My 10-week puppy's bloody diarrhea returned. What should I do?

Bloody diarrhea can be caused by intestinal parasites, a parvo virus infection, severe intestinal infection, an injury in the colon or rectum, or have an idiopathic reason (ie , we can't find a cause). You will need to take your dog back to the vet for a recheck as he likely will need antibiotic treatment to prevent him from getting sepsis. The medicine against parasites takes at least two to three days to work before the bleeding stops so if your dog only started receiving it yesterday or today I suggest you wait another day before going back to the vet as it may kick in before then.

Bloody [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/diarrhea-1/) in a 10 week old puppy could be caused by a few different things. If he is behaving normally otherwise (eating and drinking fine, active and playful, no vomiting), then he may have parasites that are causing the diarrhea. [Roundworms](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/roundworms/) and [hookworms](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/hookworms/) are very common in puppies and can cause loose bloody stool. If he is not feeling well, laying around and not eating, then I would be much more concerned that he could have [parvovirus](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/parvovirus/) or another [serious illness](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/hemorrhagic-gastroenteritis/). Unfortunately, puppies can still catch things even if they don't go outside because we can carry in germs on our hands, clothing, and shoes without even realizing it. I would recommend taking your [puppy](https://www.petcoach.co/article/your-puppys-first-year-8-important-milestones) to the veterinarian for an exam. Submit a [stool sample](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-tell-if-your-pet-has-worms) to diagnose intestinal parasites. The appropriate medication can be dispensed or administered afterwards.

I would be concerned with Parvovirus which is highly contagious and often fatal if not properly treated. Given the duration of thee symptoms, however, it seems less likely. I would want to ensure, once well, they get at least 3 DAP vaccines 3-4 weeks apart, plus rabies. Sometimes I will see blood in diarrhea from hemorrhoids from straining against soft stool. In this case, treatment for the underlying cause of the diarrhea will be needed. This could include some Metronidazole, a probiotic, and further deworming. In these cases it is usually a small amount of blood whereas with Parvo it is a large amount of very bloody, foul smelling stool.

Recurrent diarrhea can be related to a number of different diseases. Some possibilities include intestinal parasites, a food sensitivity, a liver shunt, or inflammatory bowel disease. I would recommend discussing further testing with your veterinarian since Guga seems to respond to symptomatic treatment but the signs return with time. They may recommend some additional testing , or may recommend a food trial with a hypoallergenic food or a long deworming protocol. You may also want to ask about referral to an internal medicine specialist if available in your area - they are experts at managing these types of cases. Good luck!

It is likely still an intestinal parasite problem. I would have her stool retested to ensure she doesn't still have parasites. It is not uncommon for pets to require several rounds of medication to rid them of parasites, especially if they had a large load to begin with. Another possibility is that Princess's GI flora is unbalanced. A round of probiotics is recommended if her stool is normal. https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets/dp/49853 I hope that Princess's stool resolves soon! Best wishes and take care.

Having severe diarrhea like Beckett seems to be having can be very painful and uncomfortable. This may be why he is more lethargic than normal and why his stomach seems tense/contracted. It is great news that he doesn't have Parvo! Hopefully in addition to the antibiotics your vet also dewormed Beckett, as puppies often have intestinal parasites. If Beckett stops eating, begins vomiting, or the diarrhea isn't improving after about 48 hours of being on the medication I would recommend bringing him back to the vet to be reevaluated. Sometimes with severe diarrhea these little puppies can become dehydrated and need additional treatment like fluid therapy. Good luck!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, Sabina! I can see that Oliver has severely bloody stool. This can be caused by imbalance of the bacteria in the gut due to the antibiotics, if they have been given for another condition. This can also be caused by severe parasitic infections, bacterial infections, and conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease. I recommend having Oliver seen by the vet who prescribed the antibiotics, as they may recommend a probiotic to add to his treatment, or discontinue/switch the antibiotics.