Bloody poop is scary! Dr. Nancy Reese weighs in on potential causes, when to be concerned, and what you can do to help your pup at home.
The only thing worse than your dog having diarrhea is your dog having bloody diarrhea. Nasty! The good news is, one episode of bloody stool is not usually anything to worry about, and cancer is not a common cause.
If your dog’s stool has blood in it or is black (a sign of bleeding in the stomach or small intestines), let your vet know. If it only happens once your dog may not need treatment, but this way your vet can put a note in your dog’s record about when these things happen.
Bloody stool is a concern if:
- it happens multiple times
- there is a lot of blood
- the dog strains to poop
- the dog is also vomiting
- the dog is acting ill or painful
All of these cases benefit from a veterinary exam and a fecal sample analysis to look for parasites and other abnormalities.
Tune in for more of the causes of bloody stool, plus what you and your vet can do about it.
Related Links:
- DogCancer.TV: Diarrhea and Dog Cancer What You Need to Know - https://www.dogcancerblog.com/videos/diarrhea-and-dog-cancer-what-you-need-to-know/
- Help For Diarrhea In Canine Cancer Patients - https://www.dogcancerblog.com/articles/full-spectrum-cancer-care/conventional/managing-side-effects-from-conventional-treatments/help-for-diarrhea-in-canine-cancer-patients/
About Today’s Guest, Dr. Nancy Reese:
Dr. Nancy Reese is a small animal veterinarian with over 30 years of clinical experience taking care of cats and dogs and other critters in the Sierra Nevada foothills. She is also a perpetual student and researcher, as evidenced by her many degrees. In addition to her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis, she earned a Masters in Preventive Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis and then a Ph.D. in Epidemiology at UC Davis. If you string all her letters out after her name it looks like this: Nancy Reese, DVM, MPVM, PhD. In her spare time, she volunteers to help evacuate and shelter animals caught up in disasters, and she’s currently training to help in human search and rescue efforts. Dr. Reese lives in a log cabin with her husband, her 13-year-old golden retriever, and her two 13-year-old cats. Her hobbies include boosting the quality of life and longevity for all animals in her care, hiking, travelling, and cross-country skiing. Oh, and lots of dog walking. degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University.
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