Why is my dog's stool black and won't eat after anal gland expression?

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I suspect that this has nothing to do with the anal gland expression. Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Sonu evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

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.

Based on your description of the black stool, lethargy, and decreased appetite, I am concerned that June may be very ill. The black stool could be blood in the stool, which could be caused by parasites, change in diet, toxin ingestion, infectious viral diseases, blockage in the intestines caused by ingestion of a foreign body, or a mass/growth in the gastrointestinal tract. Please make an appointment to have June seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as blood in the stool can lead to anemia, and can be very dangerous if left untreated. In the mean time, if she is not eating well, you can try boiling boneless skinless chicken in water, shredding the chicken, and feeding her small amounts of the resulting chicken broth and cooked chicken once it has cooled. I recommend taking in a fecal sample from June to your vet as well, as that may aid them in making a diagnosis. Good luck, and I hope she feels better soon!

Hi there and thanks for posting! Oh dear, this doesn't sound good. If Brownie is having dark or black stools, this can be an indication of an upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Jaundice is caused by liver disease and dark yellow urine signals she may be dehydrated. It sounds like there is a lot going on with Brownie. Portal hypertension (pressure that build up from the veins connecting the liver and gastrointestinal tract) can cause decreased blood flow into the liver (often due to injury or damage to the liver) and blood to back up in veins going to the stomach and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. This can cause the veins to enlarge and swell and rupture which can cause bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. It may be Brownie's liver dysfunction is the primary cause of the melena (digested blood in stool making it look black). IV fluids and liver protectants (like SAMe) may help. I would recommend an ultrasound and biopsy of the liver). I am sorry to hear Brownie is having so many issues. I hope this gets better soon!

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!

Some specks of blood would not be uncommon after having severely impacted glands emptied but you should have them rechecked if it persistts longer than 3-5days or the pain returns. A fiber supplement such as glandex can help prevent recurrent issues