Dog Health Blood in Stool

When it comes to dog health, blood in stool may be an indication of a serious medical condition or the sign of a minor intestinal infection.

Although there are many different canine health problems that cause a bloody stool, professionals classify them under two main types, hematochezia and melena. The most significant difference in the two is where the blood originates in the dog’s body.

If the blood appears fresh and is bright red in color, it generally indicates that the blood comes from the lower intestinal area, including the rectum and colon. The presence of fresh blood in the stool is called hematochezia.

Blood that originates in the dog’s upper intestinal tract, including the stomach and small intestines, causes the dog’s feces to look tarry and black in color. This occurs because the blood has been digested. This condition is melena.

The presence of fresh red blood in the stool, hematochezia, may be an indication of a serious health problem or it could be something very minor. If the bleeding happens only one time, it is considered a transient event and is usually nothing to worry about. If the bleeding continues, becomes more severe or keeps recurring, take the dog to a veterinarian to determine the cause.

Hematochezia occurs as the result of various canine health problems, many of which have to do with the gastrointestinal tract. The following are some of the more common causes.

• Infectious agents
  • Intestinal parasites including whipworm and hookworm
  • Viral infections including corona virus and parvovirus
  • Bacterial infections including salmonella and clostridium
• Colitis or proctitis
• Overeating, eating food that has gone bad or eating bones and other foreign material
• Allergies to certain foods
• Cancerous tumors or benign polyps in the rectum, colon or anus
• Bleeding disorders
• Narrowing g of the colon or anus,
• Inflammation of the anal sacs
• Passing sharp objects that were ingested such as bones, tacks or needles
• Injuries and trauma such as a fractured pelvis or a bite to the anal area

Once you notice bright red blood in the dog’s stools, there are additional signs of illness to watch for including:

• Increased number of bowel movements
• Straining to pass the stool
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Excessive drinking
• Excessive urinating

At the first sign of melena, it is important to have your dog checked by its veterinarian. Melena generally keeps recurring and worsens with time. The presence of the tarry, black stools could be a sign of an illness that is severe and possibly life threatening.

There are many causes of melena and most of them are very serious. The first thing your veterinarian must do is rule out the possibility of the digested blood coming from a wound the dog was licking or swallowing blood from its respiratory tract or mouth.

The following are the most common causes of melena:

• Gastrointestinal tract diseases causing ulcerations and bleeding
• Clotting abnormalities and bleeding disorders
• Drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and corticosteroids causing ulceration of the intestine
• Tumors in the gastrointestinal tract
• Twisting of the stomach
• Intestinal parasites
• Severe infections
• Cancer
• Liver or kidney failure
• Addison’s disease
• Foreign bodies in the intestines or stomach
• Shock
• Toxicity from heavy metal including arsenic, zinc and lead

When a dog passes digested blood, the stools are shiny, sticky and black. They have the consistency of tar and smell very foul. Other signs of illnesses that generally accompany melena include:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Bruising or bleeding on other areas of the body
• Poor appetite
• Weight loss
• Excessive thirst
• Excessive urination

An important indication of dog health, blood in stool should be treated as soon as possible by the dog’s veterinarian. Although the cause may be minor, it is often a sign of a serious medical condition.

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