Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My dog got charcoal slurry, now not eating & black stools. Normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | spayed | 5 years and 7 months old | 80 lbs

My dog was given by her vet a charcoal slurry. She seems okay , stools are black, but now she isn’t eating as much as normal. Is that okay? They did make her vomit as well. I thought maybe just been through a lot

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on August 22nd, 2020

Poor Lily has been through a lot! The charcoal can be responsible for the color of her stools, and she may have some stomach upset from the charcoal leading her to have a decrease in appetite. Try offering her some boiled white meat chicken (no bones or skin) and white rice. If she isn't back to eating as normal in another 24-48 hours, then I would be concerned and give her vet a call. I hope this helps!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog ate a whole bag of beef lung treats. Her poop is tarry but no vomit. Acting normal. Ate and drank today.
Poor pup! It's not unusual to have some soft stool or diarrhea after eating a lot of treats like this. As long as she's eating and drinking normally, not vomiting, and still seems active and playful, I wouldn't be too concerned. You could try skipping her next scheduled meal to give her GI tract a chance to settle, and feed a bland diet of plain boiled chicken and rice for the next day or two until her stool is back to normal. If she starts to vomit or act lethargic, or if the diarrhea persists for more than 48 hours, then I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam, as these can be signs of a more serious problem.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has pooped green watery poop . Then went to lay down after . She was restless for about 2 min but just lays there. I felt her belly it seemed kind of hard but I’m not 100% sure . Could this be serious. 2 days ago she ate dark chocolate and got
It's possible the stool color change could be related to the chocolate ingestion, however being given charcoal usually results in dark colored stool (though green is not unheard of.) It may also be that there is some lingering GI upset causing Lindsey's symptoms. If she continues to have strange stool, act lethargic or painful, or hasn't seemed to have recovered from her trip to the vet, bringing her back in for additional care and testing as needed is best to get her on track to feeling better.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 7 mo mixed puppy has a diarrhea, dark black stool with bits of grey mixed in sometimes. He acts normally, runs all over the place and plays as usual, but every 3-4h he will make a mess in the house unless I get to him first. Can changing food too
Yes changing food suddenly can cause dietary indiscretion and loose stool. Activated charcoal really isn't indicated here because there is no toxicity concern. I would recommend feeding him a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice or cottage cheese for a few days, then slowly transitioning him back to his regular dog food. You can also add 1-2 tsp of canned pumpkin in his food daily for added fiber and promotion of solid stools. As long as he is still playful and happy then you can wait things out and see if his stomach is able to settle down naturally. If he is still having loose stool after 24-48 hrs then it is best to take him to your vet for further treatment (i.e. antibiotics).
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
June has been acting differently lately. At first I thought her seasonal allergies were acting up. She began not eating her dog food. I ended up switching brands after she had a violent vomiting attack. After the change, June ate some but not all. Sh
Based on your description of the black stool, lethargy, and decreased appetite, I am concerned that June may be very ill. The black stool could be blood in the stool, which could be caused by parasites, change in diet, toxin ingestion, infectious viral diseases, blockage in the intestines caused by ingestion of a foreign body, or a mass/growth in the gastrointestinal tract. Please make an appointment to have June seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as blood in the stool can lead to anemia, and can be very dangerous if left untreated. In the mean time, if she is not eating well, you can try boiling boneless skinless chicken in water, shredding the chicken, and feeding her small amounts of the resulting chicken broth and cooked chicken once it has cooled. I recommend taking in a fecal sample from June to your vet as well, as that may aid them in making a diagnosis. Good luck, and I hope she feels better soon!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
My dad has been taking care of my dogs while I’m away, but today I found their poop is somewhat chalky and some are black. My dad stopped giving them dry food, and instead he boiles remains of chicken (bones and neck..etc). They didn’t take any medi
Changes in diet commonly cause digestive upsets but the white stools are most likely due to calcium fragments from the bones (they would normally be brittle/crumbly stools) and black stool often indicates bleeding within the bowel (due to infection or scratches from bone fragments). I would monitor very closely for any vomiting, constipation or abdominal discomfort which can indicate a fragment may be obstructing the bowel. I would also recommend small, frequnt meals of a bland diet or familiar kibble to try to manintain gut movement to encourage digestion of any remaining bone fragments
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 7 month old puppy has been eating a lot of food since we have been cooking a lot for the holidays. My puppy ended up grabbing a chicken bone and when we tried to take it away, she swallowed it. The morning stool was brown/black but 17 hours after
Dark, tarry stool is an indication of a small intestinal bleed possibly from the bone or an ulcer. The main thing to continue to monitor for is bloody diarrhea with frank, red blood, vomiting and lethargy. If any of this is noted, you will need to find an ER clinic for further care. You can feed boiled chicken and rice since it is bland and easy to digest until the stool returns to normal.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog stopped eating after I took him to govt veterinary hospital. The doctor gave him sharkoferrol. Please help me. Also he is poopping black.
Hello from far away! I am sorry to hear Brunp is having some issues. Black stool is a sign of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A gastric ulcer could be at play here and may explain his inappetence as well but you will wan to take him back into your veterinarian to confirm and rule out other causes as well as Rx the appropriate medication. I would try and feed him a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice. Plain unflavored yogurt can also help soothe the stomach. Please take Brunp in to see his veterinarian as soon as possible. Good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
my dog pooped black tarry stools but his perfectly fine and not feeling lethargic, i dont know what to feed to her or home remedies to help her.
Black tarry stool indicates bleeding in the intestinal tract and this can be serious. Feed her boiled white breast chicken and white rice. Get her into the veterinarian ASAP for medications to protect her intestinal tract. She also needs bloodwork to check for any excessive blood loss. I hope Spot feels better!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
I have a standard size dachsund. He is nearly 1 years old and no desexed. Currently in discussion with the he husband as we are unsure. He is not lethargic or drinking extra. But when I went to clean his poop today it's was pure black. When I moved
If he is behaving normally otherwise and has pink gums, then you can try withholding food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts until the stool is normal then transition slowly to the regular diet. If symptoms persist or if, at any time, he develops lethargy, pale gums, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite or abdominal pain then he should be seen by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER. You always have the option of having him seen sooner. At best, he will get a clean bill of health and you will have peace of mind if everything checks out. Given current events, you may need to drop him off at the clinic then wait for your vet to call you to discuss exam findings and treatment options.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi,I have a 4lbs Chuachue dog and she has been having black and blood in her stool and not eating
I'm sorry to hear your dog is sick! The black and bloody is very concerning to me. Black stool can indicated a gastrointestinal ulcer. Dogs with kidney problems or exposure to toxin can also have black or bloody stool and this can be an emergency. I recommend you take your dog to a veterinarian right away. She may need medication to heal an ulcer or blood work to determine if she has an internal medical issue. Thanks for using Boop by Petco and I hope your dog is feeling better soon!
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Food Dog Stool Eating Deterrent Dog Treats & Chews Dog Health & Wellness Dog Bowls & Feeding Supplies Dog Food With Grain Sensitive Stomach Dog Food Premium Dog Food Wet Dog Food Prescription Dog Digestive Medications Solid Gold Dog Stool Eating Deterrent NaturVet Dog Stool Eating Deterrent Zesty Paws Dog Stool Eating Deterrent Vet Worthy Dog Stool Eating Deterrent PetAlive Sensitive Stomach Dog Food Pet Honesty Dog Stool Eating Deterrent Nutri-Vet Sensitive Stomach Dog Food Under the Weather Sensitive Stomach Dog Food Lactulose Prescription Dog Digestive Medications JustFoodForDogs Sensitive Stomach Dog Food
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored