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Dr L Simmon
Dr L Simmon, Dog Veterinarian
Category: Dog
Satisfied Customers: 983
Experience:  Veterinarian MVB MRCVS
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I have a litter of 6 week old rottweiler puppies, Assistant:

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I have a litter of 6 week old rottweiler puppies,
Assistant: I'll do all I can to help. What seems to be the problem with the puppy?
Customer: 1 Has or appears to have constipation
Assistant: The Expert will know how to help the puppy. What is the dog's name?
Customer: Unnamed as 1 of a litter of 10
Assistant: Is there anything else important you think the Veterinarian should know about the puppy?
Customer: Other 9are growing and toileting normally, however this one is smaller than the rest and is constantly straining with no result
Thank you!
Customer: replied 2 months ago.
Please treat as urgent, the puppy is constantly straining .
Hi there, you are through to Dr Linda. I'm very sorry your question was not answered more promptly. I have just come online and seen it so hope I can still help.
Firstly, it is very important to ensure she is constipated rather than struggling to urinate. The two can look very similar but difficulty urinating is far more serious. She should be producing a normal amount of urine in good sized puddles.
When did you last see her poo? Was it runny or solid? Was there any blood or mucus in it?
I understand she is smaller than the others but is she gaining weight daily as she should be? Is she eating alright?
Are you able to have a look at her back end to ensure the anus appears normal and not shrunken (you can compare to another pup if unsure)?
Customer: replied 2 months ago.
Good evening, she has what appears to be a normal anus appears normal by comparison with the others, her pooing and urination is another matter, as she is with her litter mates we cannot be sure which puddle or poo belongs to who! She is however drinking a fair amount, on a par with the rest. She has no interest in food other than trying to sickle her mother, as indeed the whole litter do, hope that this helps.
Thank you for this.
As we are unsure if she is urinating normally, this makes things a bit more complicated. She may be straining because of constipation but it could also be a sign of a urinary blockage or a urinary infection.
To determine which, it would be in her interest to have her examined by a vet. They can palpate her abdomen to determine if her bladder is full or if she is constipated. If her bladder is the issue, she may need a urine test and a bladder scan/xray. If she is simply struggling with constipation, she may only require a short course of laxatives - but it is important we get our diagnosis first.
There are also rare congenital issues we need to consider here, such as gut motility issues, but fingers crossed it is something more common and straight forward than this.
Customer: replied 2 months ago.
Thank you, ***** ***** speak to a local vetinary surgery ASAP.
No problem . I will leave this window open and we can continue to chat. Please do feel free to keep me updated on the pup.
Dr L Simmon, Dog Veterinarian
Category: Dog
Satisfied Customers: 983
Experience: Veterinarian MVB MRCVS
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