That our dog loses blood is always a cause for concern and should also involve urgent consultation with the vet. In addition, if the blood is lost accompanied by diarrhea, we are facing another symptom that we cannot miss.
Below we will see what are the most common causes of bloody diarrhea in dogs. We will see that they can be more or less serious and what other symptoms we should be aware of.
Index of contents
- 1 Main causes of bloody diarrhea in dogs
- 2 What do I do if my dog has bloody stools?
- 3 Causes of bloody diarrhea in puppies
- 4 Colitis symptoms in dogs
- 5 Eating disorders in the dog
- 6 Common pathologies of older dogs
- 7 When is bloody diarrhea an emergency?
Main causes of bloody diarrhea in dogs
There are multiple causes that may be behind the appearance of bloody diarrhea in dogs. Within them there are slight reasons, but others are serious. Both blood and diarrhea are red flags and we should look at its presentation.
Diarrhea can appear acutely or chronically, which is when it does not remit or occurs recurrently over the course of several weeks. For its part, the blood can be fresh or digested, in which case we will appreciate a blackish color in the stool.
Although our first thought when we see bloody diarrhea is to think that it is a gastrointestinal disorder, the truth is that there are other origins. Generally speaking, bloody diarrhea may be due to:
- Intestinal parasites.
- Enteric infections such as parvovirus.
- Colitis.
- Poisonings.
- Inflammatory bowel diseases.
- Problems with diet or food intolerances.
- Foreign body hemorrhage.
- Diseases in some organs such as the kidneys or the liver.
- Heatstroke.
What do I do if my dog has bloody stools?
In view of the large number of pathologies that may be behind bloody diarrhea, except for those with a very mild course, it is necessary to go to the vet. That is, if our dog has had diarrhea with a little blood once, he continues with his normal life and does not show any other symptoms, we can think that it is something specific.
For example, if you have been rummaging through the garbage you may have ingested something that felt bad to you, have an episode of diarrhea with a little blood, and recover spontaneously. In these cases we will observe it and we can offer you that day a bland diet, like white rice with chicken without skin or sauces or salt.
If the bloody diarrhea recurs or the dog shows other symptoms, no more waiting and yes call the vet. Nor can we wait if our dog is a puppy, an old man or already suffers from some other disease. Below we present considerations to take into account in the different causes of bloody diarrhea.
Causes of bloody diarrhea in puppies
A puppy with bloody diarrhea should always put us on alert. Younger dogs, especially if they have not yet completed their vaccination schedule, are those most at risk of acquiring a much-feared acute infectious enteritis: the parvovirus. This viral disease is characterized by causing severe vomiting and bloody diarrhea.
In addition, there is depression, abdominal pain, and in some cases, high fever.. Such severe fluid loss causes dehydration. There is no specific treatment and the puppy can only be supported while his immune system manages to control the virus. Mortality is high, hence vaccinating puppies against it is considered essential.
But not all bloody diarrhea is due to parvovirus. The action of intestinal parasites on the digestive system, Bacterial or other virus infections are also a cause of bloody diarrhea. Quality food, a controlled environment, and regular deworming and vaccinations will reduce the risk of diarrhea.
Colitis symptoms in dogs
Colitis, which is inflammation of the colon, is one of the most common causes of diarrhea that can contain blood. Affected dogs feel pain when evacuating. They do it with a lot of effort, they eliminate gases and numerous stools in small amounts.
These can be accompanied by blood and mucus. The first impression is that the dog is constipated. There are various causes of colitis, such as inflammatory bowel diseases or some parasites.
There is also the so-called irritable bowel syndrome, which has been related to stress. That is why it is more frequent in dogs of a nervous nature. It is necessary to go to the vet and not fall into the mistake of thinking that it is a problem of constipation and give laxatives on our own.
Eating disorders in the dog
Dogs, especially younger ones or explorers, are very prone to ingest any substance found during their reconnaissance of the environment. Other times we are the ones who share our food with them.
We don’t think it doesn’t always sit well with them. It is also not uncommon for we fall into the mistake of changing their food abruptly or offer low quality diets. All of these situations expose the digestive system to damage.
Sometimes the result is the appearance of bloody diarrhea. To avoid this problem, we must keep our dog in a safe environment and always offer him quality food. Any change in your diet should be introduced gradually.
Common pathologies of older dogs
Some diseases that affect and impair vital organs include bloody diarrhea among their symptoms. Although they are more common in older dogs, it does not mean that they cannot appear in younger specimens.
For example, in the renal insufficiency, in addition to the most typical symptoms such as increased water intake and urine output, we also find bloody diarrhea. It is due to the damage that the disease ends up producing at the digestive level.
Chronic, intermittent diarrhea may occur in liver failure, sometimes with blood. In both cases it is essential to go to the vet. It is not always possible to cure this type of disease, but there are treatments that greatly improve the dog’s quality of life.
When is bloody diarrhea an emergency?
Although bleeding is always a reason for veterinary consultation, there are times when the dog’s transfer to the clinic must be immediate. On the contrary, the risk of death is very high. An example is poisoning. When we suspect that our dog h
as ingested a dangerous substance, we should go to the vet.
Other signs of poisoning are weakness, pale mucosa, nosebleeds, or vomiting blood. It is very important to keep in mind that in some toxics, like certain rodenticides, the symptoms appear several days after ingestion. We must go to the vet as soon as we discover that the dog has consumed them, even if it seems healthy.
Another emergency is heat stroke. When the ambient temperature is so high that the dog cannot cool down, its body temperature rises, it gasps intensely, the saliva thickens, the mucous membranes redden and vomiting and bloody diarrhea appear. You have to immediately lower the dog’s temperature. Otherwise, it will pass away.