Accepted Answer

Good. Blood in the stool is indicative of inflammation of the walls of the large intestine or colon. When the colon is inflamed it seeps blood and mucous. Dogs with this condition will many times continue to try to defecate even though there is nothing left in the colon. There are a few possibilities in this case.

 

• 1. Intestinal parasites such as giardia, coccidia and hookworms. These parasites cause irritation to the lining of the colon and in the case of the hookworm actually latch on to the inside of the intestine and suck blood. Giardia in particular can be contagious to humans. If she is on heartworm preventive then this is less likely. Here's a link: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/gastrointestinal-parasites-in-dogs/page1.aspx
• 2. Colitis can be due to dietary changes, stress or sometimes the cause is unknown. Blood is fairly common but can progress to hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) which is a life threatening condition that puts the dog in to shock. Treatment involves fluids, medications and sometimes vomiting medications. Here's a link: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/hemorrhagic-gastroenteritis-hge/page1.aspx
• 3. Simple colitis can also cause blood in the stool and it may not progress to the hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Treatment is important to prevent that from happening. Here's a link: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/colitis-in-dogs/page1.aspx

More than likely your dog is suffering from colitis in this case since she is acting otherwise normal. I would recommend taking her in to your vet tomorrow to be checked. If she starts to vomit or acts lethargic tonight then take her in to be checked tonight. Make sure she has plenty of water tonight. Bland foods are best in this case so boiled chicken and white rice or scrambled egg whites are good ideas for a day or so. If you have more questions or concerns please let me know.

Expert:	Christian K.
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	2/10/2009

Veterinarian

12 years of veterinary experience in medicine, surgery and behavior with exotics,canines and felines