# Dane with Bloody Diarrhea / Vomiting



## WheatenDaneMom (Nov 4, 2011)

So last Saturday my husband gave my Great Dane 2-4" cooked pork ribs... I posted about this because I was concerned because Monday he had light brown diarrhea with blood in it. His stools hardened up slightly there after and there was no more blood so I thought we were in the clear. 

Things seemed better bowel wise but worse in every other way... the past few months, esp. last few weeks he hasn't been eating much, rejects things like bacon fat... which he LOVES... he waits for it every Saturday morning... this week he looked at it and walked away....

We came home tonight and found 4 HUGE piles of dark brown / black bloody diarrhea and 3 piles of vomit that was liquidy and blood tinged...

We called the Emergency vet and brought him in... he weighed 109lbs OMG!!! (At his best he has weighed 165)... you can see every rib... he's just gone downhill so quickly. He had a geriatric panel and CBC done... they couldn't do a fecal (at my request) because there's no bowel left)...

He refuses to eat now. We were sent home with anti diarrhea, anti nausea and an antibiotic. We're to use this for 24-36 hours to see improvement... if not he will need xrays and a U/S of his lower intestine. 

We asked... could it have been the bone? (which was last Saturday)... he said no... that he wouldn't have so many bowels... it's not like he's pooping blood... there's a LOT of diarrhea with the blood... just today there was SO MUCH dark blood kind of pooling under the diarrhea. 

I figured if he had a splinter cut his small intestine... wouldn't he be in pain? Swollen stomach? Hard , distended? abnormal blood work?

His blood levels... although some were off... nothing was of concern. He has a heart murmor as well. 

I just don't know... I asked him... what could this be? A tumor? Cancer? Colitis? He really didn't seem to really know what to say  I know he's just the on call... I know he's not my dog's normal vet... 

I just don't want to think that we did something to kill our dog?  I can't stop crying over the whole thing. I know he's old... he has a good life... just why all of a sudden is he so sick?


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

No answers but sending prayers that he makes a quick recovery.


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## WheatenDaneMom (Nov 4, 2011)

I am hoping its a GI/Virus... I am hoping it's not a tumor/cancer.

He ate some bread and meat (hand fed) this morning. I will start a BRAT diet when I get home from work for the weekend. Yesterday he wouldn't even eat a piece of meat.... that's NOT like him. I can't believe how skinny he is :*( 
I wanted them to run a parasite check for me but they couldn't... if he pulls through I think I will give him some anti parasitics too... My dogs both eat the same food... one doesn't get something without the other... my Wheaten is fine... he is hardly ever outside, he doesn't run off, he doesn't eat outside poop or anything... I have to consider that there's something else making him sick too...


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Don't overload him right now, try to get a stool sample ASAP to your vet for diagnosis and let them know about the E-vet visit ASAP this morning. If nothing shows in the stool sample they may want to do some xrays to be sure there's nothing in the bowel or stomach.


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## WheatenDaneMom (Nov 4, 2011)

I just called the vet and followed up with them. I was a little miffed that the overnight Vet said we denied Xrays or overnight stay... we SUGGESTED xrays... he suggested wait until Saturday... and an overnight stay was never mentioned because he was only slightly dehydrated. 

I said I didn't know when he'd have a bowel again but I would get some... she said if it's diarrhea or bloody diarrhea bring it in.


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## Loki Love (May 23, 2010)

I would have insisted on the xrays - and I would still do them now, and not wait.


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## WheatenDaneMom (Nov 4, 2011)

We have been having good luck so far!! Phoenix was eager to eat this evening... he's been on meds for 24 hours now... he hasn't had any bowels yet... but no vomiting. I didn't feed him anything else until 6pm tonight... boiled beef, rice and scrambled egg... about 2C... and then 4 hours later about 3C (originally two but he's obviously starving)... I will give him he next stomach coater before bed so *FINGERS CROSSED* maybe it was a parasite/bacterial thing!!!

Whatever it is, the meds seem to be working. Interest in eating (actually coming to the kitchen looking for food, drinking, getting off the couch!)

FINGERS... CROSSED.


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## WheatenDaneMom (Nov 4, 2011)

BTW we're on:

Cerenia (Anti-emetic for vomiting)
Sucralfate (For Upper-GI Treatment)
Metronidazole (Antibiotic, anti-diarrheal)


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

Could be a virus or bacteria, but personally I wouldn't be checking for macroparasites. Worms just don't make a dog that sick that quickly - you really only see effects at VERY high worm loads. The blood makes me think that it's unlikely to be anything infectious.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

I am keeping you all in my prayers and thoughts.


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## WheatenDaneMom (Nov 4, 2011)

I am thinking... if the medication works and then we go off and it comes back... it might be a chronic GI issue... like Colitis or a tumor... or something serious of that nature. When I look up 2 of the drugs they're designed for ulcers, GI, colitis, Tumors amongst other things... 

I have been checking his stool (prior to the vet) and I saw NO reason to believe he had worms... I know not all show in stool but 3 of the 4 common ones usually do. I started looking up Giardia and Coccidia... still, bloody stool isn't really a symptom... blood in stool yes but straight dark blood / diarrhea... no.

Maybe, I will never know. I will take that offer if he gets better...


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