My Shitzu Poodle cross has blood in his stools.

I recently adopted an almost 3 year old male shi-poo. Last nite I noticed he has very runny stools, and there is blood in it. He seems to be going every couple of hours, and it is getting runnier each time. I have had him for a week now, and he really just started eating food a few days ago..... He wouldn't eat when we first got him, but did drink water, or eat a treat.

Is there something seriously wrong with him? I don't want to pay a huge vet bill if can be avoided. Need to know if this is nerves or something serious.

Thanks

Karen H.






Hi Karen
I'm afraid it's impossible for me to say what's causing your dogs' loose stools as there are a number of possibilities.

If he's only recently started eating and it's a different food from what he was used to, that could account for the diarrhea, but in that case you should expect it to improve within a day or two. The blood you're seeing indicates that there's inflammation or irritation in his colon/intestines, and that can be caused by a sudden change in diet, food intolerances or allergies, or a number of dog illnesses.

However, as he's 3 years old, and I'm assuming he's up to date on his vaccinations, hopefully he isn't suffering from a serious illness such as Canine Parvovirus which is more likely with young, unvaccinated puppies. He could still have worms, or other parasites causing the problem.

The only way to be sure that he's healthy is to have him checked out by your vet. IF there is a problem, the sooner it's diagnosed and treated the easier (and less expensive) it will be. I'd recommend getting him a vet appointment to ensure that everything is okay.

Best of luck with your dog.