My dog has bloody diarrhea and is lethargic. Is it just the heat?

Poor Ember. I can give you a home remedy to see if that helps. Feed her a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, she refuses to eat the bland diet, she starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, she will need to see a vet right away. Best of luck.

Poor Luna! She could have an infection (parvo, etc) or a parasite. Since she has bloody stool and is lethargic, she should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can test a stool sample to help diagnose and then prescribe medications to treat the problem. She might also need some fluids to prevent dehydration. Hope she gets better soon!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Colby. This falls into one of these categories since you say that he isn't acting sick- Any clinical sign (diarrhea) that persists, worsens, or other signs develop (nausea, vomiting, lethargy, etc) this indicates that Colby should be seen by your veterinarian to assess what is going on. So I would just monitor his stools over the next 6-12 hours and watch for other signs. If things worsen, signs persist, or new signs develop, take him in immediately and let your vet take a detailed history and do a physical exam. They may advise some tests which could include fecal/blood tests, x-rays, etc to determine if a problem is present. A treatment plan can be made once a cause is determined or suspected. Bloody diarrhea can be caused by many things including intestinal worms, dietary problems, dietary indiscretion (eating things a dog should not eat), exposure to a toxin by ingestion, infection, etc. Good luck with Colby.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Hachi is having some loose, bloody stool I would recommend a vet visit. She may just have a GI upset from stress, but if she is also lethargic she may dehydrated to the point of needing fluids or medications. In some cases of gastroenteritis, dogs may require hospitalization for IV fluid therapy. I hope Hachi is feeling better soon.

Poor guy. It sounds like you should go to another vet for a second opinion here. Something is definitely causing your pets inappetence and GI symptoms. Some things to consider as causes would be addison's disease and pancreatitis. I would recommend going back to the vet to have bloodwork analysis and a urinalysis to start. They may also want to do radiographs as well. In the meantime it is best to offer small portion meals of boiled plain chicken or lean ground turkey and white rice with some pedialyte (non-flavored) diluted 50:50 with water to help replace some of the electrolyte losses. Best of luck with your pet going forward. Take care

It always concerns me when young puppies get lethargic. Puppies are more susceptible to the effects of dehydration and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) than adult dogs, so diarrhea is more serious for Wallace than it would be for an adult dog. If he's back to acting normally, eating, drinking, and doesn't have further diarrhea or vomiting, it's perfectly fine to continue monitoring him at home. However, if he remains lethargic, has more mucousy diarrhea, begins to vomit, or refuses to eat or drink normal amounts, then you should have him examined by his vet. Your vet will need to do a physical exam. Depending on their suspicions based on their exam findings, they may recommend some diagnostic testing or may opt to start him on some medications. Possible causes of this type of issue include stomach upset from a virus, intestinal parasites, among many other issues. If your vet finds that Wallace is dehydrated, they'll also be able to give him some fluids. I hope that he feels better soon!

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.