My dog had intestinal surgery. Is dark stool normal during recovery?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Nayla! I am very glad Nayla is on the road to recovery! Yes, the diarrhea will persist for several days after parvo viral infections. More due to the fact that intestinal lining is what is affected from virus. It takes time for the lining to repair itself and for absorption to return to normal. Very black tarry stool indicates upper gastro-intestinal bleeding. It could be residual from stomach ulceration. If she has more black stool I would call your Vet and ask if that is the color of her diarrhea while she was hospitalized. They may want to add pepcid or another antacid if she isn't on one. I hope this helps and I wish Nayla continued improvement!

Hello and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern! After any surgery involving the GI tract, some bleeding can be normal. I would expect this to lessen and resolve after a week or so. If the bleeding becomes more pronounced or Scooby does not appear to be doing well, I would get him to your vet for a recheck as soon as possible. You should also periodically check his gum color. The gums should be nice and pink. If the gums are pale or pale pink, I would get him seen by your vet sooner rather than later. Please let me know if you have any other questions concerns. I am also available via consultation

I'm concerned about this stool. Dark tarry stool like this can be a sign of stomach or intestinal bleeding. The bleeding could be from medication, parasites, a gastric ulcer or cancer. I'm glad Truman is feeling better but I recommend a veterinary exam soon. They will run a blood panel to check for anemia, perhaps check for intestinal parasites, and perhaps due some X-rays. It's important to find the cause of this so this doesn't become a more serious medical problem. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Truman.

Hello, sorry to hear about Molly. Yes the dark stools are likely melena (digested blood) from her hemorrhagic enteritis which may take up to 10 days to resolve completely. As long as she is eating, not vomiting, and the frequency/volume/and consistency of her stools is improving, even if slowly, then Molly can continue to be monitored at home. If she develops inappetence, vomiting or recurrent diarrhea, then she should be evaluated by your veterinarian immediately. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Yes, it can take time for the intestine to heal after surgery. As long as Marley has a good appetite and is producing stools, then a softer than normal consistency is okay with me. He should be evaluated by a vet if he has vomiting, a poor appetite, diarrhea, or no stools in 24 hours.

It really depends on the type of surgery done, but this is not usually normal and indicates a problem within the intestines. Diarrhea is sometimes seen after surgery. This can be due to the drugs used for the surgery, stress of surgery, or possibly an infection. I recommend taking Boss in for a check-up to the vet that did the surgery. They will have a better idea about what's causing this and will be able to prescribe the necessary medication to clear this up. I hope that helps and Boss gets better soon.

Poor guy! From your description, it definitely sounds like something is wrong. Vomiting dark black material and dark tarry stools are often signs of bleeding in the stomach or intestines, which can be extremely serious. Not eating and not wanting to walk down the stairs are vague signs that indicate he is in pain or not feeling well. I would strongly recommend taking your dog to the vet today for an exam, since this sounds like quite a serious problem. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate treatment.