Why the dog vomited blood: causes and first aid

Hematemesis, or vomiting of blood in dogs, can result from a number of causes. This may be a disruption of the lining of the esophagus or irritation of the stomach or intestines, which can lead to inflammation, bleeding and eventually expulsion of blood through vomiting.

Blood may also come from inflammation or injury in the mouth or lungs (respiratory system), after which it is swallowed and then expelled (regurgitated).

Hematemesis is relatively common in dogs and can affect a wide range of systems depending on the source.

The digestive system may be affected due to injury, ulcers, cancer, inflammation, or the presence of a foreign object. All of this can cause your dog to vomit blood.

• What are the symptoms of vomiting blood?
• Causes of vomiting blood in dogs
• Diagnostics
• Treatment of vomiting blood in dogs
• Caring for a sick dog
• Prevention
• Materials found in the article
• Anemia in dogs
• Why is my dog ​​pooping blood?
• Heart disease in dogs
• Intestinal inflammation in dogs

What are the symptoms of vomiting blood?

Vomiting blood in dogs is a symptom of a wide variety of problems and diseases. Blood in vomit may appear as fresh blood, formed clots, or digested blood that resembles coffee grounds.

Associated symptoms include lack of appetite (anorexia), abdominal pain, and blackish, tarry stool (melena).

Loss of blood due to vomiting can lead to a low number of red blood cells (anemia), in which case additional symptoms may include a heart murmur, weakness to the point of collapse, and rapid heartbeat.

Treatment methods

Based on the research results, a course of treatment is prescribed, which is carried out in a hospital setting. In addition, restorative therapy may be prescribed.

• Before prescribing a diet, you should stop feeding your dog for some time. Water and liquids should also be excluded;
• To maintain vital functions, the animal is prescribed IV fluids;
• Based on the results of the research, a blood transfusion may be prescribed;
• In the presence of ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, medications and other drugs are prescribed;
• Once the diagnosis is established, a more in-depth course of treatment is prescribed.

First aid and pet care

Since the appearance of blood in the vomit may indicate the presence of a deadly disease, you should immediately consult a specialist. While waiting for the veterinarian, first aid should be provided to the dog.

Stop feeding immediately - this will help reduce the level of irritation of the gastric mucosa. If necessary, water can be given, but in very small quantities.

The dog needs to be provided with complete rest. If the wait for the veterinarian is prolonged or it is not possible to urgently take your pet to the hospital, you need to give him Kvamatel - one tablet in the morning and in the evening.

If there are accompanying symptoms and other signs of the disease - a sharp increase in body temperature or rapid heartbeat, the animal should be taken to the clinic. Self-medication in this case can lead to death. In some cases, vomiting may stop, but do not delay treatment. Even if the dog feels well, it is necessary to conduct an extensive examination of the internal organs.

If an animal has blood in its urine or feces, hematomas appear, or there is heavy bleeding in wounds, the dog is most likely poisoned by zoocoumarin. Clinical signs of poisoning may appear several days after the poison enters the body. In this case, you should also immediately contact a veterinarian and provide the dog with first aid.

If no more than two hours have passed after the poison entered the animal’s stomach, emergency assistance must be provided:

• Hydrogen peroxide 3% at the rate of 1-2 ml/kg is administered orally;
• Every four hours, one tablet of activated carbon;
• Vitamin K1 is administered subcutaneously according to the following scheme: a single dose of 5 mg/kg, every subsequent 12 hours, 1 mg per kilogram of body weight. The dosage of phytonadione should be individualized to control blood clotting.

When treating a dog with vitamin K1, more fatty foods should be introduced into the animal's diet.

It is important to know! When a dog is poisoned by rat poison, the prognosis for treatment is always unfavorable. If 5-6 days have passed after poisoning and the blood in the animal’s vomit has a dark, almost black tint, there is a high probability that the basic functions of all internal organs have already been impaired. For treatment to be effective, you should immediately contact a specialist and carry out a set of medical measures in a hospital setting.

Causes of vomiting blood in dogs

Hematemesis can be caused by many reasons. Gastrointestinal conditions, such as inflammation of the intestines due to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or ulcers, can both be causes of hematemesis.

Various metabolic, neurological, respiratory and viral infections can cause cases of hematemesis. Ingestion of toxins, including household cleaning products, is a common cause of vomiting in dogs.

Coagulopathy, or lack of proper blood clotting, may result from liver failure or a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) due to exposure to toxins or drugs.

Hematemesis can also result from a traumatic incident, such as being struck by a car; severe burns; heatstroke; extensive surgery; exposure to heavy metal poisons such as iron or lead; and snake bites.

Exposure to toxic plants and pesticides can also cause dogs to vomit blood. Ingestion of rat poison causes abnormal blood clotting.

Critically ill animals are at higher risk of vomiting. Other factors that may increase the risk of hematemesis include certain medications, such as NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; shock; or diseases that cause thrombocytopenia - a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood.

Why is it dangerous?

If an adult dog or, especially, a puppy vomits blood, this is always fraught with death:

If the cause is a foreign body, it will either pierce the mucous membrane and peritonitis will begin, or it will injure the mucous membrane so much that internal bleeding will become very severe and lead to death.

If the cause is an infection, the body most likely will not cope with it and will literally burn out from the fever.

If the cause is poison, it usually takes from an hour to half a day from the appearance of bloody vomiting to death. The poison eats away internal organs. It is poorly treated even in a veterinary clinic.

If the cause is an ulcer, the dog will lose more and more weight, the ulcer will grow, and immunity will decline. Death will occur either from an infection that the weakened immune system cannot fight, or from the fact that most of the nutrients are no longer absorbed. But this is a long process; a dog can suffer from an ulcer even without treatment for several months.

If the cause is worms, the dog will live for several months, and maybe years. But nutrients will be poorly absorbed, the immune system will weaken and he will spend most of his time sleeping.

If the cause is cancer, metastases will spread throughout the body and within a year the dog will die from failure of one of the vital organs - or maybe several.

Vomiting blood is always very serious. Conditions that go away on their own do not cause it.

Treatment of vomiting blood in dogs

Treatment varies greatly depending on the cause of the vomiting. Any underlying cause must be addressed once the diagnosis is made.

If, after identifying and eliminating the cause, the vomiting is no longer excessive, recovery can continue at home.

If there is severe internal bleeding, a perforated ulcer, or excessive vomiting, emergency hospital treatment for bleeding or shock may be required, or a blood transfusion or intravenous treatment may be required to replace fluid lost due to excessive vomiting.

Your veterinarian will send home several types of oral prescription medications for your dog so they can continue treatment at home.

These may include canine medications to reduce nausea, treat stomach ulcers, reduce stomach acid, and improve appetite.

Diagnosis of possible diseases

The appearance of hematesis in a dog is a reason to immediately seek help from a veterinarian. In a hospital hospital setting, it is possible to determine the exact cause of the development of the pathological condition.

Instrumental and laboratory research techniques are used. A general clinical examination necessarily includes measurement of body temperature, pulse rate and respiratory movements. By conducting a palpation examination, the veterinarian determines the presence of stagnation in the intestinal tract. It is also possible to determine the thickness of thin sections, changes in the size of the liver, or dropsy of the abdominal cavity. Laboratory diagnostic methods are:

• general clinical and biochemical blood test;
• serological examination and general urine analysis.

Establishing an accurate diagnosis includes mandatory ultrasound diagnostics. The walls of the intestinal tract are visualized. It is necessary to use endoscopy, with parallel sampling of tissue structures of the mucous membrane lining the digestive tract.

Caring for a sick dog

After bloody vomiting, a gentle diet of easily digestible foods is recommended. Dog food should be low in dietary fat and fiber so that the digestive system is not stressed. Your veterinarian will recommend what works best for your specific pet, but boiled chicken and white rice are a common homemade option while your dog is healing.

Further treatment depends on the cause and subsequent treatment of hematemesis.

Prevention of hematemesis

In order to prevent animal poisoning, access to toxic substances and medications should be limited. If you have chronic or other diseases, you should strictly follow the veterinarian's recommendations to avoid side effects. A dog needs a healthy and balanced diet to reduce the likelihood of serious diseases of the digestive system and gastrointestinal tract.

Any disease that causes bloody discharge in vomit can become chronic. If the symptom was a one-time occurrence and went away without complications, one should not forget about possible relapses. Bloody vomiting should be a signal that the dog needs a comprehensive examination.

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Causes

Dog owners should pay attention to their pet if the following changes in the animal's behavior appear: restlessness, refusal to eat, excessive salivation and constant licking of the muzzle. All these symptoms are signs of nausea followed by vomiting.

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Common reasons:

• Intoxication with poison, expired or spoiled food;
• Getting foreign objects into the throat, esophagus or stomach;
• Infectious, viral and chronic diseases;
• Intussusception;
• worms in dogs that live in the intestines;
• Overeating or hunger;
• Allergic reaction to products;
• Heat or sunstroke;
• Stress and diseases of the nervous system.

Care after stopping vomiting

After a fasting diet, you should apply a gentle diet for 5-7 days. Give the animal food only in small portions and preferably at regular intervals, at the same time. Try not to disturb your pet again and eliminate any physical effort. Take him out for a walk for 10-15 minutes.

It is very important to use all the medications that are prescribed to treat your dog, and in no case should you interrupt the course prescribed by the veterinarian, or extend it yourself.

Closely monitor the patient’s general condition and inform the doctor if there is the slightest deterioration. Carry out thermometry at least 2-3 times a day. Avoid contact with other animals if possible. Don't expose your dog to stress!

When veterinary help is urgently needed

Therefore, let’s immediately figure out when you shouldn’t engage in “self-medication”, but you need to immediately call a veterinary specialist:

• More than half of the vomit consists of bloody matter or pure blood.
• In cases where the blood is bright scarlet.

• Pets who are vomiting foamy, bright red blood also need a veterinarian as quickly as possible. This almost always indicates massive pulmonary hemorrhage. If the pet is not helped, it may die from asphyxia (suffocation).

• Hospitalization is immediately required if all visible mucous membranes of the pet become noticeably pale and/or blue. This indicates massive blood loss.

• You also need to immediately help a dog that, in the presence of bloody vomiting, becomes weak, has difficulty moving, whines weakly or in some strange way, and shows other obvious signs of serious illness.

Associated symptoms

Naturally, even with sluggish internal bleeding, the pet’s general condition worsens sharply. A disease with such a symptom can cause great harm to the dog’s body. Nausea appears, appetite sharply worsens, or even disappears completely. Very often, an already serious condition is complicated by diarrhea, which develops against the background of digestive problems. Bloody, mucous diarrhea is not uncommon.

When the liver is damaged, a problem arises with bilirubin in the body - the mucous membranes begin to turn yellow, and the urine becomes a rich yellow color. Infectious processes cause a sharp increase in the dog’s temperature. Large blood losses deplete the body, problems with hemoglobin begin, which leads to well-known problems.

If the bleeding is caused by helminthic infestation, then in this situation the parasites will come out in vomit and feces. Water-electrolyte balance and metabolism are greatly disturbed. The dog is losing weight and its eyes are sunken, the eyes “shiny” and have a cloudy appearance. The fur becomes dull and sometimes starts to shed a lot. The animal itself is looking for a dark, warm, hidden place, it is very restless.

First aid and care

If you are vomiting blood, you should contact your veterinarian. During the waiting period, it is worthwhile to alleviate the pet’s condition as much as possible. Never give pills or any other medications, even if they have helped before. This can cause a rapid deterioration of the condition. Before receiving veterinary care, you may:

• Stop feeding . Full hunger must be maintained, even if the animal appears hungry and is actively asking.
• Give water in small quantities.
• Ensure complete rest and lack of physical and psychological stress.
• Monitor all changes in the animal’s condition ; in the future, this will help the doctor when making a diagnosis and selecting therapy.
• If you know that the reason for this feeling was poisoning, think about how to stop the spread of the poison. Try to immediately rinse your stomach and do an enema. Then give 1 tablet of charcoal every 3-4 hours.

Even the one-time appearance of blood in the vomit is a reason to consult a doctor. A preventive examination will detect serious diseases at the very beginning of their development.

First aid: how to stop gagging

The first aid for nausea and vomiting in an animal will be to eliminate the cause of their occurrence as much as possible, if possible, as is the case with motion sickness. There is no need to disturb the animal again, you just have to observe. A single attack of nausea is not dangerous, but if the dog vomits repeatedly, and the color and nature of the vomited mass does not suggest the norm, the dog should be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

If you suspect poisoning, you can independently, before the veterinarian or veterinarian arrives, give the puppy sorbents - activated carbon, smecta, enterosgel.

If vomiting occurs frequently, it is strictly forbidden to give food, as is to forcefully water the dog. It is better to offer a cup of fresh water and provide a flow of fresh air. If it is not possible to provide your pet with veterinary care in the near future, in order to avoid dehydration, you can give the animal a glucose solution intended for injection - it is quickly absorbed in the stomach and will support the dog’s strength.

Preventive actions

Prevention of vomiting in most cases is ensured by proper nutrition. Balanced feeding, taking into account the animal’s weight, gender, and physiological state, will ensure the protection of the animal. Basic moments:

• do not allow inedible items to get into food;
• avoid contact with any toxins;
• avoid overfeeding;
• Do not feed the animal hot or frozen food.

Prevention (vaccination, treatment, diagnosis) of primary diseases is also important, but gastrointestinal pathologies are usually associated specifically with feeding disorders. Dog owners should promptly respond to any changes in the body. But you should not react seriously to vomiting if it occurs rarely and is not accompanied by severe disturbances, since this is a normal reaction for a dog.

If your dog gets sick in the car

The dog gets sick in the car and starts vomiting foam. Sound familiar?

This is normal, you can’t scold her for it. And this is not a disease. Here are some tips to help avoid such trouble.

Do not transport the animal on an empty stomach. It is worth feeding 2 hours before the trip, the main thing is not to overfeed. If you know in advance about this feature of your pet, you can give him “stop stress”, “vet calm” or “lilac” before the trip - 2 hours before departure.

If you are planning frequent trips with your dog, you should start training for the car from puppyhood, or at least in advance. Do this gradually, turning the process into a game.

First, teach her not to be afraid of a car that is not running. Lure your dog inside, give him a treat, and praise him. When she enters the car without fear, try closing the door for a few seconds, then immediately open it and reward her.

The next step is to start the car while the dog is inside. During the process, constantly talk to him, don’t lose contact, give him something tasty.

Try accelerating. To begin with, start traveling short distances - a few meters, and play with the dog during stops.

Remember that this is not a matter of one day, it may take about a month. Or perhaps your pet will enjoy trips from day one and won’t give you such a hassle.

What you need to remember before visiting the clinic

Before visiting the veterinarian, we recommend that you remember, but it is better to write down, the following information:

• It is necessary to describe exactly how the animal vomits. The specialist will probably be interested in whether there is pain during the vomiting process, whether the pet’s strange behavior precedes vomiting, etc.
• It is very important to remember the approximate intervals between bouts of vomiting.
• In addition, it is necessary to tell the specialist about the consistency of the vomit, its smell, the amount of blood, the nature of the bloody clots, etc.
• It is very important to remember what the animal ate in recent days. It also doesn’t hurt to remember the places where the owner has walked the pet recently.
• In addition, it is necessary to remember whether the dog has had contact with its relatives. If at the same time the pet’s “opponents” had at least some signs of illness, the veterinarian needs to be told about this too.

Finally, if the owner (even without his pet) has attended any dog ​​shows or other similar events in the last couple of weeks, he should also tell the doctor about this. All this information can greatly help in the diagnosis process.

When should you take a Glucose (fluoride) test?

Indications for testing glucose levels:

• preventive examination, especially if the patient is at risk (overweight, family history of diabetes, age over 45 years, cardiovascular disease, hypertension);
• symptoms of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia in the patient (increased or decreased concentration of glucose in the blood);
• monitoring the condition of a patient with diabetes;
• weakness or loss of consciousness - determine whether this condition is caused by low blood glucose levels;
• glucose monitoring for confirmed prediabetes;
• examination of pregnant women to exclude or confirm gestational diabetes.

Other types

In addition to vomiting blood, your dog can also vomit other types of masses. Not all of them are dangerous. And some also indicate a serious illness:

• White foam most often indicates that the animal is simply very hungry. However, if this happens several times in a row, it indicates problems with the liver.
• Nausea immediately after eating, at best, indicates banal overeating, and at worst, the onset of gastritis. This happens after a fatty meal. In the most advanced cases, there may be blood streaks.
• Yellow bile masses appear during nausea if the liver is involved in the process. This happens with intestinal obstruction or active helminth activity.

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