My dog ate something bad, black stool, not eating. Is it an emergency?

Poor Ben! Black stool can indicate that he has blood in his stool due to intestinal bleeding or ulcerations caused by the Ibuprofen. He probably had normal bloodwork on Friday because Ibuprofen (NSAID) can cause delayed problems (kidney, liver, GI ulcerations and GI bleeding) for up to 72 hrs after ingestion. With that said I would highly recommend taking Ben in to your local ER clinic right away for medical treatment. The vet will likely give him IV fluid therapy (to help preserve kidney function), repeat his bloodwork, give medications to treat GI ulcers, and GI coating medication (Sucralfate). I hope that you can get him in quickly for treatment because time is of the essence. I hope that your furry friend turns out ok. Best wishes!

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.

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!

Hello, sorry to hear about Bailey. Yes ideally she should be examined as this raw hide may have caused irritation and inflammation of her GI tract. Rarely, raw hides may cause intestinal perforations which could lead to even greater complications. Therefore, you should have Bailey evaluated by her veterinarian soon, especially if you note any persistent diarrhea, vomiting, or decreased appetite. In the interim, you may feed a bland diet of plain white rice, skinless and boneless chicken, and low fat cottage cheese. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It sounds like Baymax is very sick. Blood in the stool is very concerning for severe inflammation and this can be due to many things ranging from parasites to parvovirus to toxin exposure. Anytime a pet is sick beyond 24 hours they need to see the veterinarian and I recommend to get her examined today and the stool tested. For most conditions, the prognosis is better with earlier treatment. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If your pup has eaten a foreign body such as plastic it is possible she has a partial obstruction which is why she is still able to eat and pass some (soft) stools. It would be best to bring her into a vet ASAP to have her examined for a foreign body or other issues such as GI upset, parasites, illness, etc, so that she can be treated, especially since this issue has been ongoing for weeks.