Dog with Blood Diarrhea and Tapeworms

I am not sure even what happened. My dog all along has been acting normally. Then out of nowhere I come home to his dog kennel and he had diarrhea and blood everywhere. I went in and it look like someone poured a bag of rice all over his butt and the backside of his tail.

He has had all of his shots and has been treated for worms.

What could it be?


Vet Suggestion on Dog with Bloody Diarrhea


Hi,

I can’t determine exactly what is going on with your dog without first examining him, but the “rice” that you mention makes me suspicious that your dog could have a severe case of tapeworms. Tapeworm segments are often described as looking like flattened pieces of rice. Only a few types of dewormers (e.g., praziquantal) are effective against tapeworms so it’s possible the dewormer your dog was given left tapeworms behind.

Alternatively, if your dog did receive a dewormer against tapeworms, the sudden death of a large number of worms could cause the symptoms you describe. The veterinarian who has been seeing your dog should be able to determine whether or not tapeworms are responsible for your dog’s gastrointestinal problems with a physical exam and fecal test.



Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM