There are various reasons why you would see blood in your dog's stool. Medically, there are two types of bloody stool. Hematochezia is characterized by bright red blood mixed in with the stool, indicating that the blood is coming from the lower intestines; usually the source is the colon and the rectum. With melena, the stools are black and tarry, indicating that the bleeding is present in the stomach or upper small intestine, and therefore the blood is partially digested.
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Dewormers
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The presence of blood in your dog's stool could stem from internal parasites, such as whipworms, hookworms or roundworms. Deworming medications, such as febendazole or pyrantel pamoate will kill the parasites, which will in turn lead to preventing bloody stools.
Metronidazole
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Dogs infected with Giardia, which are one-celled organisms that infect the small intestine, experience explosive watery and bloody diarrhea. Metronidazole, commonly known as Flagyl, is the medication often prescribed to treat this condition. It works by changing the DNA of the bacterial and protozoa cells, preventing them from reproducing.
Antibiotics
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If your dog has inflammatory bowel disease, such as colitis, or some form of a bacterial infection, antibiotics will fight the infection, reducing the presence of blood in the stools until it eventually subsides.
Gastrointestinal Protectants
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Dogs with ulcers can take gastrointestinal protectants, such as Carafate and Cytote to promote healing. These medications adhere to the damaged ulcer tissue while protecting against acid and enzymes from further damaging the tissue.
Acid-Reducing Medicines
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Medicines such as Zantac or Pepcid are given to a dog with bloody stools if the cause is related to ulcers. These types of medicines reduce the production of acid therefore along the damaged tissue time to heal.
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