Yesterday my husband's grandchildren came to the house for a visit.   One of my dogs, Rudi, is very loveable and affectionate, but a complete wimp and very submissive.   The grandchildren have had dogs and are good with them - but they are excitable and tend to screech and shout rather than talk.   As a result, Rudi is very unsure of himself around them.  Once one of them leaned over to pet him and Rudi piddled on the carpet.   Rudi jumped on a footstool and one grandchild was next to it and got excited about something and screeched - scaring Rudi to the point where he piddled on the footstool.  Rudi actually does like children - it's the screeching and excitability that he cannot handle.  One grandchild is two and severely disabled and Rudi will just lay next to him for hours if we let him and give him a good lick every once in a while, which this child loves.

I understand the submissive piddling and that's not the problem.  However, this morning Rudi seems to be constipated.  I'm not sure if he poo'd or not early this morning, I saw him squatting and later went to pick up the poo but could not find it.  (Not unusual - he likes to squat right in the middle of an area full of twigs and vinca vines and even if I watch him it can be a real devil to find afterwards.)   However, later he must have squatted five or six times and eventually produced nothing more than a bit of water and a poo the size of a small worm.

Is it possible for stress to cause constipation?  Or perhaps this is a touch of colitis?

Stacey 

Stress can cause both constipation and diarrhoea, depending on the temperament, he'll probably be fine but perhaps you could make a tape of the children being themselves and play it to him (very quietly at first ;) ) so that he can get used to the sounds they make, and not be so very stressed by them ?  
It may also be a good idea to take him to a playground where he can watch the children and hear them but not be too close for comfort, that way he can get used to them without any pressure. :)

I agree with Dill, stress can bring on the symptoms you describe, however, so can your dog having eaten something which has caused a bacterial infection or, worse still, caused a blockage.

If he is no better first thing a.m. it would be advisable to take Rudi to your vet immediately.  Better a trip possibly for nothing than putting it down to something which has no bearing on his condition and ending up (certainly in the case of a blockage) being too late.

I don't like to scaremonger but unless there is an obvious cause for his problem I personally think it's inappropriate to wait too long before having it properly investigated.

Good luck and best wishes,  Teri ;)

Dill,

That's a good idea, next time the grandchildren come for a visit I'll set up the tape recorder!

Stacey

Teri,

Rudi was fine this morning.  I've already had Rudi to the vet this month for eating part of a sock, which I have never seen reappear - so I do always assume the worst first!   In this case, however, I think his problem was soley due to stress.

Stacey

Hi Stacey,

I thought I remembered reading and maybe even replying to a post about Rudi & the sock eating incident It's easy to lose track.

> which I have never seen reappear

Now that would worry me but - you know your dog best.   If all's completely normal this morning that's good news.  Regards, Teri :)