It’s certainly an unpleasant sight to see blood in puppy stool or anywhere outside of the body. Puppies are more likely to develop digestive issues or get blood in their stools because of their sensitive digestive tract, immature immune system, and susceptibility to parasites.
Thankfully, this is not automatically a major issue because some causes are mild. Others require immediate attention and a visit to your vet. That’s why this article aims to explore the most common causes, explain the warning signs, and show how you can stay proactive.
Common Causes of Blood in Puppy Stool
First things first – it doesn’t matter if you see blood in puppy stool but it’s acting normal, because dogs don’t immediately show that something is wrong. They certainly can’t verbalize the problem. That’s why it’s essential to call your vet immediately.
However, it’s still good to answer the question: “Why is my puppy pooping blood?” so you have some idea of what’s going on. You also want to be able to answer some questions from your vet if they ask. To help you with that, here are the most common causes of dog pooping blood:
Parasites
Common parasites like hookworms, giardia, coccidia, and whipworms can irritate the dog’s intestinal lining. Their existence in the stomach can damage the lining, which will cause bleeding, and that blood will eventually appear in the pup’s stool.
The good news is that the vet can quickly determine the parasite involved by examining the pooch’s feces. Since dogs can also have these parasites and remain healthy for a while, it’s crucial to routinely test the pup by visiting the vet two or even four times a year.
Dietary issues
Dogs are well-known for eating stuff they shouldn’t, including garbage or toxic substances. They don’t always know better, especially with human-made substances that can harm them, even those that might lead to trauma of the digestive tract, which can further lead to bleeding. If this happens, visit the vet as soon as you can.
Moreover, sudden changes in the diet might also disrupt the balance in the pup’s digestive system and lead to bleeding. That’s why it’s best to avoid changing too many foods at once and to pay attention to portion sizes.
Infections
Viral and bacterial infections can severely upset the gastrointestinal system and lead to bloody diarrhea.
Parvovirus, or parvo, is the most common infection, especially in puppies between 6 and 20 weeks that aren’t vaccinated. Besides bloody diarrhea, parvo also leads to lethargy, appetite loss, bloating, fever or hypothermia, and abdominal pain.
Infections like parvo can cause serious complications and even death. Most of these deaths occur within 2–3 days of the first signs appearing, so it’s vital to visit the vet as soon as you notice some of these symptoms.
Signs That Require Urgent Care
Now that we’ve answered the question “What does blood in puppy poop mean?”, we can move on to more pressing issues, i.e. the signs that point toward urgent care being needed.
Bear in mind that blood in the stool is already something that should get you to contact your vet to schedule a visit, especially if you’re sure it’s not a one-time thing, like bad food. However, when other symptoms accompany the blood in puppy stool, it’s a reason to visit your vet immediately.
Here are the ones you need to watch out for the most:
- Lethargy — General weakness and lethargy, together with blood in the stool, are a serious red flag because they signal that the puppy’s body is fighting on multiple fronts. This might signify a serious condition like parvovirus, internal parasites, toxin ingestion, intestinal obstruction, or hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE).
- Dehydration — If your puppy shows signs of dehydration (dry nose, sunken eyes, and sticky gums) with bloody stool, it might mean a severe infection is afoot, like parvovirus or HGE.
- Vomiting — Vomiting, especially vomiting blood, likely points to a severe infection, toxin ingestion, and gastric ulcers, especially if it accompanies a bloody stool.
Most of all, if your puppy has persistent symptoms that are worsening, know that this is the biggest red flag. That means the underlying condition is getting worse.
Many of the conditions connected to blood in puppy stool can lead to devastating consequences if left untreated, including death. This is precisely why you must take the puppy to the vet immediately.
How Maven Pet Helps Puppy Owners
Even though many of the issues that come with blood in your puppy’s stool mean that you need to take immediate action, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to prevent them or possibly catch them early on.
This is where our pet smart collar can be of great use. The Maven Pet tool is designed to monitor your puppy’s vitals and thus ensure you have a device that helps you stay proactive.
Maven Pet
Health Monitor
#1 Vet-recommended pet monitor! Tracks activity, rest, respiratory rate, water intake, scratching and other health indicators 24/7
The tool for pet wellness is a 24/7 tracker that follows your dog’s clinically relevant biometrics and behavioral patterns but also offers health insights and lets you log changes in health within the dedicated app.
This helps you detect early warning signs of issues that can lead to blood in puppy stool, including changes in activity, rest, and water intake. You can even log stool consistency with both text and photos, which can be incredibly valuable for the vet. The more you monitor and log in, the more data the vet will have to make an early diagnosis and offer effective treatment.
Bottom Line
Blood in puppy stool can be a symptom of something that will resolve on its own, but it can also result from some more serious issue that requires swift action.
It’s crucial to call your vet to see if a visit is warranted to take action on time and avoid even the chance of things taking a turn for the worse.
A bloody stool typically comes suddenly, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be proactive. With the Maven Pet Monitor, you can detect changes in activity and other indicators of an underlying issue so you can resolve it early on. Subscribe now to get your monitor as soon as possible.
Maven Pet focuses on improving the quality of life of our pets with technology, using artificial intelligence (AI) to enable proactive pet care. By accurately collecting and monitoring pet data 24/7 and flagging any irregularities, Maven Pet empowers pet parents and veterinarians to stay ahead of potential health issues, ensuring the well-being and longevity of our beloved companions.
