My dog fought, now has black tarry stool. Is it internal bleeding?

I would recommend that you find an emergency vet. Dark and tarry stools can indicate bleeding in the upper GI tract, which could be life threatening. I would discontinue the prednisone until she is evaluated by a vet.

Black tar-like diarrhea is a sign of digessted blood and a serious condition that needs to be checked out by a veterinarian. This could be caused by ulcers, a tumor an injury to the upper airways with blood being swallowed, or an esphageal bleeding. Your dog needs to be seen by a veterinarian now, who will do blood tests, radiographs. Your dog may have to be hospitalised.

Black, tar-like stools are common with bleeding in the stomach, upper GI tract. Bleeding that occurs lower in the GI tract with have red blood in the stools. I have never needed a human test to check for blood in the GI tract. Gastroenteritis is a common cause for blood in vomit and/or stools. Some cases are mild and respond to medications and out-patient treatment, while others, such as HGE, require hospitalization, IV fluids, and IV medications. Some dogs will have very dark stools that are normal and do not contain blood.

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.

Yes, both can cause blood in the feces, either from bleeding in the upper GI tract (dark stools) or in the lower GI tract (bright red blood in the feces). It could be possible as well to see bleeding in both the upper and lower GI tract. Blood in the stools can have very serious causes, so if you are seeing bloody stools in your pet, I would have them seen by a vet as soon as possible for it. I hope this helps!

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I highly recommend that you have Nico evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. Black tarry stools can be observed with upper gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding. Things like parvovirus, gastrointestinal ulcers or parasites, among other possibilities can cause that. Good luck!