Why is my dog's poop dark and hard? Is it blood or constipation?

It's not normal to have blood in the stool, and if Lola didn't go at all yesterday and her stool is currently hard, it could be that she has constipation. Constipation can be caused by anal sac impaction, intestinal parasites, a foreign body, too little fiber in the diet, lack of exercise, or even tumors in the GI tract. I recommend giving her a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed in with her food to see if that helps. If she is still constipated in 24-48 hours, she will need to see a vet as she will likely need a laxative or an enema. Your vet can diagnose the cause of the constipation as well.

Tucker could be suffering from some constipation causing the blood in his feces and the small pieces, or he could have intestinal parasites. I would recommend making sure his deworming treatments are up to date. I will give you a home remedy to try to see if that helps with his feces. I recommend giving him a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed in with his food to see if that helps. If after 24-48 hours, he still have small pieces of poop with blood around it, then I would take him into the vet for an exam.

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kai. Mucus covering the stool typically indicates inflammation in the colon. This is not normal. If she is eating, drinking and acting normal, then it is not likely necessary to seek emergency veterinary care. If she starts acting ill or you see obvious blood in her stool, then she should be seen. Otherwise, I would see her veterinarian again or seek a second opinion. It is not normal for her to have ongoing GI issues. There are a variety of fecal and blood tests that can be used to help reach a diagnosis. A diet trial could also be beneficial. I hope this information helps and I am available if you wish to do a consultation.

Hi, sorry to hear about these problems with your pup. First I would consider changing his food onto something for a dog with a sensitive stomach and se if that helps at all. Blood in firm stool can indicate straining so it's possible the food has too much fiber in it and is making his stool too hard. You can try a prescription diet made by Hill's called ID which is for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Also, you might want to look into an abdominal ultrasound or endoscopy to check for Inflammatory bowel disease. I don't think X rays will show up with much, i would go straight to the ultrasound. If they see anything suspicious, during endoscopy they can take biopsies. But then again, if he's not bothered by it in any way and keep on weight with a good appetite, it may just be food related or something he will grow out of. I would monitor him for those signs and pursue more diagnostics if you see them. Good luck, I hope this helps!

It could be that Tate is constipated and that's causing the blood in his feces, especially if you see him straining to poop. If you feel he's constipated, I can give you a home remedy to try. I recommend giving him a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed in with his food to see if that helps. If he is still constipated in 24-48 hours, he will need to see a vet as he will likely need a laxative or an enema. Your vet can diagnose the cause of the constipation as well. Now if Tate starts vomiting, stops eating and drinking, or becomes very lethargic, then I would have him seen by a vet right away.

Poor pup! If his stool seems too hard, you could try mixing a spoonful of canned pumpkin into his food at every meal to see if this helps. Switching from dry to canned food may also be helpful, since canned food has a higher moisture content and usually results in softer stools.