Bloody Diarrhea in Dogs

Meta Description: Your pet’s stool is evidence of their health condition. We talk about the possible causes and dangers of bloody diarrhea.

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Seeing blood in your dog’s poop is worrying. There are many possible causes but if you remember anything from this article, remember this: bloody diarrhea in dogs is an emergency. Not only does runny stool signal gastrointestinal upset, but the presence of blood is a warning sign that pet owners should not ignore. Cancer, ulcers in the digestive tract, or bacteria and parasites are all pretty severe situations that cause blood in your dog’s stool.

Your pet’s stool is not just waste that needs to be bagged and binned; it’s evidence of your dog’s health condition. As stomach-turning as this topic may be, dog owners should know the warning signs for illness. And bloody stool is a red flag that shouldn’t be left untreated.

What Causes Bloody Diarrhea in Dogs?

Before we delve into the causes of bloody diarrhea, let’s get descriptive. Blood in your dog’s stool is not always easy to identify. It may be bright red blood that’s obviously bloody, or it can look like dark, black, or purple streaks.

If you’ve identified blood in your dog’s stool, call your vet immediately. Your dog may need a physical examination and diagnostics to uncover the underlying cause of the bloody poop. Before suggesting a treatment plan, your vet will perform fecal tests, urinalysis, x-rays or ultrasounds, and blood work.

Here are some of the common causes of bloody diarrhea:

Bowel Inflammation

Bowel inflammation can be caused by several irritants that lead to bloody diarrhea.

• Gastroenteritis is a condition identified by the inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Viral and bacterial infections, parasites, medications, or even dietary changes can cause bloody stool.
• Stress colitis in dogs is when the large bowel or colon does not absorb water properly and loses the ability to store feces. Small frequent bouts of diarrhea, often bloody, are a symptom. Your vet will need to investigate the possibility of causative diseases.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease causes chronic vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss in pets. Causative conditions include parasites, liver disease, a weak immune system, food allergies, or bacteria.

Ulcers

Intestinal ulcers in the digestive tract may cause bloody diarrhea in dogs. Other causes of stomach and intestinal ulcers in canines include:

• Gastrointestinal obstructions (more on that later)
• The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroid therapy can cause GI bleeding
• Kidney or liver disease or failure
• Helicobacter infection
• Hyperacidity of the stomach
• Trauma
• GI tract parasites
• Infectious diseases
• Pythiosis (a condition caused by water mold).

Foreign Bodies  

Dogs eat the weirdest things. They love to scavenge. This dietary indiscretion puts them at risk of swallowing (accidentally or intentionally) non-food items that can cause harm to their digestive tract.

The best-case scenario is that the item will pass through and exit without injuring your pet on its way out. But the worst-case scenario is that the thing will tear the digestive tract or cause abdominal obstruction. In these severe cases, bloody stool, vomiting, abdominal pain, and lethargy are other symptoms to look out for.

If your vet doesn’t remove the item surgically, your dog’s condition will only worsen.

Infections

Viral and bacterial infections of the digestive tract often cause bloody diarrhea.

• Parvovirus is a potentially fatal and highly contagious virus and the most common infection that causes bloody stool.
• Salmonella bacteria contamination is a real danger for scavenging hounds. Pets contract the bacteria by drinking infected water, eating contaminated food, or by eating feces.
• Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) or Peracute Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) causes explosive bloody diarrhea in pets as well as elevated packed cell volume (which indicates dehydration and increased red blood cells). The cause for Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis is unknown, but experts believe it can be triggered by bacterial infections, GI parasites, abnormal immune responses to dietary ingredients, or Parvovirus. With early treatment, pets can recover from Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis within 2-3 days.

Parasites

Parasites are horrible things and may be what’s causing bloody stool in your dog. The guilty parasites include:

• Giardiasis – an intestinal infection that is caused by the protozoan parasite giardia.
• Coccidia, or Cystoisospora, are protozoan parasites that infect the gastrointestinal tract of pets.
• Whipworm attaches to the first section of the dog’s large intestine or lower digestive tract.
• Other worms that cause diarrhea, which may or may not be bloody, include Roundworm, Hookworm, and Tapeworms.

Cancer

Cancer that presents in the digestive tract can often cause bloody stool in pets. Cancers such as Lymphoma, Intestinal Cancer (Adenocarcinoma), Stomach or colon cancer, or liver cancer can cause blood to appear in the dog’s stool.

Pets on chemotherapy treatment may also experience chemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID), which can be bloody and lead to dehydration. The underlying cause is gastrointestinal inflammation and destruction caused by chemotherapy.

Diseases that Affect Blood Clotting

Bleeding disorders in canines may be present at birth (congenital) or occur later (acquired). These blood-clotting disorders arise outside of the digestive tract. Still, symptoms often include nosebleeds, slight bruises, black stools caused by bleeding into the bowels, or prolonged bleeding when there is an incision (from an injection or during surgery).

A defect in the blood-clotting cells, called platelets, are symptoms of the following blood clotting disorders or scenarios:

• Congenital Thrombocytopenia
• Rickettsial diseases
• Immune system dysfunction
• Blood cancer
• Some drugs and vaccinations can also suppress platelet production
• Blood vessel disorders like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Canine Herpesvirus
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease.

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Types of Bloody Stools 

You already know that dog poop can vary in size, consistency, and firmness. You may have even seen a range of colors coming from your pet’s behind. When it comes to bloody stool, there will either be bright red blood in your dog’s poop or a dark streak that means the blood has been digested.

Let’s take a closer look at the two types of bloody diarrhea. Knowing the difference will help you communicate with your vet and identify the source of the bleed.

Hematochezia

Hematochezia is when you see bright red blood in your dog’s stool. It can either be seen as bright red blood streaks or as red blood on its own. Mucus or clots of red blood can also be present in bloody diarrhea. The bright red blood is more pronounced and suggests blood loss in the colon and lower digestive tract.

Melena

Melena indicates significant blood loss in a short space of time. The blood is partially digested, which suggests that it’s been in the stomach or small intestine for some time.

• Melena-type stool is dark and sticky in appearance.
• It can be caused by blood clotting failure.
• Melen can indicate blood in your dog’s upper digestive tract, but the blood can also enter the stomach when swallowed from dental disease or nasal disease.

Bloody Diarrhea: Is it an Emergency?

Yes, most of the time, bloody diarrhea is an emergency. Diarrhea on its own signals health problems in the body, primarily food-related, and can be remedied at home. But when bright red blood or tarry dark digested blood is present in your dog’s poop, it’s best to call your vet immediately.

Chronic diarrhea can also lead to dehydration and anorexia in pets.

Dogs and cats are excellent at hiding pain. Some symptoms are also so subtle that we often cannot tell that our pet is sick until it’s too late. They may be acting normal, but once you notice something out of the ordinary, it’s better to call your vet immediately. They will ask you some questions and determine if your pet should come in for a physical examination.

Other Symptoms to Look Out For

Ask yourself if your pet has been displaying some of these symptoms:

• Changes in appetite or disinterest in their food
• Signs of stress – destroying things in the home, chewing on non-food items, pacing, depression, excessive grooming, refusing food, and more.
• Lethargy
• Collapse
• Vomiting (blood)
• Difficulty breathing
• Extended abdomen or sensitivity in the abdomen
• Straining to poop
• Aggression or other behavioral changes.

Other Causes to Consider

Your vet will want to know some medical history. Think about the following questions, which may be key indicators that explain the blood in your dog’s stool.

• Have there been any dietary changes recently?
• Does your dog have allergies – food or environment?
• Have you given your pet any new foods or treats?
• Is your pet on new medications or supplements?
• Has there been trauma to your pet’s body?
• Did your pet swallow a non-food item or sharp bone? (bowel obstruction)
• Could they have been exposed to toxic substances? (medications lying around, poisonous plants in the area, pesticides, cleaning agents, etc.).
• What has your dog eaten in the past 24 hours?
• Have they been exposed to sick dogs or people?
• Has your pet had any illness or strange symptoms in the past month?

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Treatment for Bloody Diarrhea 

Your vet will perform some routine diagnostic procedures to diagnose your dog’s condition or rule out any underlying cause. A correct diagnosis of illness, cancer, ulcers, or digestive tract inflammation will determine the treatment plan to deal with blood in your dog’s poop.

Hospital Care

Intravenous fluid therapy or antibiotic therapy is a vital treatment route if your dog has Parvovirus or any bacterial infection. For GI tract inflammation (gastroenteritis), your vet will have to treat the dehydration and restore the blood electrolyte balance. Depending on your pet’s age and condition, they may be hospitalized or treated at home with prescribed medications.

Home Care

If your dog has diarrhea without any traces of blood, or if your pet is on their road to recovery but still having loose stool episodes, you can try offering your pet a bland diet of rice, boiled chicken, egg, and pumpkin. A bland diet can ease gut health and restore some shape to the dog stool.

After that, make sure you support your pet‘s health with a wholesome diet that will be gentle on the digestive tract and end up as healthy, firm dog poop. Dietary changes should be done gradually.

Prevention

Probiotics can help with less severe issues in the digestive tract. Probiotic supplements restore intestinal microflora to the lower digestive tract. Dog owners can give their pets probiotics to boost the immune system and overall health of the pet.

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The Goal: Healthy, Normal Dog Stool

If you’ve noticed blood in your dog’s poop, the main priority (after cleaning it up) is to call your vet and make an appointment. Your companion animal’s health is their greatest concern. Once they’ve helped your pet’s stool to get back to normal, they can offer advice on how to keep your dog’s stool and digestive tract healthy and functional.

Bloody stool may cause you some stress, but now that you’re armed with some knowledge of what may cause blood in your dog’s poop, you can care for your pet as soon as you see any blood where it shouldn’t be.

FAQ:

Is bloody diarrhea in dogs an emergency? Most of the time, bloody diarrhea is an emergency. When bright red blood or tarry, dark digested blood is present in your dog’s poop, it’s best to call your vet immediately.

What can I give my dog for bloody diarrhea? Firstly, seek medical advice! If your pet is on their road to recovery but still having loose stool episodes, you can try offering your pet a bland diet to ease the digestive tract.

What causes hemorrhagic diarrhea in dogs? The cause for Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis is unknown, but experts believe it can be triggered by bacterial infections, GI parasites, abnormal immune responses to dietary ingredients, or Parvovirus.

How long does hemorrhagic gastroenteritis last in dogs? With early treatment, dogs can recover from Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis within 2-3 days.