Why does my dog get bloody diarrhea every few weeks and no appetite?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Lucy evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

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.

There could be several causes for the symptoms you have described, including chronic pancreatitis, IBD, intestinal parasites, food allergies or intolerance, GI lymphoma, bleeding disorders, some cancers, among many other things. I would recommend that you have Bonnie checked out by a vet. After a thorough physical exam, they may recommend diagnostics such as bloodwork, intestinal parasite screening, x-rays, or ultrasound.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Weight loss and possibly bloody stools could be the result of a lot conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you check in with a veterinarian who can diagnose the issue and start therapy for Lucy as needed. Best of luck!

I'm sorry to hear that Bruce has been so sick. Decreased appetite, vomiting and bloody stools going on for 2 weeks is quite concerning. If blood work did not give a definitive answer, it may be time to consider imaging such as x-rays or an ultrasound. Potential causes for these symptoms include infections, dietary intolerances or even some types of cancer. An ultrasound may be beneficial in evaluating the abdominal organs to give us a better idea of what's going on.

Yes, I would be concerned - especially due to the presence of blood. Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and rapid breathing are not specific signs of any one disease process or illness. Many things can cause these symptoms so it is best to get Lucy checked out by your vet. It may not be anything terribly serious but if you have her checked out it willl give you peace of mind. Some potential causes: dietary indiscretion (eating something she shouldn't have, gastrointestinal obstruction, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, toxin exposure/ingestion, internal parasites, gastric/colonic ulceration, viral or bacterial infection just to name a few. Please get her checked out as soon as you can. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Diarrhea can be due to bacterial overgrowth in the colon, liver or pancreatic disease, or parasites that are not covered by a typical dewormer. If you are seeing blood you should definitely make an appointment to see a vet. They may want to check a stool sample or even check some blood work.