Bloody stool

[rebeccarn2b]

My dog has been acting weird for the last week; tail between his legs and lethargic.  No other symptoms until this morning.  He didn't eat and then had a firm bowel movement streaked with bright red blood.  I called the vet and they said to bring him in.  The vet said that it might be an infected anal gland.  The vet tech. expressed the glands and said they were moderately full but no blood or pus.  I went home with antibiotics, pain and antinausea meds.  As soon as we got home he had a very liquid and blood bowel movement.  I tried calling the vet as soon as it happened but they had already gone for the day.  Does anyone know if this is normal after expression?  

[ginger899]

No, that isn't normal after expressing the anal glands.
Like Ghilly says, if he isn't up-to-date on his vaccinations, then Parvo is a danger. However, if treated well and quickly, many dogs do recover OK.

If he IS up to date on his vaccinations, then there are a number of things that could cause this, and one of them -the most simple one- is dietary indiscretion of any kind. My dog once got into some chocolate, was very ill, with bloody diarrhea. I was quite scared to see the blood there, but I took her to the vet, and he said that blood in the stool was very common after eating chocolate, or anything irritant or toxic like that. My dog was OK, but she had to be fasted a day, and then only given small amounts of very bland food such as boiled fish and rice, or chicken and rice.

Can you be certain your dog hasn't eaten something possibly toxic like chocolate?...got into the trash....been fed unsuitable treats by anyone?

[Ghilly]

It's definitely not normal after having the anal glands expressed.  It shouldn't really affect the bowel movements to any great degree.  

How old is your dog?  Are his vaccinations up to date?  Very liquid and bloody stool can be one of the symptoms of parvo, so I would take him back to the vet and have him tested to make sure it's not that.  If it is, he will need supportive treatment.  Adult dogs fare a BIT better in fighting parvo than puppies do, but it is still very dangerous and can be fatal if it's not caught early and treated, and sometimes even then there are complications.

I'm not saying it IS parvo, I'm just saying that I wouldn't mess around, I wouldn't take any chances, I'd get him back to the vet to make sure he gets medicated if necessary.  Please keep us posted.

Ghilly