Blood in the stool of your dog or cat can be a very scary thing to see. In humans, this is often a serious issue. However, bloody stool of dogs or cats can be from a variety of causes, not all of them serious. It is helpful to determine if the stool has blood mixed within it or is only streaked on the surface, and if it is normal or soft. These clues will help your veterinarian determine what may be happening. The following is a list of the six most common causes of bloody stool in dogs and cats.

1. Parasites are the most common cause of bloody stool in puppies and kittens. Different parts of the world will have different parasites and risk of exposure to your pet. All puppies and kittens should receive deworming medication every two weeks until they are fourteen weeks old to help with roundworm infection.
2. Cancer in dogs and cats is most commonly seen when they are older and can also cause blood in their stool. These pets might also have a difficult time passing stool or pass flattened stools.
3. Anal sac abscesses can cause blood on the stool of both cats and dogs of any age. The anal glands are scent glands that are found between the muscles of the anal sphincter at 5 and 7 o’clock when you look at the anus. They have small ducts that pass scent material onto the stool when they have a bowel movement. Blood from an infected gland will sometimes be seen on the outside of the stool. These pets will often scoot their bum on the ground or lick excessively when they are having a problem. These pets should be seen right away to help them with this painful condition.
4. Dietary indiscretion (aka garbage gut) is more common in dogs than cats, but the irritation or damage to the colon caused by what they have eaten will sometimes cause blood in the stool of your dog or cat.
5. Inflammatory bowel disease in both dogs and cats will often cause diarrhea with or without bloody stool. This is similar to Crohn’s disease in humans. The lining of the intestines becomes inflamed and damaged, causing bleeding. There are many things that cause inflammatory bowel disease and the exact diagnosis may require extensive testing.
6. Stress can cause bloody stool in dogs more often than cats. This may be a pet that has an underlying disease that worsened by the stressful event and should be examined by a veterinarian.

What Should You Do For A Cat Or Dog With A Bloody Stool?

If your cat or dog has blood in their stool, they should be seen by their veterinarian for a completeanimal health care examination.Your vet may then recommend diagnostic tests such as veterinary x-rays, fecal analysis, blood work, ultrasound, and endoscopy. Take a fresh stool sample to your veterinarian for your appointment so they can see what it looks like and send it for analysis if needed.

Treatment will depend on the diagnosis, but may include deworming medication,food trials,immunosuppressive medications, or possiblyveterinary surgeryto name a few.

If your cat or dog has a bloody stool pleasecontact your local veterinarianimmediately. The sooner they get help the sooner they will be back on your lap.

Yours in health,

Dr. Kent Morley