HI Don,
I'll be happy to help you, but first I need some additional information please.
Is what you believe is blood bright red or is it dark and tar-like, perhaps looking like coffee grounds?
How often do you mean by "on occasion"?
What is the diet before and how did you change it? Was there any change in the problem? How long ago was the diet change?
When did she last see a vet? Is she current on all vaccines?
Please, feel free to tell me any other details you think might help me better help you and your little lady.
Hi again Mr. Ayers,
I do not wish to be a pest, but it is crucial to my answer that I know the answer to the final questions I asked:
When did she last see a vet? Is she current on all her shots?
This information can make a lot of difference in the things that must be considered.
Also, please clarify for me the frequency of vomiting before: daily? weekly? two times a month? once a month? less? I know you have no journal of these, but give me your best guess from memory, please.
Thanks for that information, Don.
There are several reasons which can cause a dog to vomit blood. The causes can range from a minor scratch to the throat caused by a ingestion of an object to more serious causes such as serious inflammatory problems to even more serious cancers.
I do not know if you had the stool sample checked for blood, but if you did and it was negative, it would indicate that the problem is in the stomach, throat, mouth or respitatory systems.
The only way to tell where this blood is coming from is to have your little lady see a good vet right away. The vet will examine her mouth and teeth to see if the blood might be coming from there, do some simple blood work and other tests to learn where the blood is coming from. Once the source is identified, the vet can provide proper treatment for whatever the cause.
I can't give you a definitive, certain, and simple answer online, but no one, not even the best vet in the world could possibly diagnose a problem this potentially serious without seeing the patient face-to-face.
I trust you will rush her to her vet right away and get things checked out. Hopefully, she has a very minor problem which can be easily identified and treated easily. If she vomits again before you can get her rushed to the vet, save a sample in a baggie to take to the vet with you. But please don't delay. It could be a life-threatening problem where she is bleeding into her stomach and you could lose her without proper treatment.
While you are waiting to travel to the vet, keep her calm, warm and give her water if she wants some. Please don't delay the vet visit however.
I'm providing links for you to read up about possible causes of this problem. You will readliy see how serious this may be for your little doggie.
http://www.animalhospitals-usa.com/dogs/vomiting_blood.html and http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/vomiting.aspx (ignore the cat picture on this one, it's just as applicable to dogs.)
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