blood in puppies stool

Question
Hi,
I have a 14 week old West Highland White Terrier puppy.  Every once in awhile he has blood in his stool.  We thought it was because he was eating hard dog food and it was too course for his tiny intestines, so we have had him on Science Diet canned puppy food for about the past 5-6 wks.  It seemed like the blood would show up when he had eaten something too rough for him.  Lately, he has been eating his own feces so we have added FORBID to his food.  Could eating his own feces have anything to do with why the blood would be showing up now?  Also, most of the time there is mucous in his feces, as well.  Originally we had thought that the blood was mixed with the mucous, but sometimes its not.  He has had all his shots and vaccinations - including the one for intestinal parasites.  Do you have idea as to why he has the blood in his stool? And is the mucous in his stool a normal thing?  We have been giving him plain  yogurt, and spoken with our Vet is there anything else you recommend doing?                
           Thanks,
             Keegan Skalka

Answer
Hello Keegan -

It is not normal for there to be blood or mucous in the stool, it is sign that something is very wrong internally.

Stool covered in jelly (mucus) can be a large intestine condition or the illness colitis. Clots or bright red blood in the stool can be a lower digestive tract problem or he may be bleeding from his anus.

I do not believe he has intestinal parasites, I belive his has an internal condition that can only be diagnosed by a veterinarian. Your vet will have to take x-rays and run tests on his bowels to be sure. I can not offer any natural healing advice without knowing a solid diagnosis.

Plain yogurt is very good to give him. It contains Probiotics which are good bacteria needed to keep good balance in the gut. Keep him on this. However, it may not cure his condition. I strongly urge you to take your pet back the vet and have him run tests. If you are not satisfied with those results, I suggest a second opinion.

Puppies this age can have these problems, some puppies are born with them and are based on heredity.

Your puppy may also have an allergy, perhaps to his food. Check the label for animal by-products, poultry, beef and corn. These are common things that pets are allergic to and can cause dysfunctional bowels. It is a trial and error process with various food types but well worth it in the long run. I recommend putting him on an all natural dog food. There is a food called "Life's Abundance", its a little pricey but worth it. Many of my clients use this brand of food with their pets who have allergies, Irritable Bowel Disorder and various gastro-intestinal disorders and have had outstanding results. You can research this food at www.healthypetnet.com, it is a wonderful food for all animal types and I think you will be pleased.

I am sorry I cannot offer better advice on your question. Please take him back to the vet and explain my email to him and have them run tests. Your puppy's age is critical and you must address this disorder now so he can grow into a happy and healthy adulthood.

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 a catalog of my homemade herbal remedies.

Thank you and best wishes to you and your pet, please keep me posted on his condition. If you find anything out, let me know and I will help his condition with natural remedies.

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