What causes black tarry stools, vomiting, and lethargy in senior dogs?

That is very concerning that she is not eating, vomiting, and losing weight. If blood work is normal than your vet could do x-rays and/or an abdominal ultrasound to look for abnormalities. Your vet could also do an ACTH stim test to make sure she is on the correct dose of vetoryl. Your vet could also treat with an anti-nausea medication called Cerenia and an antibiotic called Metronidazole to see if that helps with the vomiting and diarrha. Hope she feels better soon.

Melena (dark, tarry stool) is concerning for bleeding from the digestive tract, specifically from the small intestine. This coupled with the abdominal discomfort, vomiting and diarrhea are all signs that warrant an abdominal ultrasound being preformed. Some possibilities that come to mind are GI ulceration, particularly if Piccolo has been on a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory for sometime; neoplasia or cancer also has to be considered due to Piccolo's age. I think you will have the best chance of getting some answers with ultrasound and potentially more specific blood work. I hope this helps a bit and best of luck to you and Piccolo.

Hi there and thanks for posting! Oh dear, this doesn't sound good. If Brownie is having dark or black stools, this can be an indication of an upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Jaundice is caused by liver disease and dark yellow urine signals she may be dehydrated. It sounds like there is a lot going on with Brownie. Portal hypertension (pressure that build up from the veins connecting the liver and gastrointestinal tract) can cause decreased blood flow into the liver (often due to injury or damage to the liver) and blood to back up in veins going to the stomach and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. This can cause the veins to enlarge and swell and rupture which can cause bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. It may be Brownie's liver dysfunction is the primary cause of the melena (digested blood in stool making it look black). IV fluids and liver protectants (like SAMe) may help. I would recommend an ultrasound and biopsy of the liver). I am sorry to hear Brownie is having so many issues. I hope this 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.

I am sorry to hear about Lilly. Unfortunately these are very serious and concerning symptoms. Dark tarry stool can indicate bleeding in the GI tract, which could be from an ulcer, a tumor, and more. Unfortunately there is not any over the counter treatment we can offer since we aren't certain of the cause of her symptoms. I would look into whether or not there is a low-cost clinic in your area. Sometimes the humane society or APA will have one. Other options can include seeing if the clinic offers payments (some do and others work with outside companies such as Care Credit to offer payments), or even asking a family member for a loan. You can find more ideas on how to help with the cost of vet care at http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

First of all, he seems to be suffering from a severe gastrointestinal issue and he must be taken to the vet urgently for treatment, if it';s an infection it's easily treatable, no need to fear about having to put him down. regarding the other issues, these are less urgent at the moment, have the primary problem treated first.

Based on your description of the black stool, lethargy, and decreased appetite, I am concerned that June may be very ill. The black stool could be blood in the stool, which could be caused by parasites, change in diet, toxin ingestion, infectious viral diseases, blockage in the intestines caused by ingestion of a foreign body, or a mass/growth in the gastrointestinal tract. Please make an appointment to have June seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as blood in the stool can lead to anemia, and can be very dangerous if left untreated. In the mean time, if she is not eating well, you can try boiling boneless skinless chicken in water, shredding the chicken, and feeding her small amounts of the resulting chicken broth and cooked chicken once it has cooled. I recommend taking in a fecal sample from June to your vet as well, as that may aid them in making a diagnosis. Good luck, and I hope she feels better soon!