Blood In Jack Russell Terrier Stool

by Lori N
(Baltimore, Maryland)

Reader Question: Jack Russell Terrier Bloody Stool

Since he was about two- he has had occasional runny bloody stool. He’s been checked and they cannot find anything wrong- this lasts for maybe a half day- then with some ground beef and rice it goes right back to normal. He just turned 12! Any clues?

Lori N.

Vet Suggestions For Treating Bloody Canine Stool

Hi Lori,

It’s hard to say what might be going on with Moose without more information. Are his bouts with diarrhea associated with eating something unusual? Some dogs have very sensitive gastrointestinal tracts and the smallest deviations from what they normally eat will throw them out of whack. Or, are these episodes associated with stressful events for him? Stress-induced colitis is not uncommon in dogs and Moose’s symptoms certainly fit with that condition. Whatever the cause, the fact that he returns to normal so quickly and that he has gotten a clean bill of health from your veterinarian should reassure you.

If you want to try to prevent these episodes, I’d recommend you feed him a food designed for dogs with “sensitive stomachs” and really cut back on the treats, table scraps, etc. You can even keep a diary of what you feed him and when he develops diarrhea to see if you can pinpoint a potential cause. Probiotics like Fortiflora and a little extra fiber (e.g., a small amount of psyllium or canned pumpkin added to his food) can also help.

Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM