Frequent What would cause a dog to bleed internally? Tips and Tricks

Causes of Abdominal Bleeding in Dogs

A higher incidence of hemoabdomen has been observed in senior dogs. More cases have also been diagnosed in Golden and Labrador Retrievers, and German Shepherds.

The causes of abdominal bleeding (hemoabdomen) in dogs are divided into two major categories – traumatic and spontaneous causes.

Traumatic Hemoabdomen: The most common cause of this type of hemoabdomen is a traumatic injury, such as when a dog is hit by a car, a gunshot, or a fall. Surgery is sometimes required for this type of hemoabdomen, but often the blood is reabsorbed by the body.

Spontaneous (Non-Traumatic) Hemoabdomen: This is the more common type of hemoabdomen in dogs. The cause is often the rupture of a tumor that is growing in any of the abdominal organs. Profuse bleeding can lead to substantial blood loss and pooling of blood in the abdominal cavity.

So what do we see on the outside when internal bleeding happens?

There are some common signs seen with any bleed:

Ongoing or large bleeds can result in the pet running out of red blood cells and looking ‘pale.’ Vets are good at spotting this.

However, in the early stages after a bleed and before an animal looks pale, the spleen will often contract, releasing more red blood-cells into the circulation. Therefore not all animals with internal bleeding appear pale or even have low numbers of red blood cells; sometimes, they actually have a better colour! Luckily, a simple blood test can distinguish this kind of bleed.

If blood is lost from the circulation, the heart will have to beat extra fast to try to deliver what is left around the body. This can result in a weak, rapid pulse.

If the circulation is compromised to the point where blood can no longer be delivered around the body, for example to the brain. The lack of blood to the brain or lungs may result in collapse.

What are the Causes of Hemoabdomen?

Hemoabdomen is divided into two categories: traumatic and spontaneous. Traumatic hemoabdomen usually occurs after a pet sustains a traumatic injury, such as a fall or being hit by a car. Traumatic hemoabdomens rarely require surgery, and the body usually reabsorbs the blood. By contrast, spontaneous hemoabdomen is more common and is most often due to rupture of a tumor present in an abdominal organ(s). This leads to loss of blood from the bleeding tumor because it accumulates in the abdomen instead of staying in the blood vessels/organs where it belongs.

Pet Connection Extra – Internal Bleeding