Why does my dog have a bloody stool and what would be the treatment?

Original Question: My dog has spots of blood in her stool. I noticed it yesterday. Her stool is loose and contains a clear red droplet of blood. She drinks and eats normally and she has been on the same food. - Barbara

Why does my dog have a bloody stool and what would be the treatment? Aug 5, 2017

Hi there,

Anytime you see blood in your pet’s feces, this is something that should be investigated. I encourage you to schedule a visit to your veterinarian. There are many things that can cause this to occur, ranging from a mild and temporary stress-induced colitis to serious disorders such as cancers/tumours, bleeding/coagulation disorders, or a condition called hemorrhagic gastroenteritis.

Because of the possibility of serious disease, it is important that this abnormality is investigated. You may want to bring along a fresh fecal sample (or several from different times, combined) – this will allow your vet to run tests for parasites or more advanced testing for other infections such as bacteria and viruses, if they deem appropriate.

Best wishes and I hope this is helpful for you.

Dr. Kim Hester

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