time...he is stubborn...but it works. I cant do it though.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Best of luck, Pasa.

Another factor likely contributing to his constipation is problems "assuming the position" due to pain, even with the pain medications.

Thomas can poop fine, but cannot squat low enough to pee properly, hence sometimes pees on his "britches" (longhaired cat). I get reminded
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
I tend toward the "shove it down the throat method", though have had one GSD who would clamp his jaws so tightly shut that I couldn't open his mouth to save my life.

With cats, I usually go with liquids, though Thomas isn't too bad to pill, and have the medications compounded if needed.

What painkiller is your dog on? If possible, I'd see if you can get it in a liquid as that can be given with the mouth closed, followed by a treat to "take the taste a way".
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
tramadol pill form, gabapentium (sp) liquid, meta something liquid in syringe. He is now deep under the bed and refusing to come out. I am gong to have to remove the mattress and box spring to get to him.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Hmmmm...Tramadol is actually a pretty mild pain killer. Gabapentin (Neurontin) is for nerve pain, and Metacam is a strong anti-inflammatory.

Tramadol isn't too bad for constipation as narcotics go, nor is Gabapentin. I wonder if some of the constipation isn't from inactivity, inadequate pain relief, and lack of movement.

Is he straining a lot or vomiting?

He may be hiding from you due to the TASTE of the Tramadol: it is one of the vilest tasting medications out there. It can also cause headaches and nausea.
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
He had an enema and is feeling better. He is actually more active then he should be. He is drinking water now, but he still refuses to eat. I put some pumpkin in his dish. He tasted it. I imagine he will eat a bit more tonight or tomorrow.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
He had an enema and is feeling better. He is actually more active then he should be. He is drinking water now, but he still refuses to eat. I put some pumpkin in his dish. He tasted it. I imagine he will eat a bit more tonight or tomorrow.

You many need to confine him in a smaller place. Did they plate the fracture, or run a rod down the center of the bone? There's more risk of him re-injuring the site if they plated the fracture than if they used an intramedullary rod, but the rod can be bent.

Drinking is the first big hurdle. Eating-wise, try to get him to eat anything you can, within reason of course. Try tuna fish or sardines or other fishy stuff if you haven't. Some dogs love the stuff. Raw meat (it won't hurt him) just wash your hands after handling and feed whole meat not ground. (cut it up into appropriate sized chunks.
 

Kathy813

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Have you tried pill pockets or the paste that you put on the pills? I have one very suspicious shih tzu when it comes to medications but she loves the pill pockets and gobbles then down without realizing that the pill is inside.

~Kathy
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Neither worked with my last GSD. His sense of smell was too good.

What did work, once I switched him to a raw diet that came in 1/2 lb patties, was to simply insert the AM or PM pills in a patty, put the patty in his bowl, release him to eat, and get the heck out of his way.

The raw food was so irresistable that pills or no pills,it went down in two gulps at the most.
 
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