# Can you help him to poop?



## readaboutdogs

As some might have read, clipper is almost 12 1/2, he has arthritis in his hips and back legs. What we are having problems with, especially the past week, is his ability to poop. He is not constipated or have diarrhea, he just can't seem to squat and poop. He will fall onto his butt more now trying, and walks around trying to work it out I guess. He has a large osteosarcoma lump on his right side which makes it harder for him to get up. He goes for his adequin shot tomorrow and am hoping this will help. He seems to be holding it for the difficulty of squatting and pushing it out. Then when he's laying down it will come out or if he falls. I was cleaning him up and I guess it stimulated the poop reflex and he went ahead and pooped laying on his side. He doesn't do that every time. I know it sounds gross, but is there a way to go ahead and get him to poop laying on his side with me helping? It is embarrassing to him to poop in the house or laying down, I can see it stresses him, but being smeared in poop stresses him too. Hoping the adequin will help, it did last month, but just to help him out I wondered how people with paralyzed pets do this. He still eats well and after he gets up walks fairly well, needing more help getting up. Thank you guys, there's a lot of good advice here.


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## mego

This is heartbreaking to hear that your guy can't poop by himself easily anymore 
Hopefully someone can chime in with some helpful advice, it's not gross, thank you for taking such good care of him


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## readaboutdogs

Thanks mego, it is hard seeing less and less of how he used to be. He is still my snipper new, snipper do, says mama how are you. That's my sing song silly I still sing to him every day. Just want to make him comfortable.


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## BowWowMeow

Do you have a harness to help him walk? That's what I would get, so that you can hold him up. 

There are some specialized harnesses here: Dog Harnesses & Slings - Help Dogs Walk with Dog Lift Harness & Slings

Or you can get him a Ruffwear harness or even try making a sling with a towel, to hold up his rear end.


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## readaboutdogs

Thanks Ruth, I'm going to see about a harness tomorrow. I had looked at them on line last month, then after his adequin shot last month he improved and I didn't order one. Now I wish I had.the past week has been the hardest on him. He gets his shot tomorrow, but will get a sling or harness for sure. I wondered how people with paralyzed pets helped them. But thank you for the suggestions.


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## readaboutdogs

I just ordered the bottoms up rear dog leash with the 2 day postal. Hope it gets here soon, should have ordered last month when I looked at them. This looks like it will give support without putting pressure on his ribs. I will update for others that may be having these issues.


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## llombardo

You can use a large towel as a harness..you just put it under his stomach and guide him with it, it works and it can be used immediately.


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## BowWowMeow

Here's a video that shows you how to use a towel to make a sling for his hind end.


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## More Ball! says Jake

We used the Bottoms Up Leash for our GSD/Cocker Spaniel mix when her rear legs started to fail after she developed DM. It was one of the most useful things ever. It gave her a sense of independence again. As for helping a dog poop - you can manually stimulate them to go. If you search "helping a paralyzed dog poop" on the Internet you will find some really great resources. We had to do this for our Sheba. If we didn't she'd poop in her sleep and then accidentally roll in it. This resulted in a bath and stress and got to be too much for her. She wasn't happy at first about our manually stimulating her but eventually I think she realized it meant she wasn't getting bathed several times a day and she accepted it. Made everyone's lives much better. Good luck - we hope Clipper continues to do well.


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## readaboutdogs

Thank you Everyone, got his shot today and glad to hear that the bottoms up was helpful. The lump on his right side is like the size of my hand and is at the lower end of his rib cage so I thought the way this leash looked it wouldn't put pressure on that. The vet also did say for the slings that go around the abdomen you needed to make sure the dog was also trying to get up also instead of just pulling him up or it could put pressure on the bladder and could cause problems with the bladder. So that was something to keep in mind! He seems like since it's hard for him to squat he holds it till he just can't any more then it comes out when he lays down or asleep or falls. Otherwise he's doing pretty good. His nose is dry and rough at the end so she gave me some cream for that, she thought just probably an old age thing. Thanks again for your support and suggestions! Clipper says thanks and a lick too! I will look up those videos also!


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## huntergreen

readaboutdogs, if there was one thing i would change about our gsd, it would be to extend lifespan and keep them young for at least 40 years. have you discussed a stool softner with your vet? easier and quicker to push out stoole.


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