My senior dog has bloody stool. What does this mean for him?

I'm sorry to hear that Bruce has been so sick. Decreased appetite, vomiting and bloody stools going on for 2 weeks is quite concerning. If blood work did not give a definitive answer, it may be time to consider imaging such as x-rays or an ultrasound. Potential causes for these symptoms include infections, dietary intolerances or even some types of cancer. An ultrasound may be beneficial in evaluating the abdominal organs to give us a better idea of what's going on.

I would recommend that you talk to your vet about an abdominal ultrasound. Also, if your vet has not performed a rectal exam, that would also be a good thing to ask about. Since he is 11, my biggest concern would be a potential tumor. It could also be that he has inflammatory bowel disease. You could also use a probiotic for him which may be beneficial. Talk to your vet about a fiber supplement such as Metamucil as well, which could also be helpful. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Bright red blood in the feces is not normal, and could be caused by hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, a foreign body, eating something rotten, or cancer. Given Cody's age and the fact that he was vomiting previously, it would be best for him to see an emergency vet in my opinion.

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Honey! I'm concerned about the amount of blood in that stool. It is very common to see small specks or streaks of blood in diarrhea - but it is more concerning in cases like this where the dog appears to be passing more blood than stool. This can be a sign of HGE or Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis, which can be a dangerous condition and warrants an immediate trip to the vet. Your vet will probably want to look at a fecal sample to check for intestinal parasites, and will likely recommend bloodwork (particularly a CBC) to look for evidence of anemia or the changes characteristic of HGE. Depending on Honey's overall attitude, exam findings, and labwork findings, they may be able to manage her as an outpatient with medication to control the diarrhea (and likely fluids to help with dehydration), or they may recommend she be hospitalized for IV fluids and injectable medications. Regardless, I definitely recommend having her seen sooner than later. Hopefully this is just a worse-than-usual diarrhea, but it's worth playing it safe if it might be HGE. HOpe this helps and she feels better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea with blood can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. Blood in the stool makes it a more serious condition and does warrant an evaluation. I recommend that you have Karma evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is quite concerning. This may be due to hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, a coagulation issue meaning that she is not coagulating her blood well enough which is concerning, among many other reasons. I highly recommend that you consider having her evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat her accordingly. She could quickly become anemic which is why this is important and needs to be taken care of now. I am hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! He should be seen by a veterinarian if this continues so if it becomes a consistent finding or if it is also accompanied by diarrhea. Blood in the feces can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. If this continues, I recommend that you have Sami evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!