My dog ate a bone, now constipated with blood. Is it an emergency?

Cooked bones can cause a problem for dogs in a number of ways. If Chip broke the bone while eating it, it could splinter and cause problems in the GI tract. Bones can also get stuck in the GI tract. The fat can also cause vomiting and diarrhea. Diarrhea that continues for more than a few days, or is associated with blood in the stool, vomiting, lethargy or a poor appetite is a reason for a visit to your veterinarian. Since Chip has blood throughout his stool, I would recommend a visit to the vet. In the meantime, if he is eating and drinking normally, we will often recommend a bland easily digested diet consisting of ½ cooked white rice and ½ cooked white meat chicken (boiled without any skin or bones). If he does well with a bland diet and his diarrhea resolves, then you can slowly transition back to his normal diet over a few days. I have attached a couple of articles below that might be helpful for you. Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.co/article/most-common-causes-of-diarrhea-in-dogs/ Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-can-do-at-home-if-your-pet-has-diarrhea/ Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that he feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry that Ollies is having this problem. Ingesting bones is a very serious issue.... It is likely that the bones are scraping the lining of the large colon which is why you are seeing drops of blood. I don't think that performing an enema would assist in removing any of the bones. There may have been an impaction of stool that they cleared but I highly doubt any bones actually came out. Bones either have to be surgically removed or passed out through regular defecation. Were any x-rays taken to see where the bones were in the GI tract and how many? If not, I suggest you have that done so you know if you have to be worried about any bone remnants or not. This can be extremely serious as any sharp points on the bones could puncture the intestinal lining causing serious peritonitis and possibly death. If he is otherwise acting normally, don't be overly concerned about the blood drops. If he is eating OK I would feed him a couple slices of bread every 8-12 hours to help coat any bone fragments and help push them out. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Oh poor Rex! Unfortunately, it sounds like the bone may be stuck. The best thing you can do for him is to take him into your vet right away. Your vet can use x-rays to determine if the bone is stuck, and he may need surgery to have it removed. The bone could also be causing constipation, and he may need an enema to help him poop. Your vet is the best person to determine this, and administer the enema if needed. Because he is having troubling pooping, he does need to see a vet immediately, so please take him in now.

Since you're seeing bloody stool or bloody [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/diarrhea-1/), I recommend getting her in to see your vet as soon as possible. One of the sharp bone ends may have caused irritation or internal injury. Bright, red blood may indicate injury in the colon or lower intestine while dark, tarry stool may indicate bleeding in the stomach or upper intestine. If she is not passing the bones she needs to be seen right away. However, if she is behaving normally otherwise, you may be able to[ manage the bloody diarrhea at home](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-can-do-at-home-if-your-pet-has-diarrhea). Help 'pad' the bones passing through by offering bulky meals for a few days and even consider adding some unflavored Metamucil to wet food for her. Monitor for the following symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, obvious abdominal pain, black tarry stools or blood in the stool, lethargy. If any of these occur, getting in to [see the vet](https://www.petcoach.co/article/diarrhea-vomiting-in-dogs-when-to-call-your-veterinarian/) is strongly recommended.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Constipation is pretty uncommon in dogs, so the bigger concern would be an obstruction, or a GI upset from raw meat (such as diarrhea or pancreatitis). Fortunately, raw bones are quite digestible in the stomach and often pass without incident. Monitor Bayliss closely for a decreased appetite, vomiting, or lethargy. As long as he is eating normally without vomiting, I am not worried about obstruction. However, if he shows any symptoms of lethargy, inappetance, or vomiting then a vet visit is appropriate. Hope this helps!

Poor Dakota. It sounds like he feels really bad. Bones can splinter in the GI tract and cause quite a bit of damage and pain, so I would recommend having your veterinarian examine him to make sure that he doesn't have any more bone fragments in his GI tract that are causing a problem. You vet can also prescribe an antibiotic that will help resolve the diarrhea and prevent any problems that the bone may have caused in the GI tract to help him feel better ASAP. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Dakota feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would fast Charlie for 24 hours and then put him on bland food for two days, such as boiled white rice and boiled white boneless chicken meat, fed in small quantities over several feeds and then transition back to regular food slowly over a few days. You can also add canned pumpkin to help with retaining moisture in the feces and so soften them. The blood is likely caused by pushing hard poop scratching on the surface of the rectum. Make sure he drinks enough water. Should the constipation not improve within the next two or three days then you need to see your veterinarian for an exam and an enema.