Bleeding and Bruising in Dogs

Violent sneezing can result in minor nosebleeds. If not, the more serious cause of a bloody nasal discharge is a fungal infection or even cancer. Alternately your pets nasal bleeding may indicate a wider bleeding problem all over the body –when you can see bleeding or bruising all over and not just the nose. If the discharge is on from one nostril only, then this could be due to a root abscesses that can later progress to both nostrils.

Nasal tumors

It’s important to try and treat nasal tumors before they grow to cause seizures and other behavioral changes. What’s worse visually is that nasal tumors can distort the face, by breaking through facial bones. But treating a nasal tumor is easier said then done, since they do not respond well to anti-cancer drugs.

In short, you may find bleeding due to a nasal tumor, tricky to treat. This is also because a dog’s nose is built in such a way as to make surgical removal of a tumor from within the nose impossible. As an alternate therapy you should try and put your canine through some radiation therapy to slow nasal tumors. But be warned, you will need to search hard because radiation therapy is only available in lager cities and renowned Veterinary Institutions.

Fungal infections

It could be that your dog is bleeding from the nose due to a fungal infection. If fungal infection is the cause then you should be prepared to let your pet go through months of treatment on anti-fungal drugs. A cat that has fungal infection in the nose, should be tested for ‘feline leukemia virus.’

Nasal discharge can be bloody, thick and green or a cloudy gray. It can also flow from one or both nostrils depending on the reason for the discharge.

Allergies

Most allergies are seasonal. A pet that sneezes too much and has a clear nasal discharge must be suffering from an allergy. There may also be some bruising and bleeding due to excessive scratching, rubbing of the face and paw licking, all of which also results in hair loss. The nasal discharge in such cases will be evident from both nostrils and is irregular.

The most common causes of a bloody nasal discharge are:

• Nasal cancer
• Foreign materials like grass inhaled in to the nose that can aggravate your dog to sneeze and paw the nose
• Infection of roots of the upper teeth
• Due to fungal infection

Bruising and bleeding in and around the nose can also be due to nasal mites in addition to the above causes. Usually drugs that kill nasal mites can take adequate care of the problem. Tooth infections at the roots can also puncture the nasal passage. You may require dental cleaning to treat your pet’s teeth; and you may need to extract the tooth if this treatment does not help.

Nasal mites

Nasal mites are small tiny bugs that aggravate a nasal discharge and sneezing. The mostly clear discharge will flow from both the nostrils. If you examine the sore nose area carefully, you will notice tiny white and tan spots around the nostrils-that are actually nasal mites.

Removal of the ovaries and uterus-also known as ‘Ovariohysterectomy’ is carried out through a cut in the tummy. There is a greater chance that your canine will bleed and bruise if she is on the heavier side. On the brighter side, this major surgery is performed regularly with hardly any complications.

Spay timing

Your vet will spay your canine after she has completed nine months of age. Most vets like to wait till the first mating season before spaying so that your canine gets the taste of mother-hood. The best time to spay is between two mating seasons after nine months of age. Keep in mind that spaying a dog of increasing age also increases the risk

Healing time

It may take a few weeks before your canine can recover her health after the surgery. Usually the sutures should be removed seven to ten days after surgery.

The cost of this surgery can vary anywhere from $ 140 to $ 500

There is a small chance that your pet could have problems of hemorrhage in the surgical skin after you spay her, but compared to the up side, it is worth taking that risk. Spaying your pet can save her from Pyometra- a fatal life threatening uterine infection.

Make sure that you spay your pet early in life; as this can save her from mammary cancer later in her life. A spayed canine will stop bleeding during the mating season, and will also loose interest in the act of mating or in producing false pregnancies.

Spaying your canine could induce an increased docility and tendency to put on weight. Spaying sometimes leads to urine incontinence if performed very early but this is still rare.

There is an entire range of anesthetics out there that are used for sedation before spaying. It is best that you have a preliminary discussion with your vet since different anesthetics carry different levels of safety and recovery periods.

Before spaying, your canine will need some pre-medication and sedation. The pre-medication consists of an introductory injection on the front leg after clipping the hair. Once your pet looses consciousness, gas will be emitted in to your pet’s windpipe through a tube. This may result in a cough and minor bleeding. You should also find out which painkillers were given to your dog when he was operated.

Since complications like haemorrhage into the empty scrotum can occur- castration or removal of the testicles is also accompanied by removal of the scrotum. The surgery is carried out via an incision in the area in front of the scrotum. It will take your dog a day or two to recovery and the sutures will be removed a few weeks later.

The best time to operate

The best age for castration of your pet is when he is over nine months.

Bruises on either side of the penis

This may be difficult to see without a close haircut. The best treatment for the bruises to subside is pure Aloe Vera gel. It works miracles when it comes to healing the skin and it is will not prove harmful to your dog if he decides to lick it up. There is nothing like Aloe Vera to soothe the skin.

You can also apply ‘Witch Hazel’ on the tender skin to soothe it down. It’s best to apply both Aloe Vera and Witch Hazel once every two hours for 48 hours. If your pet does not improve after this treatment and becomes, listless, then you need to take him to a vet.

Is your dog’s penis discolored?

Sometimes you may find that your dog’s penis is discolored from the scrotum to the tip. This is a bruise that can prove painful, even if your dog does not display any signs of urinating painfully.

Sometimes it can just be ‘discolored areas’ due to excessive licking—(in the same way, the paws can also turn a reddish brown color when licked too much.)

There can be many health benefits to spaying your dog; but the down side is that it can be more dangerous to spay a dog then a cat.

Castration lessens the risk of prostate diseases that aggravates pain and urinary problems later in life, including tumors in the testicles. You may be pleasantly surprised by the change in your dog’s temperament after the operation. He will be less likely to fight with other males and chase the females. This will put your dog less at risk for severe injury. Your dog will also become quieter and fatter.

“In order to keep a true perspective of one’s importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him.”
— Dereke Bruce

Your dog can bruise and bleed from different body parts and this is an indication of the kind of malady your dog or pet has. In this chapter we will look at injury to the penis, nose, ear and skin.

TRAUMA TO THE PENIS

Your dog can injure his penis while jumping over an obstacle or while fighting with other dogs. During a lifetime, a dog can injure this delicate area quite often, especially during the mating season. The most usual injuries vary from chronic bruising to lacerations. If you own a male cat, on the other hand, you will not need to worry about such an injury.

Prevention better then cure

There are a number of steps you can take to see that your canine is protected from penile trauma such as –

1. Since the worst injuries occur during the mating season, neutering your dog will minimize his desire to get involved in fights by reducing the urge to mate
2. Never try to pull apart a male who is ‘tied’ to a female, since it can lead to severe penile trauma.
3. Only allow your pet to roam outside when necessary, in order to decrease the risk of penile trauma due to automobile accidents.

If you suspect any penile trauma, you need to immediately get it treated by a good vet and follow this up with proper care at home to ensure a complete recovery.

Diagnosing penile trauma

Penile trauma usually shows signs of bruising, bleeding and swelling. Penile trauma can also result in damage to the urethra, which runs through this part of the body. Once the extent of injury is diagnosed -after taking account of the recent history of the penile trauma –you can arrive at the most appropriate treatment.

Diagnosing damage to the urethra

Your dog may require sedation before your vet can carry out the examination and diagnose the extent of trauma.

• A urinary catheter can be used to assess the extent of damage to the urethra, if any
• After injecting a medical dye into the catheter it is easy to see swellings and tares that have damaged the urethra.
• You will also need to take x-rays of the penile region as well as the urinary bladder

Tips for penile trauma

If the penile trauma is less serious, home care can offer the right solution. This would include cleaning of the penis with a topical disinfectant that is recommended by your vet.

More serious trauma to the penile area however should not be dealt with at home. You will require the some timely veterinary assistance instead.

Treating penile trauma

The treatment varies according to the kind and extent of damage. The best treatments for bruising and swelling due to penile trauma- as well as extended injury to the urinary system- are anti-inflammatory medications. Your vet may need to resort to suturing or surgery in case there are any lacerations of the penis. Antibiotics can also be used for any infections on or around the penis area.

Warning!

On no account should you delay the onset of treatment as it can result in gangrene and in severe cases even amputation of the penis.

Follow up treatment

You need to follow up your vet’s treatment with adequate home care to see that the injury heals completely. Home care of the healing penis is crucial. You will need to extrude the penis at least twice daily from its penile sheath, to apply medication where needed and to examine the progress of healing. Your vet can demonstrate how best to extract the penis from its protective tissue.

Protect your pet from penile trauma by ensuring that your pet keeps well away from mating activities- (since erections delay the healing process while creating further injury.) It’s a good idea to use an Elizabethan collar to prevent any excessive chewing or licking of the area.

Through out the healing process you will also need to keep an eye open for any blood that is being passed out, along with the urine. You can expect some minor bleeding but take your dog to the vet if it persists.

Source:http://www.petplace.com/dogs/trauma-to-the-penis-prepuce/page1.aspx

1. The dog is not allowed in the house!
2. Okay, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
3. The dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.
4. The dog can get on the OLD furniture only.
5.  Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to
sleep with the humans on the bed.
6.  All right, the dog is allowed on the bed, but ONLY by invitation.
7.  The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but NOT under
the covers.
8.  The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation ONLY.
9.  The dog can sleep under the covers every night.
10. Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the
dog.

If your dog is suffering from bloody diarrhea, dehydration and depression as well as vomiting, it could be due to a condition called ‘hemorrhagic gastroenteritis’ (HGE) a condition that can get very bad, very fast.

HGE is a disease that is more likely to hit smaller breeds but it can occur in any dog. While no one knows the precise reason for HGE , Clostridium species bacteria may be a prime suspect. What’s worse there is always a chance of getting re-infected.

Treatment and cure

Your pet should respond well to fluids to restore hydration. Your vet may also give your dog some plasma to replenish lost proteins, as well as antibiotics to ward of the Clostridium infection. Your vet may also need to administer fast acting cortisones to counter shock, which is common in dogs that are getting rapidly dehydrated.

It would be a good idea to restrict food and water from the mouth for two days when treating this problem. This is why it becomes necessary to hospitalize your dog if he gets this infection.