My dog has bloody diarrhea. What should I do and is it serious?

Blood in the stool, even if it seems to "go away" and come back later, is never normal. The fact that it's accompanied by diarrhea suggests colitis, or inflammation of the colon, as opposed to some type of bleeding mass in the rectum or colon. Colitis can have a number of causes, including dietary indiscretion (eating something rotten or non-food), parasites, food allergies/food sensitivities, inflammatory bowel disease, or infection. Leah may improve with a diet change, perhaps a more digestible diet specifically for gastrointestinal problems. To assume it's a "tummy issue" could be to ignore causes that are treatable, and at this point she's not only having diarrhea but she also lost her appetite. It's been three days and she's not improving, so I recommend having her seen by her vet for labwork to include parasite testing, blood work, and urinalysis for starters. If all is normal consider a bland diet (as recommended above), and a probiotic supplement. Ultimately, she may need to have biopsies taken to diagnose the exact cause.

I would take Xina into a vet immediately. If she is pooping blooding, she could be suffering from hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, a foreign body, may have eaten something toxic, suffered trauma to the GI tract, has GI ulcers, or parvovirus if she isn't fully vaccinated. All of these causes are extremely serious and require veterinary treatment now. Please take Xina into a vet right away to diagnose what is causing her bloody diarrhea so she can be treated.

I am very sorry to hear about Luna! Diarrhea with blood is a concerning symptom and veterinary care is recommended in these cases. We can have a variety of causes depending on the dog's age and history including parvovirus, gastrointestinal parasites (worms/coccidia/giardia), hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bacterial infections, dietary sensitivities and more. I would recommend making an appointment for Luna to be examined ASAP to help determine what is causing her symptoms and how best to treat her!

It sounds as Dahlia is suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, possibly an infection. it could also be due to ingestion of a foreign body material. i would recommend taking her to the vet the first chance you get, she will need to be checked first, if the vet thinks it's a simple gastrointestinal infection she will need an antibiotic course and a special food for a few days in order to get better.

Poor Bitsy! It certainly isn't normal to have bloody diarrhea, and it can have serious causes such as GI tumors, infected anal sacs, intestinal worms, dietary intolerance, trauma to the GI tract, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, and a foreign body among other causes. If Bitsy is acting normally, eating and drinking normally, and doesn't have any more episodes of it, it could be a one off occurrence from something she ate, and it likely doesn't require a vet visit. Should it happen again, and/or she develops other signs such as vomiting, anorexia, and lethargy, then I would have her seen by a vet right away.

Poor dog. Bloody loose stool is called hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) and is commonly caused by stress on the GI tract, although other possibilities are still possible. Which is why it is always recommended to get your pet checked by your veterinarian for a full exam, to make sure they are stable. And then the pet is typically prescribed an antibiotic (i.e. Metronidazole) and a probiotic to help the pet recover from this episode. Care has to be taken in the future to avoid stressful events, and also to limit food changes that can upset the GI (gastrointestinal) tract again, causing another bout of HGE. Here is more information on this condition. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2946

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Waffle and for providing a picture, it's very helpful. This blood in his diarrhea could be due to intestinal worms, eating something rotten, a foreign body, parvo if he isn't vaccinated, or a severe stomach illness. He should definitely see a vet for this. As long as he is otherwise ok, it can wait until the morning. If he starts vomiting, has more bloody diarrhea, is very lethargic, stops drinking water, or is vomiting water, take him into an ER vet immediately. I hope this helps!