Dog Bleeding with Bowel Movement: Reader Question and Veterinarian Suggestion

by nicole
(sring hill fl)

I have a 10-year-old female German Shepherd who is spayed. She is bleeding everytime she has a bowel moment.

First, it started with mucous in the stool which made me think she had an upset tummy. Then her stool became soft, and she was defecating a lot more in a session outside.

Haily then started having blood streaks which made me think parasites. She was also on aspirin therapy for arthritis. I stopped the aspirin which she had only been on for months. I figured it would go away but now it has become a regular occurrence.

Every time she defecates there is blood towards the end of the movement. I have also noticed in the last 2 days she drips a little blood as she is walking inside. All in all it is about a 1/8th of a teaspoon.

I have an appointment with our vet and I am suspecting some type of digestive cancer primarily colon. I would however like an opinion if at all possible so I can give my family some piece of mind if there is any to be had while we wait for our vet appointment.

Thank you for your time and your knowledge.

Sincerely,

Nikky

Response From Our Veterinarian

Hi Nikky,

I am glad to hear that you have made an appointment with your veterinarian. A long list of problems can cause bloody stools in dogs. Yes, cancer of the gastrointestinal tract is one of them and is obviously terrifying, but many others, such as parasites and anal sac infections, are easily treated.

I suspect that your veterinarian will be able to start narrowing down the list with a physical examination (including a digital rectal exam), a fecal examination, and perhaps some bloodwork or x-rays. Hopefully you’ll get good news, but either way, you’ll have the information you need to make the best decisions possible for your dog.

Best of luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM