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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

My poor dog has awful diarrhoea with blood

30 replies

Rainraingoaway21 · 04/10/2021 22:03

I'm so worried. Sorry if TMI.

It started suddenly Saturday, she was sick a little which was frothy then this relentless diarrhoea. Her rear end is so red, swollen and sore she can barely sit down. I've been trying to wash her down with warm water to stop it getting so sore but she isn't letting me do that now. I took her to the emergency vet Sunday morning, they gave her a painkiller injection and took bloods which were thankfully normal.

She hasn't improved although she would at least eat today if I hand fed her some little pieces of chicken and scrambled egg. I've been taking a small bowl of water to her and she's been having that too. Today though she has started dripping blood as well as whatever liquid is dripping out of her. She won't stand unless I put her in the garden, she squats to try and poo but nothing comes out apart from drips of diarrhoea/blood. She is so distressed with it it's heartbreaking.

I begged my normal vet to see her this evening as they had no appointments until the morning. My lovely calm cavapoo turned into a monster, I've never heard anything like it. She had to be muzzled and they told me to wait in the waiting room. Well the entrire place could hear her cries, I sat there crying myself like a weirdo. I'm so worn out with the relentless mopping, cleaning her and washing all her towels and bedding. It's been 3 days of doing this, it's been like a full-time job! I can't go to work tomorrow because she needs me. I have to take her back in at 9am and they will do more tests, scans etc.

I'm just so upset she is this poorly. I can't bear the thought of leaving her there tomorrow and her being scared and in pain.

Goodness knows what all this will cost as well. I've already spent £400 on yesterdays emergency vet. I don't think my insurance will pay as there is an exclusion written on that says it won't cover anything related to her bout of diarrhoea - well this was when she was a puppy she is now 6 years old! Surely diarrhoea is a 'symptom' of something, infact after all the googling I've been doing today it is a symptom of so many things! Can they get away with not paying does anyone know? I will pay whatever for her to be well however. This couldn't come at a worse time for us financially. DH has had covid and not been able to earn anything for about a month so far.

I read about anal gland impaction which I thought might be the problem as she seems very swollen round there but without the vet being to properly look at her he's not sure.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Sorry this is so long. Just very upset tonight and looking for some reasurance I guess.

Thankyou if you've read this far!

OP posts:
Seeleyboo · 04/10/2021 22:15

Worms. I had this in the past. Wasn't picked up by a vet. Gave worming tabs and sorted. Hope your baby is ok

Excitedforxmas · 04/10/2021 22:17

My dog had similar and it was colitis. They gave her some kind of medication but I can’t remember what it was. Poor baby

Original poster
Rainraingoaway21 · 04/10/2021 22:20

Thankyou for replying @Seeleyboo oh really? I did buy some worming tablets this morning when I went to get some probiotics but she wouldn't eat them in the chicken. She ate the bits without the chopped up tablet in! I haven't wormed her in a few months I must admit Blush

I will feel awful to put her through the ordeal of tomorrow if it's a simple thing to resolve like worms. Did your dog have lots of tests before you discovered it was worms?

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainraingoaway21 · 04/10/2021 22:21

Thanks @Excitedforxmas. Sorry your pooch has colitis, it was something that crossed my mind as she has always had a sensitive tummy.

OP posts:
INeedNewShoes · 04/10/2021 22:24

Has canine parvovirus been ruled out?

There have been cases of this locally to where I live.

whenwillthemadnessend · 04/10/2021 22:24

My dog had this two weeks ago apparently there is some sort of dog virus which causes bloody diarrhoea going round and it's affecting the entire country I'm not saying it is that but it's entirely possible

He was a lot better after five days but we gave him Gastro intestinal food from the vets and also pro kaolin medicine twice a day for 3 to 4 days it was awful to see him he lost a lot of weight very quickly too

I would get some of the medicine from Amazon it's £25 for a tube and see if your vet can provide the food my dog stopped drinking so we mixed water into the food and made it into a broth which helped a lot

Cecillie · 04/10/2021 22:34

Vet here
It's not worms
Do not give a dog with bloody diarrhoea worming tablets
Go back to your vet as planned , they will get her sorted .
This can be very serious if left untreated so don't let the fact that she seemed stressed at the surgery deter you from going back
It's can like taking a reluctant child to the dentist

Goawayangryman · 04/10/2021 22:36

Giardiasis might be worth treating for? Seems very widespread at the minute. It sucks.. had same.

Original poster
Rainraingoaway21 · 04/10/2021 22:50

Thankyou everyone. @Cecillie thankyou for your professional opinion, that's really helped, knowing it's right to take her back regardless and get to the bottom of it (literally!) It's for her own good I know.

OP posts:
breadfortea · 04/10/2021 22:51

our dog has bouts of bloody diarrhoea/colitis. Its almost like once she has an upset tummy she can't get over it without antibiotics along side scrambled egg and rice.

BiteyShark · 05/10/2021 05:04

Mine had awful stomach problems on and off, some very severe requiring admissions and treatment. Turned out to be IBD but wasn't diagnosed until he was about 18 months old.

As for the insurance I think they can deem it to be preexisting but put the claim in and let them decide. If you think about it in my case those episode were all connected even when the vet had put them down to 'something he had eaten' or 'a bug' but actually we now know it was probably wasn't looking back.

Hope your puppy gets better soon. It's horrible isn't it when they are in pain but you did the right thing and she is in the right place Thanks

wetotter · 05/10/2021 06:25

My dog had this two weeks ago apparently there is some sort of dog virus which causes bloody diarrhoea going round and it's affecting the entire country I'm not saying it is that but it's entirely possible

I've just heard about this one, from other dog walkers, as it's starting to go round here.

It seems to be self-limiting, but very nasty for the duration, and takes at least 48hours before it starts improving. An owner whose dog has just recovered said it a case of nursing them through - checking hydration, giving probiotics, very bland diet when they start eating again.

And yes, vets are very busy when thus one starts going round your patch.

Darkchocolateandcoffee · 05/10/2021 06:48

Def test for giardia

Theworldisfullofgs · 05/10/2021 06:53

Mine had this and after lots of different tries and stops and starts of getting better we suddenly discovered he had an allergy to chicken. He hadn't had it before. Changed his diet and he's fine now.

Theworldisfullofgs · 05/10/2021 06:54

It was the vet that got there with this and helped us find the right food.

Original poster
Rainraingoaway21 · 05/10/2021 07:31

Ok thankyou everyone for sharing your experiences, it's so horrible when they can't tell you whats wrong and you have to guess isn't it. They're so dependent on us to look after them.

She hasn't moved out her bed all night. There is a little mess on the towel she is laying on. She has a little drink though and a couple of mouthfuls of chicken which had some of her pain relief tablet in, but she's only had half what she was meant to. She won't eat anymore.

I am dreading today but hopeful of an answer and her being made to feel better. I will definately ask about giardia, he mentioned lots of things he will check for, it was hard to take it all in.

Thankyou

OP posts:
MrsLargeEmbodied · 05/10/2021 07:42

someone said to me if it is bright red blood it comes from high up and therefore less worrying

MrsLargeEmbodied · 05/10/2021 07:42

meaning near the exit. x

TossieFleacake · 05/10/2021 07:51

So sorry to hear about your dog OP. It is very exhausting when they are unwell, all the cleaning, scrubbing and mopping along with all the worry about them ... you have my sympathy.

My dog had a very similar thing a couple of months ago. My vet was amazing and kept him in for 2 days on a drip to make sure he was hydrated and getting some antibiotics. They ran blood tests but couldn't find any underlying issues ... it appears it was just a bad virus that he struggled to shake off.
He is fine now.
I hope your dog starts to feel better today and you manage to get a rest.

MissMarpleRocks · 05/10/2021 08:20

Have they tested for pancreatitis? Ddog has this & the flares were awful till we got to the bottom of it. She was a rescue so it was pretty much from the beginning. Good luck it’s horrid when they are poorly.

Nap1983 · 05/10/2021 08:25

Sorry your dog is unwell, it really is horrible when their ill. Hope you get some answers at the vet and she improves xx

Original poster
Rainraingoaway21 · 05/10/2021 08:58

I'm not sure what the blood tests looked for but they were normal, they haven't done any other tests yet, that will be today.

It really is exhausting @TossieFleacake I almost feel ill myself! Here waiting for vets to open now. She's crying already, she knows where she is 🥺

Thank you for your kind messages.

OP posts:
whenwillthemadnessend · 05/10/2021 14:34

How is she now.

My boy is full of beans after a week of being recovered He is enjoying putting the weight back on Wink

MamaBearThius · 05/10/2021 14:44

So sorry for you and your puppy 🐶 sending hugs to you and ear rubs to ddog

Original poster
Rainraingoaway21 · 05/10/2021 14:52

Ah thankyou! It was a different vet at the practice today who asked how he could help when I went in, he hadn't even read the notes! He was great though, he said her anal glands were very swollen so after an injection he managed to express those Shock with an amazing nurse managing to keep her in some sort of headlock! It was horrible to hear her yelp so much and struggle but he managed it. I'm hoping she might feel a bit better after that. He gave her buscopan and an antibiotic injection. I have tablets to try and somehow give her, I'm worried I won't be able to if she wont eat? I also need to get a stool sample over the next 3 days and take that back in to be tested.

I was so pleased to be able to bring her back home. I'd physched myself up to have to leave her all day and await a call.

She has slept a bit since home and looked the comfiest she has looked in her bed for a while bless her. She does keep licking herself though and looks so sore Sad She hasn't moved out of bed but seems more alert, her tail even wagged a little when DH came in the room!

I'm hoping the antibiotics kick in soon and do some good.

OP posts: