Lately my dog had been having mucous and blood in her stool. The vet has recently put the dog on a prescription diet which has firmed up the st ools to be of normal consistency. However, the blood is still there. The blood is only on the first inch of the stool and is red and jelly-like. The blood is on the surface of the stool only and not mixed through.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Arnie

Yes, well think so your dog has or has had an inflamed lining to its bowel and it is still bleeding a little when he passes a stool, the mucous is also a protective measure by the body to protect the healing lining. Would not worry it should clear up given time but if it becomes worse or you are worried then see your vet again.

The dog has been on the new food for a week now and blood still there.
Any idea how long the blood should take to clear up as it doesnt seem to be reducing.

Thanks

this happened to one of my dogs a while ago ... the vet put him on prescription diet tinned variety he also gave tree bark powder and http://www.animalmedicines.co.uk/search_results.asp?search_type=free_any&search=fortiflora&gclid=CMiTlpPTxq0CFSFItAodFUFmhQ (can be bought from vet as single sachets)

My dog was on this diet for a week but it did correct itself within days , I then changed his food and he was fine, so I would go back to the vet if it is still worrying you

All ways contact your vet if you are worried, we can't see your dog and we can't give veterinary advice only speak from our experience.

I would be weaning my dog back onto its normal food and not worrying able the mucus and blood smear but if you are worried then see the vet, there is no way we can tell how long this may go on but if the dogs stools are just smeared and he is not passing blood or lumps of congealed blood the problem would not bother me unless it continues for about 3 weeks.

> and blood still there.
>

This doesnt sound good to me. Has the vet done any blood tests?
I had a dog doing this & it wasnt good news!!!!

Suppose there could be an infection in the anal glad but would still think it is the lining of the rectum and by the sound of it only the very end, but don't worry see the vet. Smears on the outside of the stool mixed with mucus is common after a bout of diarrhoea.

Well i was back at the vets tonight to get the anal glands squeezed out.
She pooped when we got home afterwards and there was no blood in poop tonight :-)
Maybe had something to do with the glands.
Vet said he thinks she has either burst some vessels in the rectum or torn tissue and its not getting any chance to heal since she poops twice a day.
He told me i shouldnt worry because he doesnt think its anything serious or worth knocking her out for an endoscopy.
She has had blood in her poop on and off for around a year but vets have never seemed worried about it and she is not ill at all.
I just find it weird that she had the glands cleared tonight then suddenly there was no blood on the poop...i will just keep an eye on her poop. Maybe when the glands get too full (they dont seem to be clearing on their own) she is tearing the tissue trying to push the poop out due to the glands having increased in size. I dont know but its a bit of a relief to see no blood tonight.
Thanks for your input everyone.
I know blood can be a bad and serious sign but vet since 99% of cases its absolutely nothing to worry about.

Trying not to be indelicate, if the anal gland is swollen it will push against the stool as it passes and as the walls of the distended glands will be stretched and thin it is likely that a small capillary will be broken and bleed, this bleeding may not be noticed at that evacuation but will show with the next. As I say it will clear and is not a problem it happens to all mammals but in most cases it is not noticed. This is even more likely if the dog has bone in the diet as any small fragment with scratch the walls of the rectum.

Lexy...did yur dog have blood throughout the stool, smeared on the stool or just smeared on the first bit of stool that comes out.
I would be very worried if the blood was mixed through the stool or smeared all over the stool but its only smeared on the first CM or 2 that comes out.
There has been blood on stools again today but a reduced amount from previous. Im not sure, will just have to keep an eye on it.
The dog aint ill and has been having this on and off for months. Im sure if it was something serious she would have gone downhill by now and at least showing signs of illness/lethargy.

It was over 12 years ago, so memory aint what it was but her blood platelets were low & kept going into remission & was diagnosed with a form of Leukaemia.....it was not pleasent for either her or me & I had to make a decision to stop further suffering.