Dog Pooping Blood: Possible Reasons and What to Do Next
Feb 17,2025 | puaintapets
Seeing blood in your dog's feces can be a very alarming sight for any pet owner. It is important to understand that there are several potential reasons why this might be happening. This article will explore the various causes, symptoms associated with them, and what actions you should take when you notice your dog pooping blood.
Types of Blood in a Dog’s Stool
The type of blood in your dog’s stool can help identify the underlying issue:
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Bright Red Blood (Hematochezia)
- Indicates fresh blood from the lower digestive tract (colon, rectum, or anus).
- Often caused by infections, inflammation, or minor injuries.
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Dark, Tarry Blood (Melena)
- Indicates digested blood from the upper digestive tract (stomach or small intestine).
- Can be caused by ulcers, internal bleeding, or serious illnesses.
Identifying the type of blood can help determine the urgency of your dog’s condition.
Why Is My Dog Pooping Blood?
There are a variety of reasons why your dog may have bloody stools, and here are some common scenarios:
1. Dietary problems
Improper diet: sudden change of dog food, overeating, consumption of spoiled food or intolerant food may lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, causing diarrhea and bloody stools.
Accidental ingestion of foreign objects: dogs may accidentally ingest foreign objects such as bones, toys, and plastics, which may scratch the intestines and cause bleeding.
2.Parasitic infection
Hookworms: Hookworms parasitize your dog's intestines and can feed on blood, leading to anemia and bloody stools.
Coccidia: A coccidia infection may also cause your dog to have bloody stools, usually accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting.
Tapeworms: Tapeworm infections may cause white segments of worms to appear in your dog's feces, sometimes accompanied by bloody stools.
Disease Factors
Canine microvirus: Canine microvirus infections can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and bloody stools in dogs, and can be life-threatening in severe cases.
Canine Coronavirus: Canine Coronavirus infection may also cause vomiting, diarrhea and bloody stools in dogs.
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis: Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis can be caused by bacterial infections, poor diet, or other factors, and manifests as diarrhea, vomiting, and bloody stools.
Canine distemper: Canine distemper is a serious viral infection that can lead to a variety of symptoms in dogs, including bloody stools.
Pancreatitis: Pancreatitis may cause your dog to experience vomiting, abdominal pain and bloody stools.
Also Read: How to Best Comfort a Dog With Pancreatitis
Intestinal tumors: Intestinal tumors may cause your dog to have bloody stools, often accompanied by other symptoms such as weight loss and loss of appetite.
3. Other factors
Stress: Stressors such as environmental changes, long distance transportation, and shock may lead to stress diarrhea and bloody stools in dogs.
Medication side effects: Certain medications may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and bloody stools in dogs, such as antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
If you find that your dog has bloody stools, you should take him to the vet immediately for examination and treatment. While waiting for medical attention, do not feed or drink your dog to avoid aggravating the symptoms.
How to Treat Dogs with Bloody Stools ?
Treatments for dogs with bloody stools need to be chosen based on the specific cause, here are some common treatments:
1. Symptomatic treatment
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Stop bleeding
If the dog's hematochezia is more serious, you can use antiemetic drugs to stop bleeding. At the same time, pay attention to observe the bleeding situation of the dog, if the bleeding persists or aggravates, you should consult a doctor in time.
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Stopping diarrhea
Antidiarrheal medication can be used to relieve your dog's diarrhea. However, when using antidiarrheal medication, be careful not to overdose, so as not to affect the normal peristalsis of the dog's intestinal tract.
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Replenish water and electrolytes
Dogs are prone to dehydration and electrolyte disorders when they have bloody stools. Oral rehydration salts or intravenous fluids can be used to replenish water and electrolytes to maintain the water-salt balance of the dog's body.
2. Treatment of the cause
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Infectious diseases
Such as microvirus, canine distemper, etc., need to be treated with antiviral drugs. At the same time, symptomatic treatment should be carried out according to the specific symptoms of the dog, such as stopping vomiting, stopping diarrhea, stopping bleeding and so on.
If the bloody stool is caused by parasitic infection, you need to use the appropriate deworming drugs to deworm. After deworming, pay attention to observe the dog's feces to see if there are still parasites discharged.
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Digestive system diseases
Such as acute gastroenteritis, hemorrhagic enteritis, etc., need to use anti-inflammatory drugs for treatment. At the same time, pay attention to adjust the dog's diet, give easy to digest, light food, avoid stimulating food.
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Food allergy or intolerance
If food allergy or intolerance is the cause of bloody stools, you need to find out the allergens or intolerant foods and avoid re-exposure of your dog. You can change your dog to hypoallergenic or non-allergenic dog food, or use homemade food for feeding.
3. Other Precautions
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Dietary adjustments
During the period when your dog has bloody stools, pay attention to dietary adjustments and avoid feeding greasy, spicy, cold and hard foods, as well as milk, dairy products and other foods that may cause allergies or intolerance. You can give some easy-to-digest, light foods, such as boiled chicken, rice, noodles, etc., in small amounts and with frequent meals.
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Observe the condition
During the course of treatment, closely observe the changes in your dog's condition, such as mental state, appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in stool, and so on. If your dog's symptoms do not improve or worsen, you should seek medical attention and adjust the treatment program.
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Keep the environment clean
It is important to keep your dog's living environment clean and hygienic, and disinfect it regularly to avoid your dog coming into contact with pathogens or other harmful substances.
When Should I Be Worried About My Dog's Bloody Stools?
Dogs with bloody stools need to be worried in the following situations:
I. Frequency and duration of bloody stools
Frequent occurrence: If the bloody stool condition of your dog occurs frequently or lasts for a long period of time, this may be a sign of some serious disease, such as chronic enteritis, tumors, etc., and requires prompt medical attention.
Occasional: If the bloody stool occurs occasionally, it may be caused by improper diet, minor intestinal infections or localized problems around the anus. You can observe the situation for a while, but if the symptoms persist or worsen, you should also seek medical attention promptly.
Color and nature of bloody stools
Bright red blood: If the blood in your bloody stools is bright red in color, you may be experiencing bleeding near the anus or in the lower gastrointestinal tract, such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, or proctitis. Although these problems are relatively minor, they do require attention, especially if the bleeding persists or worsens.
Dark red or black blood: this can be a sign of upper GI bleeding, such as gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, etc. This condition requires immediate medical attention.
Blood mixed with feces: If the blood is well mixed with feces, it may be a sign of bleeding inside the intestines, such as enterocolitis, intussusception, etc. This condition requires medical attention as soon as possible.
Blood in the form of drops or jets: this may be a ruptured blood vessel around the anus or bleeding hemorrhoids, and while it is usually not serious, it does require medical attention if the bleeding is heavy or persistent.
II. Other accompanying symptoms
Vomiting: If your dog is vomiting and having bloody stools at the same time, this may be a sign of food poisoning, acute gastroenteritis, microvirus infection, or other serious illnesses and requires immediate medical attention.
Loss of appetite: If your dog has bloody stools accompanied by loss of appetite and depression, it may be a sign of a serious disease, such as a tumor or infectious disease, and requires prompt medical attention.
Abdominal pain: If the dog has abdominal pain, arched back, abdominal tension and other symptoms, it may be a sign of intestinal obstruction, intussusception and other serious diseases, and need to seek medical attention immediately.
Fever: If your dog develops fever and bloody stools, it may be a sign of contagious disease or serious infection and requires prompt medical attention.
Other conditions that need attention
Age factor: Puppies and older dogs have weaker body resistance and need more attention and prompt medical attention when bloody stools occur.
Dietary and environmental changes: If there are changes in your dog's diet or environment, it may lead to intestinal discomfort and bloody stools. In this case, you can observe for a while and adjust the diet and environment, but if the symptoms persist or worsen, you should also seek medical attention.
Medication effects: Certain medications may cause your dog to develop bloody stools, such as NSAIDs and antibiotics. If your dog is taking these medications, you should inform your veterinarian when bloody stools occur.
FAQs
Can stress cause my dog to poop blood?
While stress can cause some gastrointestinal upset in dogs, it is less likely to directly cause blood in the feces on its own. However, chronic stress can weaken the immune system and make a dog more susceptible to other conditions that could lead to bloody stools, such as colitis or parasitic infections.
How quickly should I take my dog to the vet if I see blood in its feces?
You should contact your vet as soon as possible. If the bleeding is severe or accompanied by other serious symptoms like continuous vomiting, extreme lethargy, or collapse, it may be an emergency situation and you should take your dog to the vet immediately.
Conclusion
Blood in your dog’s stool can range from minor digestive issues to serious health conditions. While some cases resolve on their own, persistent or severe bleeding requires veterinary attention.
If your dog is pooping blood, monitor their symptoms and contact your vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
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