Melena (Blood in Stool) in Dogs

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Melena (Blood in Stool) in Dogs

By: Dr. Bari Spielman

Pages 1 2

4 5 6

Section: Information In-depth

Melena usually indicates the presence of significant upper gastrointestinal disease, although occasionally other diseases (such as clotting disorders, ingestion of blood, etc.) unrelated to the gastrointestinal tract may present with melena. The classic appearance of melena is black, shiny, sticky, foul-smelling feces with a tarry consistency. Melena may be seen as the only clinical sign, although other systemic signs often accompany it.

Ingestion of blood must be ruled out, including swallowing blood from the oral cavity or respiratory tract, and licking blood from a wound. A careful history and thorough physical examination of these patients is essential. The presence of melena generally warrants hospitalization, extensive diagnostic testing, and supportive care. It is best to determine the underlying cause and treat the specific problem.

Causes

There are many potential causes for melena.

The most common causes are usually diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that create ulcerations or cause bleeding into the tract. Ingestion of blood or bleeding from clotting abnormalities can also cause melena. It is important to determine a cause, as specific treatment is necessary to successfully treat patients with melena.

Infectious disorders such as intestinal parasites, viral, bacterial, and/or fungal infections should be ruled out.

Intestinal irritation and ulceration may occur with the administration of certain drugs, particularly corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs).

Gastrointestinal ulcerations or erosions commonly produce melena. Such ulcers may occur following acute gastric dilatation and volvulus (twisting of the stomach), heat stroke, overwhelming body infections, the overproduction of stomach acid, shock, anaphylaxis, and as a side effect of some cancers.

Gastrointestinal tumors or foreign bodies can cause bleeding and melena.

Certain metabolic diseases, such as kidney and liver failure, pancreatitis and hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease) can cause bleeding into the intestinal tract.

Inflammation of the walls of the intestines (inflammatory bowel disease) can be associated with melena.

Ingested blood should be considered as a cause when bleeding is present in the oral cavity or respiratory tract, or when the animal has been witnessed licking a bleeding wound.

Coagulopathies (abnormalities in blood clotting) should also be considered, especially if there is evidence of bleeding from other body sites.

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) is a syndrome seen in dogs whose cause is unknown. It usually causes acute diarrhea with fresh blood in it, and vomiting, hematemesis (vomiting blood), and melena can also be seen.

Any time surgery is performed on the upper gastrointestinal tract, bleeding may occur into the tract. Melena can then appear 12-72 hours after surgery. This form of melena should be very transient.

Gastrointestinal ischemia (lack of blood supply) secondary to shock, volvulus (torsion), intussusception (telescoping of the bowel into itself), or infarction (blockage of circulation to an area) can cause death of the lining of the intestines and bleeding into the intestines with subsequent melena.

Heavy metal toxicity including arsenic, lead, and zinc are uncommon causes of melena in the dog.

Pages 1 2

4 5 6

Printable Version

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Share this Article with a Friend Email To:

Have a Pet Question?

Send Your Pet Question to Dr. Jon
and His Staff of Veterinarians

Dr. Jon's Newsletter

Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...

Search Over 15,000 articles

1 Bruising and Bleeding in Dogs
Bruising and bleeding are disorders of primary hemostasis – or clotting – that result in bleeding into the skin or mucous membranes to a degree out of proportion to the trauma. The impact may be mild...
Read More
2 Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE)
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) is a disease syndrome seen in dogs, characterized by the acute (sudden) onset of bloody diarrhea, usually explosive, accompanied by high packed cell volumes (red blood...
Read More
3 Hematochezia (Blood in Stool) in Dogs
Hematochezia is the presence of bright red blood in the feces. Bright red blood is different that black tarry feces, which is usually associated with digested blood. Anytime blood is noticed in the feces,...
Read More
4 Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Dogs
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of gastrointestinal disorders that involve infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract by inflammatory cells (white blood cells). IBD can affect both the upper...
Read More
5 Gastrointestinal Ulcerations in Dogs
Gastrointestinal ulcerations are inflammatory lesions that extend into the deeper layers of the gastrointestinal tract, going beyond the mucosa (lining). These ulcers are typically located in the stomach...
Read More

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

Dogs & Puppies

Dog Breeds

labrador retriever, golden retriever, yorkshire terriers, german shepherds, beagle, boxers

Dog Medication

dog allergy medication, dog pain medication, dog anxiety medication, dog flea medication

Dog Products

dog bowls, dog crates, dog toys, dog beds, dog ramps, dog food storage, dog tags

Dog Symptoms

dog vomiting, dog limping, dog diarrhea, dog bad breath, dog coughing, dog seizures

Dog Health

dog cancer, dog diabetes, dog epilepsy, dog hip dysplasia, dog health, sick dog

Dog Care

dog vaccination, dog microchipping, dog grooming, dog neutering, dog spaying, dogs mating

Dog Training

dog aggression, dog barking, dog chewing, dog behavior, dog jumping, dog whisperer

Dog Pictures

puppy pictures, funny dogs, cute dogs, dog breeds, sleeping dogs, silly dogs, small dogs

Cats

Cat Breeds

persian, siamese cats, devon rex, ragdoll cats, sphynx, maine coon cat

Cat Medication

cat flea medication, cat heartworm control, cat tick medications

Cat Products

cat litter box, cat food, cat bed, cat flea collar, cat carrier, cat urine odor

Cat Symptoms

cat vomiting, cat limping, cat diarrhea, cat bad breath, cat coughing

Cat Health

cat health, cat liver cancer, cat diabetes, cat scratch fever, cat aids, sick cat

Cat Care

cat vaccination, cat grooming, cat microchipping, cat neutering, cat spaying

Cat Behavior

cat urine marking, cat furniture scratching, cat litterbox training, cat toilet training, cat fears

Cat Pictures

cute cats, funny cats, playful cats, fat cats, jumping cats, lazy cats, sleeping cats, cute kittens

1Hematochezia (Blood in Stool) in Dogs
Hematochezia is the presence of bright red blood in the feces. Bright red blood is different that black tarry feces, which is usually associated with digested blood. Anytime blood is noticed in the feces,...
Read More
2Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Dogs
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of gastrointestinal disorders that involve infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract by inflammatory cells (white blood cells). IBD can affect both the upper...
Read More
3Gastrointestinal Ulcerations in Dogs
Gastrointestinal ulcerations are inflammatory lesions that extend into the deeper layers of the gastrointestinal tract, going beyond the mucosa (lining). These ulcers are typically located in the stomach...
Read More
4Bruising and Bleeding in Dogs
Bruising and bleeding are disorders of primary hemostasis – or clotting – that result in bleeding into the skin or mucous membranes to a degree out of proportion to the trauma. The impact may be mild...
Read More
5Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE)
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) is a disease syndrome seen in dogs, characterized by the acute (sudden) onset of bloody diarrhea, usually explosive, accompanied by high packed cell volumes (red blood...
Read More

Melena (Blood in Stool) in Dogs

Melena (Blood in Stool) in Dogs

Related Articles

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles