Spot of Blood After Dog Cough / Hack

Hi Nicole,
A cracker should not have ‘scratched’ the esophagus. Could Saebra have eaten something else? Any access to rat poison? A Beagle/Boston Terrier mix is quite the combination for getting into mischief. There is no telling what she may have swallowed!

If there is an esophageal injury, and IF it is only superficial, then it should be healed in 3 days. Your plan of feeding easy-to-digest meals is good. Although, there are some other possibilities that need to be ruled out:

1. Bad dog teeth, with gingivitis and inflammation of the tonsils/pharynx area, so blood is coming from the throat.
2. Stomach ulcer, so blood is coming from the stomach.
3. Thrombocytopenia, an autoimmune disease which causes a loss of platelets so the body is unable to clot, therefore bleeding can occur from any mucous membrane.
4. Rat poison, causes hemorrhage by inhibiting the clotting mechanism.
5. Foreign body in the esophagus, creating an ulcer.

If you notice that her gums are pale or white, take her to the Emergency clinic IMMEDIATELY!

Also, you need to observe if her stool is a black color (This indicates there is bleeding somewhere in the upper GI tract).

In the meantime, if you do take her in for an exam, a full blood panel will show if she has adequate platelets, or if she is anemic or any other problems.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Related Pages:
– Why Does My Dog Cough?
– Dog Dental Hygiene
– Ask a Vet Online Library – Dog Cough Section
– Ask a Vet Online Library – Dog Mouth, Teeth, Tongue & Gums Section

She is a good bit of mischief. 🙂 She could’ve gotten hold of something else, she likes to chew. She has no access to rat poison. Her gums are pink and her stool is a normal color and consistency – less of it the last day because I’ve given her less to eat.

The harsh cough went away and there was no more blood after Wednesday night. I’m keeping her on soft food for a few more days and keeping a hawk eye on her till I’m sure.

Hi Nicole,
Excellent! It sounds like she is on the road to recovery at this point. Once you have returned back to a ‘normal’ healthy diet, if her stool starts to show any black color, or tarry consistency, it may indicate there is some bleeding still occurring in her upper GI.

And I would advise having her checked out, and perhaps even an x-ray of her stomach to rule out a foreign body.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.