Question from Sharon Harris:
My dog aged 10 has on a couple of times been weeing blood he does one long one which is ok then just walks round weeing bits but that’s when the blood starts he is wanting to go out more often than he usually does ,drinking more still eating and his usual self but have noticed a lump that is inside lower stomach but has lumps all over his body but many wiems have these lumps could it be infection or something more
Answer from Shanika Winters:
Hi Sharon, thank you for your question regarding your 10 year old dog who is passing blood in his urine (wee) this symptom is called Haematuria. It sounds like your dog is still bright and happy in himself, it is possible that his haematuria is due to an infection but can also be related to bladder disease, kidney disease or prostate disease. It is really important to get your dog examined by your vet as soon as possible.
What will happen when I take my dog to the vet?
Your vet will ask a lot of questions to form a history of what is going on with your dog, including drinking and urinating habits which you have already listed in your question. It is very helpful to bring in a urine sample in a clean container when the condition relates to the urine. It can be tricky to catch a urine sample from your dog, especially if they prefer to wee when off the lead but a clean bowl and some perseverance should eventually mean you can get a sample. Your vet can collect a sample by passing a urinary catheter (long thin soft plastic tube placed into the bladder) but this can be uncomfortable and may require sedation/hospitalisation for your dog.
Your vet will also take into consideration whether or not your pet has been neutered(castrated) as in older male dogs the influence of sex hormones(produced by the testicles) can affect the prostate gland which can lead to haematuria. The prostate gland is found in male dogs around the neck of the bladder and it produces various secretions which go into semen (the liquid sperm is in). The prostate gland is usually small and inactive in neutered male dogs, but in entire male dogs the prostate can become enlarged, infected and or cancerous. Many of the diseases of the prostate gland can lead to haematuria. Your vet can often feel the shape and size of your dog’s prostate gland by examining your dog internally and externally.
The kidneys are the organ which actually produces urine, your dog has two and they filter his blood to remove toxins and waste products which are then lost in the urine. So haematuria could be blood coming from the kidneys either due to infection, kidney stones or cancerous changes in the kidneys or the tubing from the kidneys to the bladder (the ureters).
The bladder is a stretchy bag made of muscle and lined with a delicate membrane (layer) which stores the urine produced by the kidneys and empties out through a tube called the urethra. Haematuria could be blood from the bladder or urethra due to infection, stones, polyps, trauma (accidents) or cancerous changes.
Your vet will thoroughly examine your dog paying extra attention to the back end of the abdomen, will also check your dog’s penis and likely examine your dog internally (via his bottom). This helps to give information about the kidneys, bladder and prostate gland.
What will happen to the urine sample?
The first thing your vet will do is look at the colour of the urine sample, this may or may not show visible blood, sometime only tiny traces of blood are present in the urine sample and can be picked up on a dip stick. A urine dip stick is a card strip that has lots of little coloured patches on it; they each detect different chemicals and substances in the urine and give a quick result. Most veterinary practices can also examine urine samples under the microscope to look for unusual cells and or crystals. If the result and rest of your dog’s examination suggests infection then your vet may suggest trying a course of antibiotics. If however your vet thinks there may be more going on a carefully collected urine sample may be sent for laboratory analysis which involves culture and sensitivity, this looks at what bacteria are present and which antibiotics are likely to work on them.
What further test might my dog need?
Your vet may suggest blood tests to check that your pet has not lost too much blood, how its general health is and how well its body organs are functioning. Blood tests do not always show up a lot of changes but this still gives us information as to how your dog is.
X-rays may be taken conscious or under sedation or general anaesthesia, this gives a picture of what is happening inside of your dog, in the case of the bladder and prostate gland we sometimes add a contrast (chemical or air) to help show up details of the tubing and bladder lining.
Ultra sound scans are another way of looking more closely at what is happening inside your dog, in order for these to be performed an area of fur will be clipped away, the skin cleaned and then a gel placed onto it to help p the ultrasound probe to make good contact and pick up details. Ultrasound scans can be particularly useful for looking at the kidneys and bladder.
What possible treatments might my dog need?
The exact treatment your dog has will depend on what disease process is found in in what part of your dog it is.
Urine tract infection:
This is usually treated with a course of antibiotics and repeat urine samples tested to see when the infection has cleared.
Bladder stones/urine crystals:
Bladder growths/polyps:
These can be surgically removed and analysed to give an idea of they are likely to return or cause further problems.
Kidney infection:
This is usually treated by intensive antibiotics along with intra venous fluid therapy (drip line into your dog) to help keep the kidneys flushed through and functioning.
Kidney growth/abnormalities:
If the growth is cancerous and might spread then the kidney might be surgically removed. If the kidney is diseased e.g. polycystic then it will be left in place and your dog given medications and diets to help preserve what is left of its kidney function.
Prostate enlargement/growths:
If your dog is entire then surgical or chemical castration might be advised along with surgery to de bulk the growth if appropriate.
I hope that my answer has helped you to understand how complex something as simple as blood in the urine can be. Hopefully with your vets help, your dog will be on his road to recovery soon.
Shanika Winters MRCVS (Online vet)
If you have any worries about your pet, please make an appointment with your vet, or try our Symptom Guide.
Discussion
My male dog bleeding from penis since 3months and yesterday he urine bloody
hen he definitely needs veterinary attention – there might be a simple cause e.g. trauma, but whatever’s going on, it needs assessing and treatment.
My friends elderly dog has a blotted stomach and when she urinates there’s blood in it she doesn’t want to eat her dog food and doesn’t eat the freshly prepared food. My friend doesn’t know how old she is my friend got her as a young adult dog. What can my friend do for the dog
OK, she needs veterinary attention: bloating and blood int he urine don’t usually go together, but there are a couple of very serious conditions that could cause both, so definitely time for a vet as soon as possible!
Hello, My female bitch, has been urinating ok, colour ok, doesn’t have a strong smell, is eating as normal (does have home cooked food as is quite allergic to some foods) did go out to the loo almost two weeks ago, needing to pee passed like a tiny spot of blood, and wanted to go out for a wee a further 3 times and hardly passed any with a spot of blood within it. the following morning pee’d as normal, did the same two nights ago and is now normal again!? not drinking any more than normal (doesn’t drink allot) eating food etc.
It sounds like there might be a grumbly UTI there; I’d suggest getting a urine sample tested at the vets and see if there’s any issues.
I have a small breed dog is she’s 2weeks pregnant now and her pee has blood is it normal?
No, not really – I’d strongly recommend a vet check ASAP!
14 year old female lab. Urine is strong and dark w a lot of blood. She is panting heavily and sleeps a lot. Hind also seem to be going lame.
OK, she needs a vet ASAP – get her seen as soon as you can.
My 12 year old dog is peeing alot and has blood in his pee. The past 24 hrs it seems like he is struggling to pee. He seems more tired than usual
OK, I’d very strongly recommend a fairly urgent veterinary exam – blood in a dog’s urine is commonly due to an infection, but it doesn’t usually lead to difficulty urinating; this is more commonly associated with bladder stones (which are an emergency), prostate disease, or a urinary cancer (which need early and aggressive treatment).
my male dog penis was dripping blood he was hutches over standing funny inside he didn’t pee his penis was just sticking out and it was dripping. His penis look like a dark red like it was irritated. He hasn’t been hungry very much.
Hi did you find out what the problem was? My dog keeps doing the same but the vets aren’t doing too much about it. Advised me to get him neutered.
Yes, definitely vet time: this could be a prolapsed urethra, but it may also be a priaprism or paraphimosis, which are medical emergencies.
My 5 year old dog is pregnant and just peed blood I don’t got a vet what do I do
Find a vet and get her seen as soon as you reasonably can!
My female German Shephard mix has been peeing normal clear/yellow urine. But after this initial urination she will squat again sometimes multiple times and discharge a smaller amount of red liquid that I presume to be blood. Symptoms have subsided at the moment, should I be concerned? Wait for symptoms to return or take her to the vet immediately?
It’s most likely to be a urinary tract infection, in which case collecting a sample when she’s having an episode is important. However, if she is entire, it could be associated with her being in season, or even potentially be a sign of a pyometra. So if she’s entire, I’d be inclined to check with your vet sooner rather than later!
I have a 9 year old male neutered dog. Before he was neutered he would pee bloody pee. Dr put him on antibiotics. We got him cleared up and neutered. He’s a month out and has started peeing a bloody pee again.
OK, definitely time to go back to the vet – urinary tract infections and prostate infections can cause these signs (and castration is the most effective treatment for prostate infections in dogs). However, if it’s come back it might be more infection, but there’s also the possibility at that age that there’s a growth of some sort in the bladder, so your vet might want to do some X-rays and scans and try to get to the bottom of it. Good luck!
Hi I have a bitch sprocker , when we got her as a puppy and about a month or so after we noticed her wimping when peeing and tuck her to the vets and had pee samples taken and was crystals in her bladder and was put on royal canine urinary food and went away , and vet say she may have to stay on it for life but could try her later on by weening her on to other food and we did so , and now she’s 5yr and 6mt old not long had a session about a month before Xmas and seen small traces of blood in her wee again but no wimping and wouldn’t of know until I seen little blood on her backend could the be due to her needing spade? or infection in her bladder again ? Av rang the vets and says could try her back on the food and see if it clears up and to make an appointment if doesn’t . Could I get a some information please
If this is abnormal for her there are a number of possibilities. Personally, any entire female dog of her age with any sort of discolouration or discharge, I worry about a pyometra – it probably isn’t, but they can start really subtly and then suddenly go downhill. Other possibilities include a urinary tract infection, as you know, but potentially it could also be the back end of the season – unlikely, but not impossible if she has a split season – or vaginitis. However, without examining her, it’s impossible to say what exactly is going on. If you’re going to try monitoring her at home, I’d strongly advise keep a close eye on her behaviour and if possible her temperature; if she gets a fever, or starts being sick, or starts drinking more than usual, I’d be taking her down for a vet check as soon as possible.
Hello,
I have a 3 month old Chihuahua/ miniature poodle mix puppy. For the last few days she has been peeing lots and noticed blood in her urine. She will see the vet on Wednesday. My question is this, what causes something like this? She likes to lay on her stomach and pulls herself across the grass. Could the be that she has caught an infection/inflammation from something on the lawn? Or is it possible due to being the kind of dog breed that she is? Any advice would greatly be appreciated.
Thank you so much in advance.
Urinary tract infections are very common in female dogs; in most cases, it’s just bad luck as the bacteria around the vulva manage to enter and ascend the urethra into the bladder. Very small breeds may be at slightly higher risk because of the exact conformation of their external genitalia, but also their small size means a shorter urethra and thus more chance that bacteria will penetrate. Her habit of rubbing herself along the grass might also be a factor in disrupting the normal bacterial flora – but not one that is really preventable until she grows out of it! The good news is that it is almost never contagious or spread by infection. Good luck with her!
Hi I have a female Labrador ,6 years old. She was diagnosed with Open pyometra. Then the doctor performed a surgery and removed her uterus and ovaries. She was alright for a while and then again she started bleeding . It is not heavy but drops here and there .. Surgery was done 5 months back. When we checked now doctor said pyometra has reoccurred. And then gave her antibiotics. But her body has become antibiotics resistant. We got to know when the medicine didn’t work using the swap test. Then after few days , the puss kinda blood stopped and now it is like she is on heat which is impossible.Or maybe. I’m trying so hard to save her. Can you please help. I don’t know what else I should do. I’m really stressed for the past 6months . I’m going mad. Please help
I think it’s definitely time for more workup. Stump pyos (more accurately, cervical infections) are uncommon, but hormonal behavioural changes shouldn’t be possible after ovariohysterectomy. Time to have a chat with your vet and see what might be going on!
I have a 10month old puppy..(she is a cross bread.. collie..beagle.. labadoodle
She hasn’t had her first period yet..
Is very active.. loves to play.. and we take her for walks alot.. but my husband noticed when he tool her out that she had blood in her pee..
She doesn’t have issues peeing.. nor does she whimper..
She doesn’t go out more..then she normaly does…
Should I b concerned
Concerned no, but she does need veterinary attention, as this could well be an early urinary tract infection.
Hi. I have a female puppy about 11 months old. I got her about 2 months ago and after a month I noticed that she was peeing in the house and it was dark brown and smelled bad now when she pees there is blood in it and looks like something is hang from her
If it looks like something’s hanging, I’d definitely advise getting a vet check ASAP. This could be a serious infection.
Hi I have a beagle puppy she is 7 months old and she still din get her period ( heat )
Today she had her dinner she was very active and hyper to but all off a sudden she starts to cry while weeing and I found blood in it and she was feeling very uncomfortable idk what happened is it because she’s got her days or she has infection ?
It could be either, but most dogs don’t cry when they’re in season; it sounds more like a urinary infection. She needs a vet for medication – don’t try home remedies, they aren’t very effective in dogs – and they can check to see if she’s developing normally too. That said, I wouldn’t necessarily expect her to have her first season by 7 months given her breed.
Hi i took my dog to vet on the second of dec. They put him on urinary care d/c and zeniquin. He’s not really eating the food. But tonight I woke up and he peed all over himself and the bed and his red part of his private is out and swollen, what’s going on with my dog?
There’s no way to know from that history – but if he has a persistent erection and it doesn’t resolve after a few minutes, that’s an emergency vet visit, as priaprism and paraphimosis are very dangerous.
Our 8 year old daushaund is peeing then drops blood what’s wrong?
There are lots of possibilities, but among the more likely is either a urinary tract infection, or bladder stones. Seek veterinary advice!
I found out Saturday but an emergency vet my Bulldog has a UTI and bladder stones, I am taking her to her regular vet tomorrow afternoon to see what they say and want to do. She is on Bactrim BID since Sunday for her UTI she just started peeing out blood! Is she ok to wait till tomorrow to see the vet or should I seek an emergency vet
If she’s peeing frank blood, we would suggest a phone call to a vet ASAP – it’s likely that it isn’t an emergency, “just” the cystitis, but there are some complications that can be very serious and need urgent assessment.
My 6 week-old puppy is peeing blood and she also has difficulty in peeing. She is also shivering. I don’t know what is happening to her
Call your vet for advice immediately – it’s probably a urinary tract infection but if she’s struggling to urinate and shivering there might be something more serious going on.
I have 3 dogs, a 15 year old bitch, a 8 year old dog and a 1 year old dog. Both males have been castrated as pups to stop spraying which worked but recently the 8 year the old has started peeing on both dogs when they are having a pee and he has started to spray the furniture and curtains in our home . Have you any idea why he is suddenly doing this now when we haven’t had this problem before. The bitch has been having some problems with her bladder, has his anything to do with it.
It is a possibility – it would typically be triggered by social changes, stresses, or other alterations in the scent profile of the house. If your bitch has been unwell, this could tick all of those boxes!
It may well be once she is treated, this behaviour will stop. If not, then you may need to get him checked for underlying disease, and if normal, consider what other changes there have been in the household recently. One factor that may be relevant is the younger pup now reaching adulthood, altering the social dynamics. In that case, it may be necessary to talk to a qualified canine behaviourist (your vet will be able to recommend one).
My female schnauzer is bleeding when she pee
It’s most likely to be a urinary infection, but I would advise a vet checkup anyway – it’s really uncomfortable for them and if not treated can become quite serious.
My male dog is two years old. He’s peeing a lot, sometimes just droplets. He’s eating fine, drinking fine. His energy level is fine, and as far as I can tell he’s not in pain. But I don’t understand why has to use the bathroom so much, even though nothing comes out sometimes.
If he’s trying to urinate and its dribbles or occasionally nothing I think you need to get him checked by a vet – he might have some stones in his bladder, or an infection that’s irritating the bladder or urethra.
Hi my dog is 10 years old n just started bleeding wen she weeping it’s quiet thick what could it b x
There are a lot of possibilities, including trauma or infection to the tear ducts, disease of the tear glands, or damage to the third eyelid or the inside of the other eyelids. I’d strongly suggest a check up – eyes are delicate!
My 20 months old male Golden Retriever, has been urinating blood mixed with urine since last seven days, he took doxycycline antibiotic the last three days, his urine was clear the second day, but again the third day it seemed little amount of blood is again there in his urine, the vet has been giving him revici injection but didnt give it the third day…his blood report showed, he has increased amount of albumin, decreased haemoglobin and platelets, he s not wanting to eat anything and taking a lot of multivitamin supplement everyday, i m very worried…what is this all about, plz help.
I think you need to get to the bottom of what’s causing the bleeding – the most likely is an infection with bacteria that aren’t sensitive to doxycycline, but other possibilities include bladder stones, urinary tumours (although that’s unlikely at his age) or trauma to the kidneys or urinary tract. I think you need to have a chat to your vet and try to determine what the underlying cause is.
Hi there I have a 15 yr old dog he peeing blood again I’ve taken my dog to my vet she
giving him some meds for 10 days his last med was Tuesday but I notice that he’s peeing blood again
OK, give your vets a call – it sounds like the underlying problem wasn’t resolved by the medication and has now flared up again.
My dog had cancer it now has been removed but was warned it might come back which I think it has my dog is 12 yrs old and now she is peeing pure blood I know she’s very ill now but I need some advise what to do as I don’t want to put her through surgery again as she’s to ola
I think she needs urgent veterinary attention. However, it might not be the original problem – it could be something more straightforward like a severe urinary tract infection. However, until your vet examines her, you’re not going to know what’s going on or how best to manage it.
Thank you that’s what I’m going to do
Hi,
My female dog is between 4-5 weeks pregnant but when urinating its all blood, shes seems her usual hyper self but has cut fown on dog food/drink – will only eat human packet of ham and abit of milk – what does this mean?
It might mean a urinary tract infection, or be a sign of a miscarriage. I would advise a check by your vet as soon as possible, to make sure there’s nothing serious going on.
My pug had blood in his urine two weeks ago. I took him to an emergency vet where they examined him and prescribed antibiotics and anti inflammatory medicine. He did not get worse and the blood stopped so we finished the medicine. Tonight, again, he has blood in his urine. Could this be from a dog park? We took him to the same one two weeks ago.
Urinary tract infections aren’t usually caused by bacteria that spread from dog to dog; it’s more common for them to be from “commensal” (or normal) bacteria living around the urethra (in a male dog, within the prepuce) that for some reason are able to ascend the urinary tract into the bladder. The exact causes are very varied, but I think another vet visit would be appropriate – in this case, it’s possible that there’s a drug resistant bacterium, or that the antibiotics didn’t kill all of the bacteria present.
Iv been told my dog has an enlarged prostate and he has been peeing blood he’s had antibiotics twice now and they haven’t worked would having him castrated work
Prostatitis (infection or inflammation of the prostate) usually responds well to castration – removing the testicles prevents the dog from making testosterone; without it, the prostate shrinks down and the infection becomes much more treatable. However, it will of course depend on the exact underlying cause, and that’s something to talk to your vet about.
why my dog is bleeding and i cant go out because of lockdown all shops are closed what can i do now
Call your vet for advice – most vets and animal charities have, responsibly, kept taking telephone consults even if they can’t open the clinics, on animal welfare grounds. Good luck!
My puppy was nuted two weeks ago , constentley liking him self , today found he is bleeding from. His penus, what could be wrong with him !
It could be a number of things, from a urinary infection to a major surgical complication, so we would strongly advise getting him seen by your veterinarian as soon as possible.
My 12 years old mini schnauzer has bladder stones, and we’ve sent her for a blood test (dec) before sending her for cystostomy.
Her blood test result was
Alkaline Phosphatase – 2053
ALT – 222
AST – 67
Gamma GT -10
Kidney Profile
Potassium – 5.9
Bicarbonate – 14
Urea – 54
Vet said it’s not very serious and has only prescribe supplement for the liver. (15 days medication: hepatvite capsule)
Can you advice me on what should I do or look out for?
(FYI, she did a blood test a month ago (nov) and everything was fine.)
Hi Alicia. I’m very sorry, we can’t give clear clinical advice online and without seeing your dog or knowing her history. It’s a good indication that your vet doesn’t seem to be concerned, but if you have further questions or concerns in any way I’d recommend speaking to your vet further. They have all of your dog’s clinical history and blood/urine work, and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
I have a 10 mth old pug who 4 weeks ago was castrated and we’re he was cut on outside it’s healed been discharged from vet but he’s got a blood blisterr on it now for 2days
Hi Janice, it’s probably a good idea to get him checked with the vet or nurse – it’s more than likely fine, but as on a operation site, best to be sure. Please give them a call! Dave RVN.
I have a 10 year old dog he’s got a really big lump in his stomach he is now peeling blood sometimes it’s a lot he’s okay in himself what can I do
Hello Linda, please ring your vets and have your dog checked. Peeing blood means that something is definitely not right… please call your vets now. David RVN – VetHelpDirect
I have a 10 year old dog he’s got a really big lump in his stomach he is now peeling blood sometimes it’s a lot he’s okay in himself what can I do
Hello Linda, please ring your vets and have your dog checked. Peeing blood means that something is definitely not right… please call your vets now. David RVN – VetHelpDirect
My bitch is 50 days pregnant and I have noticed a pink discharge when she wee s is this okay ?
HI Jennifer, it is best to get her checked over with your vet, it could be nothing to worry about, but best checked!
My bitch is 50 days pregnant and I have noticed a pink discharge when she wee s is this okay ?
HI Jennifer, it is best to get her checked over with your vet, it could be nothing to worry about, but best checked!
Omg… I’ve just cleaned my cats wound with tcp.. Then checked if this was ok stupid I know.. I know now it’s toxic for cats I’m really worried please advice me what to do
Why is my puppy peeing,and can’t get at eased
I’m afraid I’m not exactly sure what you’re asking – however, if your puppy showing symptoms then get him or her checked by your vet.
Omg… I’ve just cleaned my cats wound with tcp.. Then checked if this was ok stupid I know.. I know now it’s toxic for cats I’m really worried please advice me what to do