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My new rescue dog has bloody diarrhea. Is she in heat or stressed?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | unspayed | 2 years and 3 months old | 52 lbs

Last night my dog was in her crate for 30 minutes while I was out. On my way home I found soft poop/diarrhea and some bright blood. I'm not sure if she is in heat I just rescued her. She isnt fixed.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Makenzie Kurth, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 28th, 2018

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Diarrhea with blood is the hallmark of colitis (inflammation of the colon). It is usually caused by rapid change in diet, eating something naughty (getting into trash/something outside), or stress (new home, owner leaving). If you’ve rescued Sadie recently (especially in the last 1-2 weeks), I’m not surprised or particularly concerned. The good news is that the amount of blood is almost never a concern and that the diarrhea usually goes away in a few days once diet/routine are back to normal. Of course, other possibilities are parasites or being in heat. Look for other signs of heat like a large, swollen vulva or increased licking at the vulva. Try a bland diet (half plain boiled/canned chicken half plain cooked white rice) for a few days and I expect the diarrhea to improve after 1-3 days. (Then transition back to her regular diet slowly over 3-5 days.) If at ANY time she is lethargic, vomiting, not wanting to eat, or you have other concerns, you need to go to the vet clinic right away to make sure it’s nothing more serious. Best wishes to you and Sadie!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Usually a dog in heat will have bloody discharge from the vulva only, and I would be surprised if it ended up in stool as well. Blood in the stool can be a sign of intestinal parasites, colitis, or an anal gland problem. I would recommend having her examined by your vet - a stool sample might be recommended to start. They can also examine Sadie to determine if she might be in heat and you can discuss spay surgery.

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