The appearance of blood in any secretion of our dog is always cause for concern and, in general, for seeking veterinary assistance The The explanation for why our dog vomits blood involves, first, identifying where the bleeding is taking place and what it is like, since fresh blood will not be the same as digested blood. As for the causes, these can be many.
In this article on our site we will review the most common, insisting that any significant bleeding should be treated by a veterinarian. Find out below why a dog may vomit blood:
The vomiting of blood
Before explaining the possible causes of why a dog vomits blood, we must know that blood can have various origins, from the mouth to the stomachOnce we detect vomiting, we can examine our dog in case we find any lesion in the oral cavity that could explain the bleeding. Sometimes a wound to the gums or to the tongue caused by a bone, a stick or a stone can cause bleeding that we can confuse with vomiting.
In addition, this bleeding can become very abundant, although a priori it will be less serious than one whose origin is internal. If in this examination we appreciate any anomaly such as a lump, a broken tooth or a foreign body, we should consult our veterinarian.
The vomiting of blood itself, that is, the one that originates in the digestive system, is known as hematemesis The bleeding could also come from the respiratory system. The blood can appear fresh, as streaks or clots, and also digested, in which case the color will be darker. In addition, our dog can vomit blood with foam, with mucus or more liquid.
Sometimes the dog vomits blood and has bloody stools. These stools, known as melena, will have a very dark color because they contain digested blood. Lastly, we need to see if there is an episode of acute vomiting or, instead, we observe vomiting for several days. Let's take into account all these data, in addition to any other symptoms such as pain, diarrhea or weakness, in order to provide our veterinarian as much information as possible for the diagnosis
Inflammatory diseases of the digestive system
In these cases it is normal to see that our dog vomits blood and has diarrhea, also bloody, but these secretions are not always going to contain blood. In addition, we will often see that the dog vomits blood and does not want to eat or even drink. We must seek veterinary attention, since whenever there is bleeding, the conditions are favorable for to develop an infection
Furthermore, the loss of liquids without their being replenished with food can cause dehydration, aggravating the clinical picture. The causes of this inflammation can be several and a serious case is caused by parvovirus or parvovirus, acute infectious enteritis, which mainly infects puppies, with a high mortality rate. As it is a virus, there is no better treatment than prevention, vaccinating puppies from 6-8 weeks of life. In any case, it has to be our veterinarian who determines why our dog vomits blood and prescribes the appropriate treatment.
Presence of foreign bodies
It is relatively common for dogs to ingest all kinds of objects, especially when they are puppies or very gluttonous. These objects can be rocks, sticks, bones, toys, hooks, ropes, etc. Some contain sharp edges and therefore, when swallowed, can cause considerable damage to the different points of the digestive system, even reaching perforation
If we suspect that the explanation for why our dog vomits blood is the ingestion of an object, we should go to our veterinarian without wasting time. By doing an x-ray it is sometimes possible to distinguish the swallowed object and its location. Other times, on the other hand, it is necessary to resort to endoscopy, with which sometimes it is also possible to extract the foreign body. If this is not possible, the treatment will go through abdominal surgery To avoid these situations, prevention is essential, preventing our dog from having access to potentially dangerous materials and offering him only safe toys.
Poisoning
Whether they are on purpose or by accident, poisoning in dogs can also explain why our dog vomits blood. Some substances, such as rodenticides, act as anticoagulants and cause spontaneous bleeding. Symptoms, in addition to vomiting, may include nosebleeds, rectal bleeding, or bruising. Immediate veterinary attention is required and the prognosis will depend on the substance ingested and its quantity in relation to the weight of the animal.
If we know what the dog has eaten, we must tell the vet. In addition, we have to maintain a safe environment for our colleague, preventing him from having access to toxic products, such as cleaning products. On walks or if you have access to the outside, we must also take precautions, taking into account that you may find garbage or harmful plants. Safety measures and rapid intervention will be the key to avoiding risks or minimizing damage if poisoning has occurred. Treat with vitamin K and may require transfusions
Renal insufficiency
Sometimes, behind the blood in the vomit there is a systemic disease such as kidney failure In this case the reason to why our dog vomits blood responds to the consequence of kidney failure, unable to eliminate waste products. The accumulation of these toxins is what causes the symptoms.
Although the kidneys begin to fail, they are capable of compensating for a long time and, when we finally discover the disease, they are usually already very affected. Insufficiency can appear acute or chronic In addition to vomiting blood due to gastrointestinal bleeding, we can observe that our dog drinks and urinates more, seems apathetic, is thinner, he has drier hair and breath that smells like ammonia. Mouth ulcers and diarrhea are also sometimes visible.
Through a blood and urine test we can confirm the problem. The prognosis will depend on the degree of involvement and treatment, in chronic cases, usually consists of a specific diet for dogs with kidney failure, in addition to medication. Acute renal failure requires intensive veterinary attention with fluid therapy and intravenous medication.
Gastric ulcers
Ulcers consist of lesions in the mucosa of the digestive system that can be superficial or deep, single or multiple, and vary in size. These may be the explanation why our dog vomits blood. They often occur in the stomach. Among the causes of these lesions, the consumption of anti-inflammatories stands out (AINES). Ulcers mainly cause vomiting, although there may also be anemia and we can see that the dog is losing weight.
In these vomits you can see fresh, digested blood or clots. This is a serious situation as considerable bleeding can occur quickly, causing the dog to go into shock. The stool may also look blackish due to the presence of blood. In addition, the ulcer can end in a perforation that can cause peritonitis Veterinary attention is required and the prognosis is guarded.
Other causes of vomiting blood
As we said at the beginning, there are multiple factors that can explain why a dog vomits blood. To conclude, we must also point out that, in addition to the causes mentioned, we can find ourselves facing others, such as the following:
- Tumors, more common in older dogs.
- Hepatic or pancreatic diseases.
- Injuries caused by accidents such as falls or run over.
- Bleeding disorders.
Both for these causes and for those mentioned above, it is normal for the veterinarian to perform diagnostic tests such as analytical tests (blood, urine, feces), X-rays, ultrasounds, endoscopies or even exploratory laparotomy. Whenever bleeding appears, we must go to your consultation, since sometimes it can be due to very serious conditions that compromise the life of our dog. As we have seen, both the treatment and the prognosis will depend on the origin of vomiting blood.
