what could cause this? -sick dog?

[samy23]

A friend looked after our dog for a couple days, when I got her back she vomitted several times the next day and did not eat, wasn't herself. Then after 2 days she is being playful again, is drinking plenty of water, hasn't been sick again, but is still not eating as much as usual, and she just did her first poop since being back home and it had a substantial amount of blood in the first part of it.

I don't know if I should be worried or not, as although the blood in her stool can't be a good sign, she HAS stopped vomitting, is drinking well, and is being quite playful.

Advice/thoughts?

ETA -the friend who looked after her also had a dog and cat. All are fully vaccinated, upto date on flea and worm treatments, including mine.

[Ola_]

Some dogs get digestive upset when stressed, like being in a new place, especially when you're not there. One of my dogs would definitely have runny stools in the situation you describe.

Was the poop solid or runny? A little blood is normal when the intestinal lining is irritated, this would normally be accompanied by soft/runny stools and you may see some "jelly like" mucous in there as well. All signs of irritation. But if there is a lot of blood then you may want to check with your vet.

What was she eating at your friend's house? Did she get any new foods or treats?

[somegirl99]

Even if she wasn't intentionally given any new food or treats, keep in mind that many dogs find the kitty litter box quite tasty.

[angie7]

I agree that the blood in the stool would not alarm me if it happened just a few times but if it's constant and the stool itself is black or has black specks (blood) in it, that would concern me. One of my Danes always had bright red blood in the beginning of a bowel movement. I would just keep a close eye on her for a few days. She was probably just highly stressed out and her belly is just now recovering.

[samy23]

Thanks for the advice, I was quite worried! She has been totally fine today and no more blood

[libba]

You can avoid this by giving her a pepcid for a couple of days prior to boarding and during the time you are gone! My dog does this!

[lifeguard]

Sounds normal for my girl anytime there is stress or a change in her routine.