What are the causes of dogs passing blood in their stool?

There are various reasons for dogs passing blood in their stool. First, the owner can preliminarily judge the location of the bleeding by observing the appearance of the dog's blood stool. Secondly, causes of blood stool in dogs usually include gastrointestinal and internal organ diseases, parasite infections, infectious diseases, constipation, and more. Improper feeding and accidental ingestion of foreign objects can easily damage the dog's intestines, causing bleeding. Parasite infections, such as coccidia, can harm the dog's intestines and cause bleeding. Lastly, especially for young dogs, infectious diseases such as parvovirus and distemper are often the culprits behind blood stool, and immediate medical attention is needed after diagnosis.

The appearance of dog blood stool mainly includes tomato sauce-like, fresh blood-like, or tar-like. Therefore, owners can make a preliminary judgment by observing the color of the dog's stool.

Different colors of stool indicate different bleeding sites. For example, tar-like stool usually indicates upper gastrointestinal bleeding, while fresh blood-like stool suggests bleeding near the rectum or anus.

Next, determine the specific cause based on the dog's usual feeding situation and physical condition.

Gastrointestinal and internal organ diseases

Observe if the dog has symptoms such as abdominal pain, loss of appetite, or has recently eaten difficult-to-digest foods or broken bones, which can scratch the dog's intestines and cause bleeding.

If the blood stool is caused by a gastrointestinal disease, it will usually be accompanied by symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, and abnormal conjunctiva color. This disease usually improves significantly after about three days of treatment and is non-contagious.

Severe pancreatitis and other internal organ diseases can also cause blood stool in dogs. If the dog is older or has a recent history of excessive drinking and eating, the likelihood of pancreatitis is relatively high.

Constipation

Dogs can experience constipation due to an unreasonable diet or physical issues, such as not liking to drink water, insufficient daily intake of dietary fiber, or lack of exercise. When the dog's stool becomes dry and hard, it can lead to difficulty in defecating and even damage the intestinal mucosa, causing bleeding.

Parasite infections

Blood stool caused by parasite infections usually appears as bloodstains mixed with feces, and if the bleeding is not severe, it is likely due to a coccidia infection. Dogs that are not regularly dewormed are more susceptible to parasite infections. It is essential to administer deworming medication promptly.

Infectious diseases

If a young dog has blood stool without vaccination or incomplete vaccination, it is mainly caused by infectious diseases such as parvovirus, distemper virus, and coronavirus.

Having an infectious disease in a dog is a dangerous situation, usually accompanied by severe bleeding, and stools with a strong fishy smell. This disease requires treatment with biological agents and can be life-threatening at any time, so it is not advisable to treat it at home.