Stuck Like Glue:�It’s Constipated

Learning Objectives

• Students should be able to describe three reasons why inactivity may lead to constipation
• Students should be able to explain how to prevent constipation in animals

How does food move through the digestive system?

Mouth → Esophagus → Stomach → Small Intestine → Large Intestine → Rectum

What Increase the Speed that Food Moves in the Body?

• Water
• Movement of the Intestines
• EXERCISE

Water Absorption

Animals get water both from drinking water and the foods they eat. Water is absorbed from food as it moves through the digestive system, especially by the small intestine and the large intestine.

If food is in the intestines too long, too much water is absorbed. If too much water is absorbed, the food matter gets dry and is harder to move through the digestive tract. If there is more water, food is able to travel through the digestive tract more quickly.

Sympathetic & Parasympathetic Nervous System

The sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous systems work together to control bodily functions including the movement of food in the intestines.

The sympathetic nervous system tells the body that it is time for “Fight or Flight”. Because animals want to avoid defecating during a fight or while they are running away, activation of the sympathetic nervous system decreases the movement of food through the intestines.

The parasympathetic nervous system tells the body that it is time to “Rest and Digest.” The parasympathetic nervous system is activated when the animal is not stressed and does not need to fight or run away. Because of this, the animal’s body is signaled to increase the movement of food through the intestines.

How Exercise Impacts Speed of Food Movement

• High levels of stress slow intestine movements that move food through the digestive tract
• The animal exercises
• Cell messengers such as dopamine and endorphins are released

But wait… What are dopamine and endorphins?

Dopamine & Endorphins

When an animal is stressed, it reduces the speed that food travels through the digestive system.

Dopamine is a hormone that animals produce when they are happy, and endorphins are hormones that are released to decrease stress

Together, dopamine and endorphins lower stress in an animal. This tells the animal that it is time to “Rest and Digest” and increases the speed that food travels through the digestive system.

How Exercise Impacts Speed of Food Movement

• High levels of stress slow intestine movements that move food through the digestive tract
• The animal exercises
• Cell messengers such as dopamine and endorphins are released
• The animals stress levels decrease� → Rest and Digest
• The intestinal movements increase
• The speed that food moves through the digestive tract increases
• Not as much water is absorbed by the intestines so the feces can move
• The animal defecates

What if the animal doesn’t get exercise?

How Exercise Impacts Speed of Food Movement

• High levels of stress slow intestine movements that move food through the digestive tract

—No Exercise = No decrease in stress from dopamine or endorphins –

• Food does not move quickly through the digestive tract
• Excessive water is absorbed by the intestines
• The feces dries out
• The feces can not move through the digestive tract as easily
• The animal becomes constipated

Prevention of Constipation

• Make sure the animal gets enough water
• Decrease the animal’s stress levels
• Increase exercise

Treatment for Constipation

• Give the animal more water
• Give the animal a laxative
• Increase the animal’s activity