My dog has dark, bloody diarrhea. Is it safe to wait for a vet?

Oh no poor guy. As long as he isn't lethargic, doesn't have pale gums or is otherwise stable, you can wait the 5 hrs to get him seen. He may be having a stress colitis, in which case antibiotics and probiotics along with a bland diet are the treatment recommendations. However the vet will want to examine him thoroughly so that he is treated appropriately. I hope Boone feels better soon. Best wishes and take care.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor guy! If he is otherwise ok then he should be fine until the morning. It isn't uncommon for blood to appear in diarrhea. It indicates inflammation in the colon. Causes of diarrhea are: intestinal parasites (so bring fresh stool sample), viral or bacterial infections, dietary indiscretion (ate something gross), HGE (hemorrhagic gastro-enteritis), pancreatitis, food allergy or intolerance, reaction to a new treat/food/table food. I wish you the best

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!

Although he is acting normal now, that can change if he is having some sort of bleeding disorder. If there is a constant flow of blood that is oozing regardless of whether he is going potty or not, then that is a sign of a potentially serious clotting disorder. In this case it would be in his best interest to get him seen tonight if the oozing continues for more than 30mins to an hour. Blood loss is best dealt with early on, instead of waiting until the pets blood supply has depleted to dangerous levels. However if the oozing is not abundant and doesn't seem to be continuous, Zeus may be ok to be seen first thing in the morning.

As long as he is otherwise well I would restrict jim to a bland diet such as boiled chicken and brown rice and add some pumpkin to restore normal bowel movement. Probiotics are also very helpful (natural yogurt if you can't source fortifora). Any lethargy, vomiting or reduced appetite would indicate the need for a vet check.

I think it is safe to wait. I would do the canned pumpkin and bland food for a day or two. It's likely to be stress colitis, but a quick exam with the vet is a good idea. You can also start probiotics which may help her GI tract get back to normal quicker.

Unfortunately without seeing Yuki in person, we cannot say if she will be fine or not. Getting her into the vet with these symptoms as soon as possible is her best chance at being fine, and I strongly urge you to take her into an ER vet clinic or find a vet on call to see her now. If you have to wait until the morning, offer her water, no food, keep her warm and comfortable.