This Summer has been very hot and dry lots of flaky skin and allergies. In TCM the Lung/ Large Intestine Meridian is directly connected to the skin. So if the skin is dry odds are the your pup is lacking moisture which can result in constipation.
So how is your dog pooping? Not the most flowery subject but an important one.
Poop gives us so much information on how are dogs are doing. Digestion and gut health are big factors in our well being, as well as our pets. So if your pup is having a bout of constipation, it may just be he or she isn’t getting quite enough water in his or her diet, the diet itself, or it could be something more serious.
Constipation can happen on occassion to your pup throughout their lifetime. If it does not resolve in a few days you definitely want to make sure you see your vet, as it can be a symptom of a more serious problem in the colon. If constipation goes on too long it can result in megacolon.
Great article below by Dr. Becker on how to identfy constipation and what to do ; Also a study on good points for constipation, and a few for you to try on you or your pup. Happy Pointing…
Dr. Becker’s Comments:
Your dog is constipated when he either has difficulty pooping (and feces produced are dry and hard) or isn’t pooping at all.
If solid waste stays in your dog’s colon too long, all the moisture in it will be absorbed and stools will become dry, hard, and difficult to pass.
If the situation is left untreated, your dog’s large intestine can actually stretch to the point where it can no longer do its job effectively. This is a chronic condition known as megacolon, and is actually more common in cats than dogs. Our goal is to prevent pets from ever having such chronic and longstanding bowel issues.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2017/07/23/dog-cat-constipation.aspx
Acupuncture study for constipation
A few points to try from the study:
LI4 is on inside of the dew claw on the front paw.
ST 36 find the front of the knee and slide your finger down into the little groove on the lateral side of each knee.
ST25* On the ventral midline 2 cun lateral to the umbilicus. Find your pups belly button it is usually a bit raised and bumpy and then depending on the size of your pup the point will be anywhere from one to two finger widths off the belly button
Cun “small measurement” the find the distance between the wrist and the elbow put your finger there; half that distance half it again and half it again, The distance between your finger and the wrist is 1 cun so it will be a personal measurement for each animal
