Are Dog nosebleeds normal?

[kpsbs]

My beloved Pit bull in the night suffered a nose bleed on her left side. I have never known a dog to have a nose bleed and wonder if it is a normal occurance in something such as dryness or could it be contributed by something else. I cleaned her up and she went right back to sleep no problem, any suggesstions?

[mummummum]

I hesitate to post this because it sounds sooooo scary. I found this on Dog Info - hopefully someone with a dog who has had a singlenosebleed like yours will respond. Please bear in mind that the vet is answering a question regarding a dog who has ALOT of nosebleeds.

"Nosebleeds can occur for a lot of reasons. In older dogs a major concern would be nasal tumors or nasal infections. Tumors can be pretty hard to find even with endoscopy and X-rays in some cases but the tests for this make it less likely. In any age dog bleeding disorders need to be considered when nosebleeds occur. Ehrlichia canis, immune mediated thrombocytopenia, immune mediated hemolytic anemia and other causes of bleeding should all be considered. In older dogs a fairly common cause of bleeding disorders is hemangiosarcoma, a type of tumor. Heartworms can cause nosebleeds in the later stages of the disease. Sorting through all these possibilities will require
additional testing. It can be difficult and take several tries to identify the cause of bleeding disorders. Mike Richards, DVM "

Like I said - pretty scary. None of my dogs have had a nosebleed but, I imagine if one of them conked their nose hard on something... or perhaps it could happen if the house was extremely dry - but, then wouldn't you notice your pups' nostrils being very dry and increased drinking? Hopefully it will be a one-time thing but, I would definitely head to the Vet if it happened again.

[dolphinmed]

hmmmmm,
i have a 10 yr old golden with a nose bleed now, but alot worse...we woke up this morning with blood EVERYWHERE..she is bleeding out of her left side and if she coughs or sneezes there are huge blood clots that come out...went to the vet this morning and they are still have no clue why she is bleeding..lungs sound good and they blood test that they did do came back negative...they did take blood from her juggler and sent that off. they sent me home an IV and she got two bags tonight and goes back in the morning.

has anyone had this happen to their dog? she doesnt seem in pain, but thats a golden for you. im staying up with her tonight just so she knows she isnt alone. she also has alot of bruising on her body, major of it is on her belly, but she has spots everywhere which makes me believe that she has internal bleeding....any help or suggestions you have would be GREAT!!
keep my sady rose in everyones thoughts....

[fosterpat]

Good morning dolphinmed, just read your post and I think I know what your dog has. Sounds like VonWillebrand disease, a blood clotting disorder that affects humans and apparently golden retrievers. We have a ten year old daughter who has this disease and we found it ironic that we adopted a rescued golden retriever who apparently might suffer from the same disorder. She has lots nose bleeds with huge blood clots. When my daughters bleeding gets to severe she is medicated. She also has a lot of bruising and hematoma's. Perhaps this is not what your dog has, but it could be worth it to check it out.
Good Luck!

[puppypwr]

I know this is a year later, but I have the same problem with my siberian that Dolphinmed had with your golden. Just wondering if you were able to find out what was going on, and how your pup was doing? We are, and our vet is, at a loss of why this is happening.

[aveeshkumar]

i have a labrador, 7 years old and his nose bleeds about 3-4 times a year. My vet adavised me that this can also be because of teh og's temperament - my dog is the nervous time who is really scared of thunder, firecrackers etc. his nose bleeds are somewhat correlated to this - but not always. most times, his nose will bleed for a few hours and then stop but a few times it was all nighters.

My vet advised me to CALM the pet down. the first step is to be calm oneself. What I do is get a few towels and clothes. Get his head down horizontal, parallel to the ground (nose slightly UP - just enough to discourage blood from oozing out on account of gravity) dont let the pet get his nose down

Sit against a wall - an ice pack on his head (not his nose) - for that will irritate him. Blood all around especially if the pet sneezes it out, every time it is about to clot - is very discouraging - cool down the pet - AC,fan whatever it takes

the blood does stop - takes a few hours sometime. It really is scary but it has worked for me. Eveytime it happens I get so scared I will lose him but when he gets tired - it stops. So hope this helps somebody out there.....cheers

[mummummum]

Thanks for sharing that tip !

[Blueheeler1]

Our family dog, {Paco de Lucia}, of 15 years started to experience moderate to severe nosebleeds about 2 months ago. We are distraught and I was wondering whether or not with my detailed symptons description anyone could offer any further insight into possible causes.
The bleeding started on a trip to Mexico and began rather abruptly with no warning. His first bleeding incident was a rather extreme one and he lost alot of blood which made me fear that he might experience volume shock due to the quantity of blood loss. Since the first incident it has been reoccuring rather consistantly around once per week. The subsequent bleedings have been less severe with the exception of one other major incident around 10 days ago. With every bleeding he sniffs (or maybe sneezes?) making me suspect some sort of nasal or respiratory inflamation/irritation. I've done some research and I guess the next step is to do a blood analysis to narrow down the possible culprit. He has always been energetic and alert but since the nose bleeds has been quite a bit slower and more lethargic.
I was wondering whether any knowledgeable person would be able to tell me anything more conclusive based on the symptons and frequency of the problem. We would be heartbroken if he needed any sort of invasive surgery as he is very sensitive and is in his later years(although still full of power and life).
Much Obliged,
Blue heeler lover in Colorado

[Purpledomino]

Blueheeler1, I am hoping that you have taken your dog to the vet to get this checked out. This is definately not something to be taken lightly, and considering your dogs age could be very serious. No amount of research or "knowledgeable" person on this forum is an adequate substitute for veterinary care. I wish you and your beloved dog the best of luck.

[Frenchy]

Blueheeler1 , please take your dog to your vet asap. This could be cancer.

[5cripter]

my 81/2 year old yellow lab has been haveing nose bleeds, when it bleeds other than ice, pressure and many many napkins are there any other ways to help the blood clot?

[Bundrenm]

we just lost our beloved St. Bernard after a nose bleed. She was tested for cancer and all blood workups last week. My thoughts are that if your dog is wretching possibly when you are not home, the nose bleed is coming from something much more serious. Maggie died from a spleen tortion at 6 years of age. She may have been wretching when I wasn't home. The only symptom stated. However the nose bleeds occurred last week she was treated with prednisone and antibiotic which caused her to over eat. Be warned everyone with a large dog. Ultra sound that belly. Our loss is so profound words can't measure it.

[hazelrunpack]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Bundrenm You're in my thoughts and prayers.

Maggie

[ScottieDog]

Bundrenm, I am so sorry for your loss. I know that Maggie was very important to you and that you have a very heavy heart. I went through spleen surgery with a beloved little dog, so I understand this is hard for you. Thank you for caring and taking time to share your story and help others.

to you as you grieve for your girl.

Sweet Maggie

[Cody Jarrett]

All I've been reading here has me pretty worried. My 4 year old female border collie mix (Casey) was adopted from the local shelter (it was more like she picked us). Since she was 6 months old she's had bouts of hacking and reverse sneezing. She was scoped a few years ago and nothing was found.

She recently spent a few days in the hospital after she threw up with some small specs of blood in it. The vet found her pancreas levels to be extremely high. She was given IV nutirition and after a few days the blood work was normal. Since coming home I've noticed a fatty tumor on her right shoulder blade and a harder lump on her left hip.

She has also had nasal discharge since coming home. At first it was just a little runny but tonight she has a tint of blood in it. She's happy and acting normal. Tomorrow I'm taking her back to the vet. These threads have us quite worried. Could she be developing tumors?

[jcaunedo]

my dog developed his first nosebleed tonight and I instantly thought cancer. Sadly it looks like my feelings were right. Going to take him to the vet first thing in the morning. I really hope i am wrong. How long do the nosebleeds last? I have been cleaning up after my poor baby for almost an hour now. I really need him to be OK.

[hazelrunpack]

Have you tried cool compresses, jcaunedo? Sometimes they can really help.

There are other causes for nosebleeds--grass awns in the nasal passages, trauma (one of ours had a nosebleed after running into the gate on the deck ), allergies, etc. So try to stay positive and see what the vet says

the bleeding has stopped and you get good news from the vet. Please let us know what you find out.

[jcaunedo]

its still dangerous but not the big C. I feel so fortunate that i get to have more time w/ my baby.

[hazelrunpack]

Ehrlichia!! (Never thought I'd be cheering for ehrlichiosis )

for a complete recovery! Give him a big hug for me.

[jcaunedo]

here is an update on Jackson - one of his blue eyes turned green and the vet never really examined it too much and today he seems to blind in that eye.

[hazelrunpack]

Have you talked to the vet about it? How are the rest of Jackson's symptoms?

[jcaunedo]

He passed away 3 months after his nosebleed. The vet said he had kidney and liver failure that could be from prednisone or maybe cancer....

[hazelrunpack]

omg, I'm so sorry, jcaunedo!

Jackson

[jcaunedo]

thank you so much for this forum

[tina_rita]

my dog is a mongrel. her nose bled last Nov 27 (it was an all-nighter), then again last December 5 (another all-nighter), last December 9 and 10. Her nose bleeds everytime she sneezes really hard or bumps her nose hard. Her nose has always been like this. She's 8 years old now. I brought her to the vet last November 27 and the vet gave her a shot (i don't know what it is) to stop the bleeding and some vitamin B-Complex for the blood loss. Last December 9, another vet prescribed antibiotics, hemostan capsule (to induce blood clotting), corticosteroid and dextrose powder (i think for the fluid loss). I am giving her the antibiotics and the dextrose and i gave her 1 capsule of hemostan but i didn't give her the corticosteroid because i don't want her kidneys/liver to overwork. the vets here in my country don't seem to know what they are doing. i don't know where i can find good vets.

right now the bleeding has stopped. she's quite pale. any suggestions as to what i can feed her to help her body replace the blood she has lost?

[AKALynzie]

I was giving my dog a bath a month ago and he sneezed out the smallest bit of blood. At that moment I thought about how he started snoring a few months ago. I instantly knew something was wrong and I feared the worst. Tyson is an English Bull Trerrier and he is 10.
The Vet looked alarmed when I told him it was one nostril and immediatly sent me to a specialist. Tyson had a cat scan that showed a mass in his nasal cavity that was growing into the bone (never good) and a biopsy that showed a chronic Rhinitus. NEVER EVER take a nose bleed lightly! It could be as simple as a dental problem or as severe as Cancer.
Tyson is my best friend and I love him more than I could possibly express. It kills me to say they want to treat it as cancer and the prognosis does not look good.....
The nose bleeds are still not to bad but now he is starting to have reverse sneeze and gagging episodes. Its heartbreaking....

[BAWOOD]

We rescued our dog several weeks ago. He had been abandoned by his old family and left on the streets to fend for himself. We took him to the vet and he treated some wounds with antibiotics, but other than being very skinny and frightened, we thought he was okay. We think he's roughly five years old.

This morning when we woke up, we found that his nose had been bleeding. it comes and goes sporadically out of his left nostril.. I've read all your posts and am quite terrified.!!!

He also has a slight cold, but hasnt sneezed too much, and isn't eating well, at all.

Should we still take him out for his walks?? or does he just need to rest?

Do any of these symptoms sound familiar?? We cant take him to the vets until tomorrow He hasn't been with us very long but we adore him and need him to be better.

Thanks guys x

[hazelrunpack]

BAWOOD, I think it's safe to wait till tomorrow for the vet visit as long as the bleeding isn't very heavy or constant. Although it's a scary thing, it doesn't necessarily always mean cancer. If your dog enjoys sniffing in long grass, it could be a grass awn stuck in the nasal passages, which the vet might be able to flush out with saline. Some of the tick diseases around here can lower platelet levels, which can also cause nasal bleeding.

But first and foremost, you do need to consult a vet and see what's going on with Woody. I hope the vet gives you some good news!

[ONDO2662]

We woke up Saturday morning to find my 10yr old pitbull had been bleeding from the nose. It didn't seem severe until later that evening when he sneezed and a large blood clot came out and blood shot everywhere. His nose continued to bleed through the night. Early Sunday we took him to the emergency clinic where they did blood test and gave him a herbal med to stop the bleeding. We were told it was either tumor or fungal infection and to take him to our vet for more testing, which we did today. We expected to have a biopsy done, but were told the risk of the bleeding starting again was high and they would have no way of stopping it. If we took him to the University of Madison they'd have a better chance of stopping the bleeding there. We were also told he has a heart murmur and that the risk of putting him under was something to consider. Indo seems his normal self and doesn't seem to be in any pain. The herbal med is working as a temperary fix. I feel like the test themselves may take his life. If he was showing pain I feel my choice would be easier, but I feel like my next action could be what takes his life. I'm lost and I don't know what to do.

[Frenchy]

I'm so sorry ONDO2662 you are right , sometimes just the tests , biopsies , can be hard on them.

But about the heart murmur , always depend on the grade of it. When it's low , there's not much danger for your pet.

I wish I could help more