Dear Dr. John,

We just got back from vacation with our nearly two-year-old Mini Bernadoodle. While we were away, she developed severe diarrhea with some blood. She also was vomiting some. The only thing that was different is that we gave her a friend’s dog’s food one day. We called our vet who suggested we skip her breakfast and only allow her to have water if she could keep it down. We were also told to start her on hamburger and rice or chicken and rice. After three days there were still loose bowel movements and still a little blood but clearly, she was improving.

My question is at what point does one take the dog in for treatment and what would be done or given to her? Is there a risk of dehydration if the dog is drinking adequately? At what point does one worry about blood in a dog’s diarrhea? K.S.

Dear K.S.,

Some dogs can have sensitive stomachs and a simple change in diet can trigger diarrhea and even vomiting. I always ask an owner if the dog ate anything else or had any treats, especially fatty foods. These could cause pancreatitis and that should never be taken lightly. I also ask if the dog eats bones or sticks. I will presume everything has now cleared up. That said, if blood persists in a dog’s bowel movements for more than a day then the dog should be seen by a veterinarian. The amount of blood is also important. If there is copious bleeding, then one should not even wait a day to be seen. If a dog comes with such a presentation, they need a proper physical examination with good abdominal palpation, radiographs if deemed necessary, or even an ultrasound.

Even more significant is getting a good history to assess if the dog ate something that could cause any problems, including different foods. There is always a risk of dehydration. Possible treatment options might include fluid therapy, antidiarrheals, and antibiotics. In your case, I would still have a fecal exam done now in case your dog has a parasite such as Giardia.  Hope it all works out.

Dr. John de Jong is President of the World Veterinary Association. He owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic and can be reached at 781-899-9994.