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My dog has blood in his stool but isn't sick. What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) | Male | neutered | 7 years and 8 months old | 8 lbs

Pookie is a 7yr old 8lb Chihuahua & up to date on all shots & no previous health issues. He suddenly has blood in stools & a few times just pure red blood with no feces or smell. He is not lethargic nor appears ill. He has always been an extremely picky eater & will not eat dog food as tried virtually every one. Hence he eats chicken, ground turkey, beef & occasionally salmon. I'm 65, on a fixed income & pook is my ESD. Extremely concerned as afraid can't afford the vet bill.

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 15th, 2019

Hello, sorry to hear about Pookie. It sounds like he is having some hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE). Occasionally this is self limiting and can be resolved with a bland diet for 3-5 days (plain white rice, skinless and boneless boiled chicken). However often, pets require medications and supportive care for the associated dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea (with or without blood) that comes with this disease. If Pookie is not improving within a day, or if his diarrhea is worsening despite the bland diet, if he develops innapetence or vomiting, then he should be evaluated by his veterinarian promptly. Hope this helps and best of luck.

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    Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 20th, 2016

    It is likely your pet Ruckus has a condition called hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. This is usually caused by stress or a sudden change in diet. If he is acting normally, then that is a good sign that he can be scheduled an appt to be seen by the vet in the next 24-48 hrs if not improved or if he is getting worse have him seen sooner. You can try feeding him a bland diet of boiled plain chicken and rice or cottage cheese, and some probiotics (Culturelle over the counter) added daily to his food. A lot of pets who don't improve with the bland diet and probiotics, need a short course of antibiotics to completely resolve this condition, so see your nearest veterinarian for treatment if needed.

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    Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 15th, 2018

    Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Blood in the stool can be a sign of diet issues, intestinal parasites, and inflammatory bowel conditions. A single episode with only a small amount of blood is not an emergency. I do recommend keeping a close eye on Jagger, and if he develops diarrhea or have more blood in his stool, he should be seen by his vet right away. You should bring a fecal sample in a disposable container to help your vet rule out intestinal parasites. If you decide to change Jagger's food, I recommend doing this over the course of several days to avoid intestinal upset. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

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