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Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis in Dogs

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis in Dogs

HGE

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Updated on September 26, 2024

SUMMARY OF CONTENT

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) is a very serious condition affecting dogs. HGE is characterized by a rapid onset of hemorrhagic (bloody) diarrhea in an otherwise normal, healthy dog. HGE is also widely referred to as acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (AHDS).

SEVERITY:

Severity is moderate to severe
  • Time to Cure
    Can resolve with prompt and sufficient medical treatment
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian, often requires hospitalization
  • Prevention Icon
    Daily probiotics, a high-quality diet and avoiding situations that may be stressful may help prevent HGE, however, the cause is not completely known.
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not possible between animals and not possible between animals and humans
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires physical exam, blood testing

VERY COMMON IN

HGE can affect dogs of any breed, gender or age, however many smaller breeds do seem to be more commonly affected.

Symptoms & Signs

Dogs affected with HGE will often have a sudden onset of profuse, bloody diarrhea with a foul odor. Pet parents may also notice vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy and abdominal pain. HGE in dogs often occurs very rapidly and can occur without a change in the dog's diet, environment, or routine. A fever with HGE is uncommon. HGE can affect dogs of any breed, gender or age although younger (2-4 year old) toy and miniature breeds appear to be predisposed; stress and hyperactivity in these breeds may play a role in this syndrome.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will begin with a physical examination of your pet. If HGE is suspected after the physical examination and history, your veterinarian will draw blood and perform a complete blood count (CBC) and often a chemistry panel to check organ function. If your dog’s CBC shows a total red blood cell level (PCV) of 60% or greater, and has all the clinical signs of HGE, a tentative diagnosis of HGE can be made. Additional diagnostics to diagnose HGE may include radiographs, urinalysis, fecal testing or ultrasound.

Causation

HGE may be the result of a pet becoming stressed. This stress could be due to travel, a change in the environment, or a change in diet. Some pets have more sensitive gastrointestinal tracts and stress can induce changes in the flora of their system. This change can allow bacteria to overgrow. An overgrowth of the bacterium *Clostridium perfringens* and the toxins produced by this organism have been implicated. The actual cause of this syndrome is unproven and unknown.

Treatments

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AT-HOME CARE

A high quality, gastrointestinal diet can help dogs with HGE recover more rapidly, and may be recommended by your veterinarian. A probiotic may also be recommended by your veterinarian.
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SUPPORTIVE CARE

Dependent on how severe the HGE is, pets may need to be hospitalized to receive IV fluids to help keep them hydrated while they recover.
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MEDICATIONS

Antibiotics may be needed to combat a possible *C. perfringens* infection or other bacterial infection. These include antibiotics like metronidazole and amoxicillin. Antiemetics (drugs to decrease vomiting) may be indicated. These include medications like maropitant and famotidine. Depending on severity, your veterinarian may also prescribe a medication to help control pain and discomfort. While many medications are often administered for ‘off-label’ or 'extra-label' use in veterinary medicine, it is important to know that off- or extra- label use of a medication can only be done by a veterinarian when there are no other more appropriate medications for a particular pet's circumstances. Your veterinarian must also know all vitamins, supplements, medications etc. your pet is taking to help avoid complications. You must also be sure to follow all instructions provided by your vet carefully and consult your veterinarian with any questions or concerns if they arise.
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SPECIALISTS

Your pet may be referred to a veterinary internist for treatment in severe or complicated cases.

Cost Of Treatment

The cost of veterinary treatment can vary widely for various reasons, however, HGE requires immediate attention which can mean a visit to the nearest veterinary ER. Treatment costs can range between $500 and $2000 or more depending on the severity of the condition, size of the patient and whether or not hospitalization is required.

Recovery

The prognosis for dogs with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is good if this condition is discovered early and the bloody diarrhea is treated aggressively with replacement intravenous fluids and other appropriate supportive care. Left untreated, this condition can result in shock, sepsis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, or death. If your veterinarian advises treatment at home, it is imperative you follow up with them if symptoms worsen or do not improve.

Monitoring

Recheck examinations to monitor your pet’s feces and blood work is important to make sure secondary infection has cleared.

Prevention

Unfortunately as the cause of HGE is unknown, it is speculated that anticipation of stressful events and their effect on your dog may aid in prevention of HGE. If your pet has a sensitive gastrointestinal tract, daily probiotics and avoiding situations that may be stressful for them may help prevent HGE.

Disclaimer
The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. Treatment should only be provided under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.

Questions about Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis
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My one year old boxer just ate a NexGard 5 days after her last dose. Will she be okay?

NexGard has a large margin of safety if as dog gets or eats multiple doses. Monitor for GI upset and feed a bland diet for a few days to settle the stomach. Your dog will likely suffer no ill effects.

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My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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My puppy had parvo virus. If I bring a fully vaccinated dog here, can it infect the new dog? Is there still a risk?

If they new dog is a year old and you are completely sure that that it is 100 percent vaccinated there is a very minimal risk that it will be infected. However, that being said, vaccines are never 100 percent effective so there is always a 0.09 percent chance that the new dog could get the virus. But you should be safe bringing the new dog home. I would make sure that the home environment has been cleaned as thoroughly as possible (this means with bleach to all surfaces) and make sure that the outdoor surfaces have been cleaned as well. Parvo can live in the environment for an annoyingly long time (up to 6 months) so it wouldn't hurt to apply a safe mixture of bleach product to your yard as well. This is probably going completely overboard, but you know how scary parvo can be!

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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

Read More

Can I reapply flea treatment early? It’s been 2 weeks with no results.

A [flea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/fleas-life-cycle-anatomy-disease-transmission) infestation on your pet or in your home can be [difficult and frustrating](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-are-fleas-so-hard-to-kill) to deal with. Yes, if after two weeks the [flea preventive you applied isn't working](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-reasons-your-flea-prevention-isnt-working), you can reapply flea treatment early, or switch to another brand. I recommend using Advantix or a chewable prescription product from your vet, like Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio. This recommendation is unrelated to Petco or Boop by Petco. If you are seeing fleas on Mia now, you can give her Capstar ([Nitenpyram](https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/nitenpyram)). It's a one time pill that starts killing adult fleas in 30 minutes and is safe to use with a topical treatment. Use a monthly preventive on all pets for at least 3 consecutive months to break the flea life cycle. Year round use is preferred. You will also have to [treat the environment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas). Wash all bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Use a spray, such as Indoorex or Knockout ES, in the house and to prevent reinfestation.

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