When dogs have bloody diarrhea, it can be difficult to determine the cause -- here’s what to know

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Diarrhea. It’s bad enough when a pet has stinky loose stools, but when they’re mixed with bright red blood -- or a pet strains to defecate and produces blood only -- even the most sanguine pet owner becomes concerned.

Causes of bloody diarrhea can include small, harmless masses; major tumors; toxic substances; or simply emotional upset. Fortunately, it’s rarely an emergency unless the dog is losing enough blood to cause significant anemia or if the dog is bleeding out of the gastrointestinal tract because of a toxin such as rat poison or a systemic disease, says Craig B. Webb, DVM, professor of small animal medicine at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Fort Collins.

Sometimes the cause is never clear. That has been the case with my dog Keeper, whose digestive system is sensitive, to say the least. Usually his veterinarian prescribes antibiotics and a few days of a bland diet. But recent studies show that in some cases, symptomatic treatment -- a bland diet to soothe the digestive tract -- is all that’s needed.

Approximately 50% to 60% of dogs with acute onset of bloody diarrhea have fecal samples that are positive for a toxin called netF, produced by Clostridium perfringens bacteria. While many healthy dogs have C. perfringens as a normal part of their gut microbiome, in dogs with bloody diarrhea, C. perfringens bacteria are producing the netF toxin gene. The trigger may be something the dog has eaten, infection from another organism or some other cause.

“What makes a strong case that it might be causative is that only dogs with hemorrhagic diarrhea are positive for this toxin,” says Texas A&M researcher Jan S. Suchodolski, DVM, Ph.D., one of the authors of a study on the association of C. perfringens and netF toxin genes with acute hemorrhagic diarrhea published last November in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. “We don’t typically see it in dogs with acute non-hemorrhagic diarrhea or with chronic diarrhea.”

Dogs who are positive for the toxin, which can be identified through a molecular test, usually eliminate it quickly, independent of treatment with antibiotics, Dr. Suchodolski says.

Why no antibiotics?

They can have a significant effect on intestinal microbiota -- the “good bugs” that populate the intestine and play an important role in physiology, metabolism, nutrition and immune function. Broad-spectrum antibiotics disrupt the gut’s microbiome, killing beneficial bacteria.

“We’re discovering more and more that these effects are long-lasting,” Dr. Suchodolski says. “And dogs don’t recover quicker compared to not getting antibiotics for acute diarrhea.”

That doesn’t mean you don’t need to be concerned if your dog is pooping out blood. Small dogs with what is now called acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (AHDS) -- formerly known as hemorrhagic gastroenteritis -- can quickly become dehydrated, especially if diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting. A small fraction of dogs may go into shock or sepsis from dehydration and infection, and this may require hospitalization or antibiotics.

Signs that your dog should see the veterinarian as soon as possible include vomiting, lack of appetite, dehydration, increased heart rate and respiration and collapse.

If your dog has bloody diarrhea but is otherwise normal and alert, withhold food for 12 to 24 hours and then feed a bland diet for a few days. Ensuring that the dog is drinking water is more critical than getting him to eat, Dr. Webb says.

“At some point, probiotic therapy should be considered, as changing the gut microbiota may help long term,” says Joseph W. Bartges, DVM, professor of internal medicine and nutrition at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Don’t hesitate to call your veterinarian if you’re worried. “If there are any concerns, especially if your pet feels bad and is not him- or herself, you should take them to a veterinarian,” Dr. Bartges says. “It is better to be safe than sorry.”

Q&A

Cats need

daily play

Q: How much playtime do cats need daily?

A: More than you might think! Most of us think of cats as layabouts, happy to sleep all day; in reality, they are hunters who benefit from the opportunity to practice their inborn skills, even if they never catch a mouse in their life.

A good baseline is five minutes of playtime or interactive exercise twice a day. Kittens might need more, and senior cats might be happy with a little less. Toys and games your cat will enjoy include flashlight beams they can chase -- be sure to end by pointing the light at something they can pounce on so they’ll feel as if they accomplished something -- fishing pole-type toys with a dangly, preylike object at the end or small balls that your cat can chase down the hall, zigging and zagging as the ball bounces off walls or other objects.

Another way to keep your cat fit and occupied is to teach him to work for his meals. Not by catching mice -- although plenty of cats make a living doing that -- but with a puzzle toy that he must push or play with to get it to dispense food. I tell people that instead of leaving out a big bowl of kibble for their cat to snack from during the day, they should put a meal’s worth of food inside a treat ball and let him figure out how to get it out. Leave a couple of those balls around the house, and your cat will “hunt” when he’s hungry and get the amount of food he needs, not the amount he eats because he’s bored. This is also a good way to help overweight cats drop a pound or so.

You can find more about feline play at FearFreeHappyHomes.com/blog. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Need stress relief?

Pet a dog or cat

-- Petting dogs and cats relieves student stress, according to findings from a Washington State University study published last month in the open-access journal AERA Open. “Just 10 minutes can have a significant impact,” said Patricia Pendry, an associate professor in WSU’s department of human development. “Students in our study that interacted with cats and dogs had a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone.” Researchers divided 249 college students randomly into four groups. Salivary cortisol samples were collected from each participant throughout the day, starting in the morning when they woke up. Once data was analyzed from the various samples, results showed that students who interacted directly with the pets showed significantly less cortisol in their saliva after the interaction.

-- Salt lamps give off a pretty glow and are thought to have health benefits, but the large chunks of pink Himalayan salt can be toxic to pets who lick them excessively. Pets who ingest too much salt -- from licking a salt lamp, eating homemade play dough or getting into the rock salt for making homemade ice cream -- can develop salt poisoning. Signs include vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, lethargy, incoordination and excessive thirst or urination. Severe cases can result in tremors, seizures and death. Contact your veterinarian or a poison control hotline immediately if your dog or cat shows these signs. Keep salt lamps out of a pet’s reach, especially if you have a high-climbing cat or tall dog.

-- It’s hot out there! In times of extreme heat, keep pets indoors, where there’s air conditioning, or in a cool basement. Animals who go outdoors should have access to fresh water and shade all day. A child’s wading pool filled with cool water is also a good idea. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

How to help dogs overcome noise fears

By Mikkel Becker

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Did you discover on Independence Day that your new puppy is fearful of fireworks, or even that your adult dog has a newfound fear of the flash, bang, boom? Puppies can be surprised and startled by the sight and sound of fireworks, and it’s also not unusual for a dog’s fears to increase over time. Eventually, continued exposure results in trembling, howling or destructive behavior that is unexpected, because it never seemed to bother the dog before. A 2015 study in Norway found that fear of noises can increase with age. Female dogs were more likely to develop noise sensitivity than males, and neutered dogs were more at risk than intact dogs.

And it’s not just fireworks. Other sounds that can upset dogs include construction noise, gunshots and sirens. Often, these noises fall outside what the dog considers “normal.” In other cases, the dog may associate the sounds with scary situations from the past. And sometimes fear of certain sounds can be genetic: Breed and parent personality can both be factors. The Norwegian study found that among the 17 breeds looked at, those with the highest frequency of noise sensitivity were the Norwegian buhund, the soft-coated wheaten terrier and the Lagotto Romagnolo.

If fireworks and other loud noises cause your dog to bury his head under the covers, start now to help him learn to become more comfortable with a variety of sounds. Common noises that dogs may encounter at some point in their life include infants crying, helicopters hovering, and children screeching in play. Here’s how to expose your dog to sounds in a way that keeps him relaxed and happy as he stores them in his brain under “nothing to be afraid of.”

Start by introducing the sound at a low level the dog is comfortable with. Keeping it at a distance is a good idea, too. For instance, you can set a blow dryer on low, or turn on the vacuum cleaner, and leave them in another room with the door closed. It’s not always possible to control when or where your dog will hear a sound -- although trash trucks and buses usually operate on a schedule -- so finding or making recordings can help you to manage your dog’s exposure to frightening noises.

Pair the sound with positive experiences such as treats, play or mealtime. That works to change the dog’s emotional response to the sound over time. When he’s in a happy and relaxed state, he’ll be better at learning how to react to the sound. This is also a good exercise to perform with puppies and dogs who don’t have an established fear of noise, because it helps to keep them that way. Early exposure helps increase a dog’s comfort level with noises throughout life.

Slowly increase the intensity of the sound. Think days, not minutes or hours. If you move ahead too quickly, the dog’s fear can intensify. Wait until he remains happy and relaxed at the lowest setting. Watch for signs of discomfort, such as pacing or yawning, and decrease the volume or increase the distance from the noise until he relaxes again. End on a positive note by asking for a favorite trick or playing a game and rewarding him.

Conditioning a dog to have a calm response to loud or unexpected noises takes time. By taking little steps now, you can gradually build a lasting, positive change in your dog’s behavior in the face of fireworks or other sounds that frighten him. By the time New Year’s Eve rolls around, you’ll both be better prepared for noisy celebrations. You can find more about managing your dog’s fear of noises at FearFreeHappyHomes.com.

Q&A

Kitten or cat?

Both have pluses

Q: I’m getting my first cat soon, and I’m wondering if it’s better to get a kitten or an adult cat.

A: There are advantages to each. Here’s what to consider.

The big thing kittens have going for them is that they are so darned cute. Watching them play is better than television. Balancing out the cuteness is their need for supervision and training. It can be exhausting to chase after them and redirect their behavior to more appropriate activities as they climb the curtains, test out their claws on your new sofa, and bounce on your head at 5 a.m. Kittens are endlessly energetic and they may not begin to settle down until they are 2 to 3 years old.

If you’d rather live with a peaceful, gentle cat from the get-go, an adult cat is the right choice. With an adult cat, you know what exactly what you’re getting, whether that’s curious and active, calm and trusting, or friendly and affectionate. Because they are more predictable, you’ll have a better idea of how they will fit into your household. They don’t need the same amount of supervision as kittens, and will happily nap or play with a puzzle toy while you’re at work.

Adult cats have other advantages. They may already be vaccinated and spayed or neutered. Sometimes they already have experience with children or dogs, and take them in stride. An adult cat with family experience is often more mellow and tolerant with children. They are less likely to scratch or bite during play, and they are more sturdy than kittens, who are easily injured. Of course, it’s still important to supervise young children and cats to make sure no one is hurt when they interact.

The best choice for you simply depends on your home life and what you’re looking for in a cat. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Flame retardants may

affect cat health

-- If your cat has hyperthyroidism, the cause may be flame retardants in the environment. Feline hyperthyroidism, first diagnosed in 1979, is the most common endocrine disease in older cats. In the 40 years since that first case was diagnosed, the prevalence of the disease has risen dramatically. Scientists suspected a link to household flame retardants, introduced in the mid-1970s. In a report published in American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology, researchers used silicone pet tags to measure the exposure of housecats to various flame retardants. (Silicone picks up volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, and wristbands made of the material have been used in previous studies to monitor human exposure to environmental chemicals.) Researchers recruited 78 housecats 7 years and older, half with hyperthyroidism and half without, and gave owners silicone tags to put on their pets. After the cats had worn the tags for seven days, researchers analyzed the silicone and found higher levels of flame-retardant chemicals from the cats with hyperthyroidism. Higher exposures were associated with air freshener use, houses built since 2005, and cats who prefer to nap on upholstered furniture.

-- Redbone coonhounds descend from red hounds brought to the American colonies by settlers from Scotland and Ireland. They are friendly and loyal, with a talent for making people laugh, but they also have an independent spirit and don’t always pay attention to what their humans want. These active dogs are great hiking companions and excel at canine sports such as nosework and tracking. Redbones are best suited to rural homes, where their loud voices won’t annoy the neighbors.

-- Interested in reptiles? Good choices for beginners include ball pythons, corn snakes, bearded dragons and small tortoises or box turtles. These species can be appropriate for both children and adults. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

5 ways to evaluate information you find on the internet

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When you think something's wrong with your dog or cat, the first thing you do is Google the symptoms. Are we right? We bet we are. Studies show that 3 out of 4 people go to the internet before calling their veterinarians or taking their pets to the clinic.

We understand. If you're worried about your pet, you want to have an idea right away of what might be wrong. But "Dr. Google" isn't always the best source of information for what's going on with your pet or how to treat it. We're not just saying that because we think you should take your furry friend to the veterinarian if he's sick (although we do). The internet is an amazing source of all kinds of knowledge, but it's also full of unreliable, out-of-date and just plain wrong advice. The fact is, some information is more equal than other information.

More important, nothing on the internet beats an in-person exam by your veterinarian. Dr. Becker has seen at least five instances in the past couple of years of pets dying because well-meaning owners relied on information found on the web and brought them in for help when it was too late.

We don't want you to stop going to the internet for information; it can be a valuable resource. We do want to help you learn to find and evaluate the best information. Here's what to look for.

-- Authorship. Who wrote the article? What are his or her credentials? Knowing the writer's background or affiliation with a particular institution allows you to judge how knowledgeable he or she is on the subject. You should also look for evidence of bias. Is the author pushing a particular viewpoint? Does the page belong to a company selling a product?

-- Source. Is the information from an academic institution or university, a government agency or a professional organization? Those are generally reliable and authoritative sites. Other good sites have articles that are written or reviewed by veterinarians.

Some of our favorites are Cornell Feline Health Center, FearFreeHappyHomes.com, VeterinaryPartner.com and Winn Feline Foundation. A personal page may have good information, but it's important to look carefully at the writer's credentials and documentation of that information.

-- Evidence. What's the proof behind what you're reading? Does the author refer to other sources to back up the information? Who or what are the sources? If a study is mentioned, the writer should include where and when it was published. Then you can look up the summary and find out what kind of study it was.

For medical evidence, randomized controlled trials -- meaning that the study participants were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups -- provide the most reliable results. Does the study appear in a peer-reviewed journal -- meaning that impartial scientists who weren't part of the study evaluated it before publication? You can check the journal's website to see if studies are sent out for review before publication.

-- Reliability. Is the information similar to what you've read on the subject elsewhere, or is it way out in left field? That doesn't necessarily make it wrong, but it does mean that you should cast an extra-critical eye on the ideas presented. It's always a good idea to look at several sources so you can have a well-rounded understanding of the topic.

-- Currentness. How old is the information? What we know can change quickly in this field. Beware of undated information. Look for sites that are updated regularly.

Dr. Google makes it easy to find information, but if you want to be really knowledgeable, you still have to put in the hard work of making sure it's accurate. And remember that you have a primary source just an appointment away: your veterinarian.

Q&A

Poor grooming, gland

issues cause 'stud tail'

Q: My Persian cat's tail makes him look as if he has a bad case of acne. The base of the tail is all flaky, and it has bumps that look like blackheads. What's causing it, and is there anything I can do?

A: Overactive sebaceous glands are usually behind the development of acne in human teenagers, and they can cause similar problems in cats. It just happens to affect the tail instead of the face (although cats can get facial acne as well).

Nicknamed "stud tail" because it used to be thought that it was limited to unneutered male cats, this uncommon condition is now known to affect both male and female cats, including those who have been spayed or neutered. Cats like your Persian, with his long, beautiful coat, can be prone to it, as can Siamese and rex cats. We usually see it in cats who don't do a good job of grooming their tails.

Cats with stud tail need to worry about more than getting a date to the purr-rom. The gunk in those blackheads can plug hair follicles, leading to a bacterial infection (folliculitis). If it gets really bad, the cat can get the feline equivalent of pimples: painful and itchy boils or pustules.

If your cat isn't grooming his tail properly because he's overweight and is having trouble reaching his tail, you need to help him reach a healthy weight through diet and exercise. Talk to your veterinarian about developing a plan that will help him shrink his size.

Sometimes we don't know why stud tail develops. If this is the case, you can try to manage it with wipes, shampoos or topical products that will work to remove debris on the surface of the fur and prevent the hair follicles from becoming plugged. Your veterinarian can recommend some antiseborrheic products that will be safe for your cat. Cats with bacterial folliculitis may need a course of antibiotics to resolve the problem. Keep the tail area clean so the problem doesn't recur. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Salmonella infections

linked to pig ears

-- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating a suspected link between pig ear treats and human cases of salmonellosis. According to the CDC, 45 cases of humans infected with salmonella have been reported in 13 states, with 12 people hospitalized. Of the people interviewed so far, 17 of 24 (71%) reported contact with pig ear dog treats or with dogs who were fed pig ear dog treats. Pet Supplies Plus is recalling bulk pig ears distributed to stores in 33 states. Prepackaged pig ears are not included in the recall. Consumers who purchased the pig ears should return them to the retailer for a refund. The CDC recommends using hot, soapy water to wash containers, shelves or other areas where recalled pig ears were stored.

-- Earthquakes, tornadoes, floods -- whatever natural disaster is common in your area, be sure pets are as well prepared as other family members. Pack a go-bag for them that includes a week’s supply of food, fresh water, medication, vaccination records and pet health insurance policies. Include a recent photo of each pet in case you become separated from them, and update your contact info with microchip or tattoo registration organizations.

-- Researchers in Finland surveyed owners of 5,726 cats from 40 breeds and found differences in social interactions, activity level, shyness toward strangers and novel objects, and other behaviors. Behavior traits studied were moderately or highly heritable, and personality factors such as extraversion, fearfulness and aggression were often correlated to the cat’s phenotype (appearance) and genetics. Some behaviors are selected for by cat breeders. Others may hitch a ride with a gene for fur or eye color. The largest differences in behavior were observed in activity level and the smallest in stereotypical behaviors, such as wool sucking. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.