Dogs have bloody stools: possible causes, diagnosis and treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

If your dog has bloody stools, you should immediately determine the cause of the disease and solve the problem. Such a deviation can be caused by a serious illness. Therefore, it is important to help the pet in time. Why this pathology occurs, how to diagnose and treat it, the publication will tell.

Symptoms

Of course, the main symptom is the appearance of blood in the stool. But it is not always possible to detect it with the naked eye. How can you tell if a dog has blood in its stool? Usually the following symptoms signal this.

• Stools give off a fetid or unpleasant odor.
• Profuse diarrhea lasts more than two days. She has frequent bowel movements and heavy watery discharge.
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Loss of appetite or complete refusal of food and water.
• Mucus membranes become yellowish, anemic.
• Normal body temperature rises by 1-2 degrees.
• The dog becomes drowsy, lethargic, shows inadequate reactions to stimuli.

Worth italert, even if the pet has only one of the symptoms. By far the most important symptom is bloody stools.

Types of deviations

Dog feces are normally dark or light brown. The presence of blood may indicate a serious illness. By the nature of the bowel movements, you can determine exactly where the problem lies.

Liquid feces with blood in a dog may indicate the presence of parasites in the body or the development of viral and bacterial infections. Also, diarrhea with a lot of blood occurs due to a serious disorder in the gastrointestinal tract or chemical poisoning

If the blood has a bright scarlet color, then most likely the large intestine was affected. Most often, its straight part is damaged

Grayish or yellowish feces are most commonly caused by inflammation in the digestive tract

If the feces are dark, almost black, then this may be a signal of a violation in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Also, this color indicates internal bleeding, which is usually associated with mechanical damage, ulcers or invasion

White feces indicate liver problems that could be caused by toxic poisoning or leptospirosis

If a dog has feces with mucus and blood, in most cases this means serious disturbances in the functioning of the digestive organs. If, in addition to this, the litter is greenish, watery, has an unpleasant odor, then we can talk about an infectious infection

Definitelythe exact cause of the disease can only be determined by veterinary diagnostics.

Effects of bleeding

Blood in the feces can not always be seen, because the owner does not always follow the pet's feces on the street. It is important to pay attention to the well-being of a four-legged friend. If he is not helped in time, then the outcome can be sad. With blood loss, pressure drops, anemia begins, weakness occurs, shortness of breath even in the absence of physical activity, and the process of urination becomes difficult. In the worst case, everything can end in death, and in a matter of hours.

Why is my dog's stool bloody?

Blood in the stool can appear for various reasons. Most often, the following processes and diseases become the source of the problem.

Helminthiasis, especially strong. Nematodes and other worms settle in the intestines of the animal, which actively drink its blood. Black highlights can be observed. The dog's general he alth deteriorates, his appetite disappears, he becomes lethargic and thin

Hemorrhoids. With such a disease, the anus swells, the feces become drier, denser, blood clots and mucus appear

Swallowing poisonous substances. Usually the appearance of blood is a reaction to indandione or coumarin. These components can be found in rat or mouse poison

Enteritis. These are diseases of an inflammatory nature, in which the mucous membranes of the digestive tract are affected. On the face, all signs of acute gastrointestinal upset,you can observe the dog's feces with blood. The cause may be poor-quality nutrition, a sharp foreign object, intoxication, infection. There are very dangerous forms of enteritis

Heating. During it, some bitches sometimes have diarrhea mixed with blood. It usually clears up on its own when estrus ends

Other diseases. Plague of carnivores, ulcers, oncology, acute pancreatitis, allergies, etc

Bleeding puppies

Bloody stools can occur in any dog, regardless of breed or age. Most often, this symptom is found in older animals, rarely in puppies. But, if a young pet has blood in the litter or all the symptoms indicate this, then it is urgent to sound the alarm. It can be a dangerous disease - parvovirus enteritis. It affects mainly kutyas, since their body is not yet strong and is very vulnerable.

Therefore, puppies must be monitored very carefully. With parvovirus enteritis, there are traces of blood in the feces, fetid diarrhea, vomiting, discharge from the nose, fever, eyes stick together and turn sour. A dog child may have a fever, sleep a lot, refuse to eat, drink, and not respond to toys in any way. With such symptoms, urgent measures should be taken: the disease can end in death. Treatment of parvovirus enteritis is expensive and not always successful, which is why it is so important to vaccinate a pet during the time.

Dog has bloody stool: what to do?

No matter how many symptoms a dog has and how much blood is found, it is urgent to take the animal to the veterinarian or call him at home. If you decide to go to the clinic, it is advisable to take a sample of excrement with you to show it to the doctor and do an analysis. You can not self-medicate or ignore the problem, hoping that everything will pass by itself. Hours and even minutes can be decisive. Especially if the pet is lethargic, lethargic, refuses to eat, and has diarrhea for more than a day.

Diagnosis

First of all, the veterinarian will examine the pet and ask about the symptoms. Information from the owner is of great importance. It is important to tell how the dog is kept, what he eats, whether he gets bones, whether he picks up from the ground, etc. It is also necessary to mention what vaccinations were done, when was the last deworming and what could allegedly cause bloody stool in the dog.

Based on the information received from the owner, the doctor will prescribe an appropriate examination. The following diagnostic methods can be applied.

Fecal analysis: general, infection, protozoa. Taking a swab from the anus to detect invasive infection

Urine analysis. It is done to check the dehydration of the body, to determine the level of kidney function and the presence of hidden inflammation. This is an effective method for leptospirosis

Biochemistry of blood. Shows the quality of the liver, kidneys and secretory glands

Analysis of genetic material (PCR). Can detect the type of virusdiseases and some invasions

X-ray or ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. They allow you to see the pathology of organs and the presence of foreign objects in the body. Can be used in addition to analyzes if they are inaccurate or not convincing enough

Colonoscopy. Usually used when an ulcer or tumor of the rectum is suspected

Toxin tests to help identify the substance causing the dog to have bloody stools

Complete examination of the whole body. Appointed if local analyzes and other methods do not give an overall picture

Features of treatment

Treatment is prescribed based on the diagnosis and is selected individually depending on the disease, age and characteristics of the animal. Therapeutic methods should be aimed at eliminating the root cause, not the symptoms. That is, the goal is to normalize the general condition of the dog.

As a rule, regardless of the reason, the doctor recommends not to feed the pet for at least 12 hours. In some cases, the holo will have to be extended to two days.

Treatment options

Different treatments can be applied by the doctor. Their selection is carried out on the basis of diagnostic results. It is worth noting that only a qualified specialist can prescribe drugs and procedures, you cannot self-medicate! What are the treatment options?

When infected with helminths, antihelminthic drugs are prescribed. The drug is selected depending on the type of parasite. Sometimes they haveplace to be anthelmintic agents of complex effects

If a dog has liquid feces with blood due to severe poisoning, then detoxification therapy will be effective. It is necessary to use sorbents, enzymes and probiotics to normalize digestion

In case of mucous diarrhea with blood, droppers with a medicine that restores the water-s alt balance can be prescribed. Additionally, gastroprotectors are used

Analgesics and antispasmodics are prescribed to eliminate intestinal spasms and pain

If it is necessary to improve blood clotting, then medications are prescribed to speed up this process

If the reason lies in some kind of disease, then complex therapy is carried out. Antibacterial, sulfanilamide and antiparasitic drugs can be used. It is also mandatory to take antibiotics from the penicillin, tetracycline or cephalosporin series

If the animal has damage to the intestinal wall, intussusception or tumors, then surgical intervention is inevitable

Peculiarities of feeding during treatment

During therapy, special attention should be paid to nutrition. The following guidelines must be observed.

- As already mentioned, if the dog has bloody stools, it is advisable not to feed for 1-2 days at first.

- Pet must drink. If he refuses, then drink by force to avoid dehydration.

- Feed small portions of boiled rice. It can becook with beef or chicken broth. Divide the daily rate into 4-5 doses. Gradually increase portion sizes and reduce the number of feedings.

- In addition to rice, fermented milk products can be given, but very little.

- A full transition to a normal diet is possible a few days after feeling better.

Prevention measures

So that your four-legged friend does not suffer from this unpleasant disease, it is important to follow preventive measures.

- Feed only fresh and high quality dry food. It is desirable to soak or alternate with wet.

- If the dog receives a natural diet, then the meat must be processed before feeding. It can be boiled, steamed or frozen.

- Make sure that the pet did not pick up anything from the ground during the walk, especially food.

- For games, do not use sharp and small objects that the dog can swallow.

- Constantly monitor the well-being of the animal.

- Go to the vet for a checkup at least twice a year.

So, if the dog has blood in the stool, you should immediately contact a specialist. The disease can be associated with many causes, and self-medication is extremely dangerous.