Hematochezia and Melena:
Monitoring your dog’s health is an important part of being a dog owner. It’s always a good feeling when your dog is in tip-top shape. Being able to notice when he isn’t feeling like his usual self will enable you to get help right away. An example of when it might be necessary to seek the advice of a veterinarian would be if you notice red darken spots in your dog’s feces. Blood in dog stool samples can mean a number of things; some being less critical than others.
The medical term for when red spots is present in a stool is ‘melena’ or ‘hematochezia’, depending on the color of the spots. Dark red spots usually comes from the upper intestinal tract, while brightly colored blood comes from the lower intestines. The dark and tarry red spots in stools, or melena, tends to cause more worry than when brighter blood is present.
Common causes of melena include complications from a recent surgery, tumors, cancer, blood that has been ingested, a clotting disorder, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Causes of hematochezia include parasites, Parvo, issues with diet (overeating or intolerance to specific foods), rectal injuries, or a condition resulting in reddish spots stools that accompany diarrhea and vomiting.
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