Blood in Your Dog’s Stools: Possible Causes and Treatment
Digestive problems such as diarrhoea and flatulence are common in dogs. In most cases, the triggers of the problems can be easily identified and treated without great difficulty.
Many owners panic when there is blood in the dog's stool. The blood in the faeces does not necessarily have to be the symptom of a serious illness, but can also have a harmless cause.
Owners should do something about it as soon as possible. The following section explains why blood can enter your dog's stool and what treatment measures you should take.
Black or red blood in your dog's stool
The colour of the blood in a dog's stool can give a first indication of the cause.
If your dog has red blood in his stool, this usually means that the trigger of the bleeding is in the back of his digestive system. Only if the blood is not digested due to infectious diseases such as parvovirus, for example, can the fresh red blood in the dog's stool come from the front part of the gastrointestinal tract in rare cases.
Depending on the amount, fresh blood can cause small red streaks or completely red-coloured diarrhoea.
If, on the other hand, the blood in your dog's stool is black, this means that it has already been digested. Accordingly, the cause is usually located in the front part of the digestive system. Occasionally, however, a delay in digestion, such as that caused by a constipation, can cause blood from the back of the digestive tract to be black in your dog's stool.
Blood in the dog's stool: possible causes
If your dog has blood in his stool, there can be many reasons. In addition to relatively harmless causes, serious dog diseases, which in the worst case can even be fatal, can also be responsible.
The following causes, among others, can lead to blood in the dog's stool:
- Giardia are microscopically small intestinal parasites whose symptoms include bloody-mucilaginous diarrhoea.
- A worm infestation in dogs can lead to blood in the stool in addition to symptoms such as anaemia and weight loss.
- Various diseases of the gastro-intestinal tract can become noticeable in dogs with bloody faeces.
- Bowel inflammation is common in dogs and often manifests itself through blood in the stool of the dog.
- If constipation is left untreated, veins in the intestines can burst open and small amounts of blood can enter the dog's stool.
- Ulcers and tumors in the digestive tract can also cause dogs to have blood in their stools.
- Inflamed anal glands can be seen in dogs through problems with fecal matter and blood in the stool.
- Poisoning with certain toxins, such as rat poison, causes internal bleeding, which can be noticed in dogs with blood in their stools.
- If a dog eats too many bones, this leads to so-called bone excrement, through which small bone splinters can enter the intestines and cause injuries.
- In some cases it can happen that a dog with nosebleeds or injuries in the mouth swallows blood and this gets into the animal's stool.
Typical symptoms that occur in dogs with blood in their stool
Blood is your dog’s stool is usually not the only sign of health problems. Various other symptoms can occur depending on the trigger and the amount of blood loss.
Typical symptoms that occur in dogs in combination with bloody feces include
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Pale mucous membranes
- Avolition
- anus licking and nibbling
- Mucilaginous faeces
- Blood in vomit
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- skidding around on the backside
- Swelling and wounds on the anus
- Pain during defecation
Blood in the dog's stool is a case for the veterinarian
If you notice blood in your dog's stool, we recommend that you consult a vet immediately. The cause is not always harmless. In some cases, the causes can be life-threatening and, in the case of severe blood loss, can be associated with anaemia.
Blood in the dog's stool: determining the cause
In order to determine what treatment is needed, the veterinarian must first determine the exact cause of the blood in your dog's stool. To do this, he will give your dog a general examination, perform some blood tests and ask you about your dog's medical history.
Based on the results of the blood tests and the colour of the blood in your dog's faeces, the veterinarian will then carry out further examinations. If the blood is red and therefore fresh, he will, for example, carry out a rectal examination and check the anal glands of your quadruped, among other things.
An ultrasound examination can help to find tumours in the digestive tract, while for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites, the faeces themselves must be examined first and foremost. If the exact cause cannot be determined despite all these measures, a biopsy or endoscopy may also be necessary.
Blood in the dog's stool: treatment
How a dog has to be treated with blood in the stool depends above all on the exact cause as well as on the condition of the four-legged friend.
For example, if the dog suffers from inflammation of the anal glands, the veterinarian will probably prescribe antibiotics and flush the anal sacs of the four-legged friend. In addition, a suitable ointment, such as Bellfor anal gland ointment, can help to care for the stressed skin on the anus.
On the other hand, if the dog is infested with intestinal parasites such as giardia or worms, the vet will administer a worming treatment, while intestinal inflammation can often be controlled by switching to a better tolerated food, such as insect-based Bellfor dog food.
In some cases, however, it is quite possible that the cause of the blood in the dog's stool can only be eliminated by surgery. In addition, in the event of severe blood loss, a blood transfusion or at least a fluid infusion may be necessary.
Bellfor dog food for dogs with digestive problems
If your dog is prone to digestive problems, switching to a more digestible food can help. We have put together some special food sets for you for this purpose.
Of course, you can't completely rule out blood in your dog's stool with the products included, because of the many possible causes. However, they do make a valuable contribution to healthy digestion and the prevention of diet-related complaints.
View food sets for dogs with digestive problems.
The prognosis
The prognosis can be quite different for affected animals. In many cases, the chances of recovery are very good if treatment is given early. However, if the disease is very severe or countermeasures are taken too late, it may well be fatal for a dog with blood in its stool.
Our conclusion on the subject of blood in the stool in dogs
Blood in the stool can have many different causes in dogs. In addition to intestinal parasites, other possible causes include inflammation and injuries in the intestine. Basically, blood in your dog's stool is no reason to panic. So stay calm and see a vet as soon as possible.
Only a veterinarian can find out the exact cause of the bloody stool and determine the measures necessary for treatment. With a little luck, blood in the stool can be treated well in dogs, so your four-legged friend should soon be completely healthy again.
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