My dog ate sand on the beach. His poop is black. Should I see a vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend Charlie be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. The tar like appearance to his stool is likely due to digested blood, indicating bleeding in the GI tract of some kind (a growth, an ulcer, secondary to toxin ingestion, etc.). I would have him seen, have any necessary testing done (X-rays, bloodwork), and get started on treatment to resolve his issues (GI protectant, anti-nausea medication, anti-diarrheal, antacids, for example). Good luck!

Hello from far away! I am sorry to hear Brunp is having some issues. Black stool is a sign of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A gastric ulcer could be at play here and may explain his inappetence as well but you will wan to take him back into your veterinarian to confirm and rule out other causes as well as Rx the appropriate medication. I would try and feed him a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice. Plain unflavored yogurt can also help soothe the stomach. Please take Brunp in to see his veterinarian as soon as possible. Good luck!

Black stool typically indicates the presence of digested blood, most commonly from parasites or ulceration of the stomach or intestines. If Selfie's diet contains a lot of bloody meat, this could explain the black stool. Otherwise, this is not a normal finding and should be addressed by a vet fairly urgently. Selfie may need deworming and antacid medications to protect her stomach. If she has an ulcer, these can progress and become quite severe if left untreated. I hope that all goes well!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Penelope. I would advise that if this continues, worsens, or other signs develop, you should take her to your vet immediately. Dark stools like this can be an indication of bleeding into the intestinal tract or stomach. This could be due to an ulcer that has developed and is bleeding, something she ate, among other things. It also looks like there is a lot of mucous or gel-like substance which can indicate that something is irritating the lower intestinal tract or the colon. Again, this can be something she ate or intestinal parasites (whipworms in particular). Your vet can take a detailed history and perform a thorough physical examination. Once those are done, they can advise you on a diagnostic/treatment plan. Possible tests include fecal, blood, urine tests and possibly some x-rays to start out. Good luck with Penelope.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Yes, this would be expected as the surgical site is likely oozing a small amount of blood causing the stool to become tarry black. If this does not resolve or worsens, I would recommend having the veterinarian recheck her. I would also recommend checking her gum color and ensuring it is nice and pink. If it is pale, you need to have her seen immediately. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Poor guy! From your description, it definitely sounds like something is wrong. Vomiting dark black material and dark tarry stools are often signs of bleeding in the stomach or intestines, which can be extremely serious. Not eating and not wanting to walk down the stairs are vague signs that indicate he is in pain or not feeling well. I would strongly recommend taking your dog to the vet today for an exam, since this sounds like quite a serious problem. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate treatment.

As long as he is eating and drinking, acting normally, the stool is formed and he is not vomiting, just keep a close eye on him. Im not sure if you are saying that he has been eating pebbles (small rocks) or if that was a typo and you meant kibble, but if he's been eating small rocks those could be causing some irritation to his rectum and anus when he's pooping. Obviously the other issue is that if the rocks are big enough they could cause a blockage in his intestine, so rocks of all sizes should be avoided. Again as long as there are no other symptoms this is not urgent; however, if you notice it still tomorrow, call your vet and make an appointment. A rectal exam to make sure his anal glands are healthy and to ensure there isn't any rectal mass, etc is indicated. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!