My dogs sick

Question
Recently my Golden Retriever (6yrs. old) was acting very bizarre last night. We woke up and noticed what looked like a pile of throw up next to our door, but what worried us the most is the 3 small spots of blood about 6 feet away. It seems like this happens every 6 mo or so. Should we be worried?

Answer
Hi Brad,

Bloody vomit doesn't always indicate a serious problem, but sometimes it does.

Bleeding can be caused by eating the wrong foods. If your dog has raided the trash or has been eating off the compost pile, he may have food poisoning and be nauseated. During the process of retching blood vessels can be broken in the esophagus, and cause the vomit to look a little bloody.
That's an example of the "not-so-serious" side of blood in the vomit.

There's a wide range of serious conditions that would have your dog throwing up blood, so the best thing you can do for your dog, is have him seen by your vet ASAP... especially because you say it's happened before.

In the meantime, see that your dog has enough to drink, since you don't want him getting dehydrated. Don't let your dog drink a lot at one time, since that can distend the stomach and cause more vomiting. Put a few ice cubes in your dog's water bowl so he can have a little water in at controlled amount.

Withhold food for 12-24 hours, this will give your dog's stomach a rest. Hopefully you'll be able to see your vet before the 24 hour fast is up.

Best of luck,

Patti