My dog has dark bloody diarrhea and won't eat. What should I do?

Question

My dog has dark brownish diarrhea on her anus and tail but it does actually look bloody. It is smelly but more like the smell of blood than of feces. She hasn’t eaten in about 12 hours. Her belly doesn’t seem distended or hard. I can tell she doesn’t feel well and she isn’t herself. I have not seen her throw up and have found no evidence. I’m not sure what pictures to send though. I’m not sure if she just ate something that doesn’t agree with her or if it is something more serious. Pet's info: Dog | Australian Shepherd | Female | spayed | 2 years and 8 months old | 55 lbs

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

Dark diarrhea can indicate bleeding in the small intestine and the smell of blood is suggestive that this is the case. Bleeding in the small intestine can happen for a few different reasons, but in a young dog it's most often due to an infection, or ingestion of something caustic/poisonous. The fact that she is not eating indicates that this disease is more than a mild GI upset and I would recommend taking her to your vet in the next 24 hours for an evaluation and treatment. Bleeding in the small intestine is particularly concerning, because they can lose a great deal of blood this way and get anemic and/or dehydrated. For now, it's best to try feeding bland food (boneless chicken and rice is good). Feed small portions (1/2 cup or less) three times a day. You can also add probiotics to the food (can get this at the pet store), which has demonstrated some efficacy for improving diarrhea. Ensure fresh, clean water is always available. You can add pedialyte or oral rhydration salts to the water to help keep her hydrated. I hope this helps and River gets better soon.

My dog has dark bloody diarrhea and won't eat. What should I do?

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