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Why is my puppy pooping milky substance with blood after deworming?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 1 month and 20 days old | 7.83 lbs

My puppy got diarrhea, after she was dewormed and had her Tri heart plus. Her stool has gone back to normal. However after she uses the bathroom, a milky substance comes out with Specks of blood in it. Is that her body working the medication out of her system or should I be worried about parvo?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on March 19th, 2017

Poor Luna! I can definitely understand being worried - it's always scary to see blood or other abnormalities in your dog's stool. The good news is, if she is eating and drinking normally, active, and not vomiting, it's extremely unlikely that she would have parvo or any other serious illness - puppies with parvo are usually very lethargic, not eating, and vomiting frequently. So it doesn't sound like this is likely to be an issue with Luna :) There are lots of things that could cause a milky substance like this with some traces of blood. Colitis, or irritation in the large intestine, can sometimes cause mucus with streaks or flecks of blood to be seen in the stool. This could also occur due to eating something she shouldn't have, or with a minor intestinal infection of some kind. She could also potentially have an infection in her anal glands, which are two scent glands located on either side of the rectum. If she is acting normal apart from this, it's not likely to be an emergency - but if the problem continues, it would be best to call your regular vet or take Luna in for a recheck exam to make sure that everything is okay.

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    If Luna's stool has already returned to normal, I would not be worried about parvovirus. With parvo, dogs generally remain sick (vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, inaplerance, etc.) for several days to a week, even with supportive care. Until Luna has been full vaccinated with her distemper/parvovirus series, keep her away from other dogs and restrict her to your backyard. Since she developed diarrhea after deworming medications, she may have been expelling some parasites. Due to this, inform your vet that diarrhea occurred and ask about submitting a stool sample for further parasitic evaluation. Other causes of the diarrhea may have been sensitivity to the medications, diet changes, viruses, etc. The substance that is excreted after a bowel movement may be her anal gland secretions. Anal glands are sacs that empty during a normal bowel movement to mark a dog's scent. There is a wide range of a normal appearance in this secretion, from a thick toothpaste-like milky white substance to reddish dark brown. If you have seen true blood in her stool, speak with her vet, as this could indicate irritation from parasites or in the lining of her colon, or anal gland impaction or infection.

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