My dog ate ribs, vomited, and has bloody stool. Should I see a vet?

Poor Devious! Many dogs will have an upset stomach after eating something like this. The biggest concern is that the rib bones can have sharp edges and may cause an intestinal perforation, or they could become stuck and cause a blockage in her intestines. Signs of these problems would include repeated episodes of vomiting, acting lethargic, and not wanting to eat - if she develops any of these symptoms, she needs to see a vet immediately as she may need emergency surgery to remove the bones. If she is acting normal right now apart from some runny stool, you can try feeding her a bland diet of plain boiled chicken and rice for the next 2-3 days to help settle her stomach and get things back to normal. If this doesn't help, or if she develops any other symptoms such as the ones I listed above, you will need to take her to the vet right away for an exam and treatment.

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.

I am sorry to hear Puppy doesn't feel well. Whilst you are right to be concerned about parvo if you live in a heavily infected area, I would be less worried since you say Puppy is fully vaccinated. Given that Puppy ate a bone recently and has the symptoms develop since then I am suspicious that this is the cause. Ongoing vomiting, especially with a decresed appetite and the blood that you have seen is very concerning. Pain in the belly could be an indication of an infection, an obstruction/blockage, or even a condition called pancreatitis. I would recommend taking Puppy to your vet for a thorough physical exam. Depending on the findings they may recommend blood work, X-rays, hospitalization with IV fluids and even an ultrasound of the belly.

This is an emergency at this point. My best guess is that he either has an intestinal obstruction or pancreatitis. Regardless, he needs to be seen by a vet. This can be extremely serious so please get him examined right away. Both are life-threatening.

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.

You can change his food to boiled chicken and rice as this is very bland. You can also get probiotics from any pet store to start. If he starts vomiting or has a decrease in appetite, or starts with bloody diarrhea, then he needs to be seen by your vet. If it continues past 48 hours with no improvement, then I would get him checked also

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! He should be seen by a veterinarian if this continues so if it becomes a consistent finding or if it is also accompanied by diarrhea. Blood in the feces can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. If this continues, I recommend that you have Sami evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!