Blood in Dog Stool: Everything You Need to Know

There are few things that are scarier to pet owners than seeing blood in their dog’s stool. This can immediately make you run to the vet, which is probably a good idea overall. There are some more minor conditions that might cause your dog to have blood in its stool but considering the more severe health concerns related to this symptom, a trip to the vet is probably not a bad idea.

If you have noticed that your dog is pooping blood, you will probably be unsure of the health concerns that could be causing this symptom. There are a few different health risks that can lead to this outcome, and the more that you know about blood in the stool, the easier it will be for you to provide care for your dog that is having this problem. If you are ready to learn more about blood in dog stool, you need to keep reading.

Reasons That Your Dog’s Stool Might be Bloody

Bloody stools can be related to a lot of different problems. Many of them will require a trip to the vet, and you should almost always make sure that you at least call your vet if you have noticed this symptom in your pet.

Listed below are the main causes:

Foreign Body

If your dog has eaten something like a dog toy, a stick, or something sharp, they might need emergency surgery. Blood in the stool is often the first symptom of this kind of problem. In addition, your dog will almost always cause vomiting and will appear to be feeling poorly. Dogs who have eaten something that is inedible often need emergency surgery to remove the item before there is too much internal damage.

Poisoning

Blood in the stool is also one of the first signs of poisoning or toxicity in dogs. Many kinds of substances will lead to blood in the stool, and this might be followed up by vomiting, loss of balance and falling down, pale gums, or sunken eyes. Your dog might also seem to be in severe pain or be acting disoriented. Dogs who have been poisoned need to get to the vet right away.

Parasites

Dogs who have a high load of parasites in their intestines might not be sick enough for emergency treatment in most cases, but you should not ignore a suspected case of parasites for too long. These pesky invaders can make your dog anemic, lead to a loss of appetite, and even cause secondary health concerns that will linger even after the parasites have been killed. Your vet can help you out by giving you medication to kill the parasites in question so that your dog can get back to feeling better.

Parvo

One of the most common early symptoms of Parvo is bloody stool. This severe illness is often deadly in dogs that are not treated right away. Puppies are particularly susceptible to this infection as well. Make sure that you take an unvaccinated dog that you own to the vet right away if you think they might have been exposed to Parvo.

Cancer

Cancer in the intestinal tract is often a culprit for blood in the stool. Cancer in dogs can be treated in most cases if it is detected early, but if you wait too long to catch it, treatment options become very limited. Your vet will be able to assess the type of cancer and the prognosis related to intestinal cancer.

Treatment

Your vet will be happy to help you identify the reason for blood in your dog’s stool so that your dog can receive the appropriate treatment and get well again. Blood in the stool is almost always a sign of something that deserves immediate assessment by a vet, so make sure that you contact your veterinarian’s office right away if you notice that your dog is showing this symptom. Even if your dog seems to be feeling alright overall, blood in the stool can still be linked with serious conditions.

Listed below are the treatment options for this condition: 

X- Ray/Other Tests

When a dog comes into the vet hospital with bloody stool, they will be tested for many different things. Your vet might test for parasites, might take an x-ray to see if there is a foreign body, or look for signs of cancer. Blood in the stool that is accompanied by vomiting and a high fever will often necessitate a test for Parvo before anything else is done.

Medication/Diet Changes

Your vet might only need to treat your dog with some medication and keep your dog overnight on fluids. Dogs that present with serious conditions might need surgery or might need to be placed on medications right away. Diet changes can also sometimes make a big impact on the root cause of bloody stools. Bloody vomit or bloody stools are nearly always the reason for concern, and you should be sure that you do not wait too long to take your dog to the vet.

Contact Emergency Veterinary Care Center About Blood in Your Dog’s Stool

If your dog has been producing bloody stools, it’s always a good idea to take them to see the vet. Even if they only have some parasites that need to be killed with medication, you will want to take care of this problem as soon as possible. Dogs are often able to keep being energetic and happy despite being sick, so you do not want to accidentally ignore serious health issues because your dog seemed chipper and happy.

Dogs with serious health issues like intestinal cancer will still sometimes have a good appetite and seem otherwise to be quite normal. You will need to assume that your pet needs medical care related to the blood that you are seeing in their stool. If the issues turn out to be minor, this is much better than accidentally ignoring a serious health issue. For more information, or if you would like to speak to an emergency vet, contact Emergency Veterinary Care Centers by calling one of our locations. Our highly skilled professionals are here 24/7 to help you and your pet.