Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog ate a cooked bone and has bloody diarrhea. Is it an emergency?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | 5 years and 6 months old | 80 lbs

Our chocolate lab got in the garbage and ate a pork chop bone whole. He now has soft stools with bloody mucous throughout.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on May 31st, 2018

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.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My dog ate bones and has bloody diarrhea. What are the next steps?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why does my dog have bloody diarrhea after eating a steak bone?

Hi! Dogs do sometimes get a little blood in their stool when they are having diarrhea. Sometimes this is just due to the straining (to produce the diarrhea!) But, we do usually recommend having a pet checked out when bleeding occurs, especially in Lucky's case, due to the history of eating a steak bone. Your vet could examine him, possibly take an Xray, and might be able to prescribe some medications to help ease the diarrhea! Best of luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog ate bone, has bloody liquid diarrhea & won't eat. What to do?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog ate a bully bone and has bloody diarrhea. What should I do?

It could be that the bully bone upset Tornado’s stomach leading to the diarrhea with blood in it. Given he’s otherwise acting normal, I can give you a home remedy for him. Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts a couple of times a day for several days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet diet. If the diarrhea continues in the absence of food, he has diarrhea on the bland diet, there is still blood in his feces, he stops eating, starts vomiting, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, and/or becomes very lethargic, take him into a vet immediately. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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

It is likely that the bone is causing some constipation and obviously as the bone fragments try to pass they cause lots of inflammation and pain. If you have any lactulose or liquid paraffin at home you could give him two tablespoons three times a day mixed with a bit of food to ease the passage. I would definitely have him checked over tomorrow, starved from midnight in case he needs an enema or x rays. The fresh blood is indicating that the problem is in the lower tract of the gastro-intestinal tract so almost made its way out, however bones absorb a lot of water due to the high Calcium content, and can become extremely hard and difficult to pass. If at any times he should appear lethargic, vomiting I would try to get him seen earlier than tomorrow.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog ate chicken bones and is pooping blood. What should I do?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog ate chicken bones and has bloody diarrhea. What should I do?

Angel is so cute! I am very concerned that she ate chicken bones and is now having diarrhea with blood in it. This can be a sign of an obstruction and/or trauma to the GI tract, and I would have Angel seen by a vet right away. If these chicken bones have caused an obstruction, it will be fatal without treatment and she would need surgery to repair it. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share