When your dog is constipated, it can be a cause for great distress both in your dog and you. Constipated dog symptoms manifest as your dog strains during a bowel movements or the fecal matter comes out hard or sparingly.

Constipation can be perfectly normal in dogs, and when you see your dog is constipated it’s not cause for immediate alarm, but it is best to be cautious. Watch for other symptoms and recall all you can of your dog’s behavior prior to becoming constipated. More serious conditions could be at work, such as an obstruction in the intestinal tract, tumors, or pancreatitis in dogs—known to occur after meals heavy in fat.

A vet will be able to best determine if a dog is constipated because of something minor or something serious. If the problem is minor, the average dog constipation treatment is quite painless and can be done safely at home.

Exercise can help relieve constipation, much as it does in humans. Another constipated dog home remedy is an alteration of diet to include more fiber. This can be done with a couple of tablespoons of bran cereal (making certain to avoid walnuts or chocolate—both harmful for dogs), or canned pumpkin (not pie filling, but pureed pumpkin) added to your dog’s food. The best part about canned or cooked pumpkin is that often dogs love the taste!

A tablespoon of mineral oil per 25 lbs. of body weight can lubricate the stool when a dog is constipated. Never administer laxative without a vet’s direction, and seek medical attention if your dog’s constipation doesn’t subside after several days, or if blood or mucous appears in the stool.