Blood in dog stool

Question
I have a 2 year old jack russell boy. I noticed today that he has some blood in his stool, in fact I even had to wipe some off of his butt... it seems slimy. He also threw up yesterday... it was just yellow, nothing in it... but he does this sometimes... I think b/c he is sensitive to foods. He has been eating and drinking and acts fine, the same as always. I am bad and do feed him table scraps, a lot. Could this be my problem? He weighs 21 lbs. Thank you so much... Amber

Answer
Hello Amber -

Blood in stool can be a serious problem. I recommend you take your pet to your veterinarian for a check up, especially if he begins to show pain during defecation.

If the stool has a mucous-like appearance and was tarry or black in color, it signifies that there could be bleeding occuring in the upper digestive tract, large intestine or could possibly be a type of colitis.

If the stool has clots or shows bright red blood, it signifies that could be bleeding in the lower digestive tract or he may be bleeding from the anus.

There can be a lot of reasons for this onset, he may have eaten something that he cannot pass through his system. Check to see if he may have ingested something he should not have like a piece of plastic, metal, wood or hard food. This is the most common for dogs as they tend to nibble on things when you are not looking.

Some vets will say it is not good to give a pet table scraps and it can cause problems with their metabolism and digestive process. I, personally, feel its preference. I have a Golden Retriever and he gets daily leftovers and is healthy as a horse. As long as you are not giving him toxic scraps such as chocolate or overfeeding him, he should be okay.

Yellow vomit is common. The yellow represents stomach bile sometimes meaning the pet is hungry, they get anxious to eat and vomit. My Golden does this a lot in the winter because he is always licking his fur. He will get a "hairball" and vomit. I would not be to concerned with this unless you see heavy mucous or blood in the vomit. If you see this, contact your veterinarian and set up an appointment right away.

He may be sensitive to foods but you would see other signs of an allergy like a rash, constant stomach upset, diarrhea or constipation, and infections (especially in the ears).

If you feel he may be sick you can add Garlic powder to his food. Garlic is an anti-microbial and will help clear the system of bacteria and infection. Don't be afraid to sprinkle it with a heavy hand, dogs love Garlic and he should eat it up right away. The only draw back to adding Garlic in the food is flatulence, it may be a little stinky but the Garlic is doing its job by pushing the bacteria through the system. Just keep a couple clothes pins handy! You can keep him on this as long as your like, its is beneficial, safe long term and effective.

I hope this information has helped you and your pet.

If you would like information on natural and herbal remedies for human and animal concerns please contact me at wintersaurora@yahoo.com and I will be happy to assist you and send you my catalog of home made herbal remedies.

Thank you and best wishes to you and your pet.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hubbs, AHG
Certified Natural Health Consultant & Herbalist