Nose Bleed

[zuhraan]

My mother's is quite concerned - their kelpie x 'Sally' has a nose bleed that's been going on most of the day......the dog is around 7 yrs old, the blood is clotting OK otherwise, but Sally is quite distressed because she can't breathe (both nostrils full of blood). She had a few mucous-bloody discharge episodes from the nose a couple of months ago (roughly), but vet examinations revealed nothing. This is mum's email to me tonight -

"Have you ever heard of dog nosebleeds? You might remember Sally had a snotty nose problem at Wello Pt, which cleared eventually, although we had her checked out as much as possible by the vet, they thought it might be an allergy. But for the last five days she has had progressively worse nose bleeds, today she sprayed all the van, the car, and me. The vet here says she is probably having just a nosebleed which is not clearing up, has never seen anything quite like it before, same as Thornlands vet. The blood just pours out and down her chin, then she sneezes and shakes her head! Disaster! The only thing they can come up with is that there is a very rare sarcoma which causes something like this, but no-one has ever seen it. Let me know if you know anything."

Has anyone experienced this before? If so, what was the outcome? Mum is starting to think it must be a tumour, which will mean the green dream, especially if the bleeding doesn't stop soon so Sally can calm down. The vet today wasn't terribly concerned, it seems, & said to give it a few days (since, like humans, she may recover from the nose bleed with no ill effects) BUT how long is too long for the bleeding to go on???

Thanks for your time....

[Erny]

BOTH nostrils bleeding?

And for most of the day?

I'd have her at a Vet NOW.

In fact, earlier than now.

ETA: I see further in your post you've been to the Vet? I don't know about others, but if the Vet thinks this is ok for a few days, I'd be going somewhere else. I'm not a Vet, and maybe I'm panicking/over-reacting. But I don't think so. Happy to stand for correction though.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Erny

[blacklabrador]

BOTH nostrils bleeding?

That just means that the source of the bleeding is further back than the septum that separates the nose. Liz I hope that whatever it is turns out to be easy to fix and nothing too serious.

[Erny]

Ok. Sorry if I had the OP panicking. I know that if horses bleed through both nostrils it is to be taken very seriously. Figured similarly. It would concern me even more, though, if the bleeding was continuing over a period of 7 hours.

Keep a check on your dog's gums. If they are too pale I'd be back at the Vet's pronto, if not before.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Erny

[I love dribbly dogs]

Ruffles had a nose bleed for three days because of the poisoning.. even after we started the vitamin k.. initially the blood seemed/looked like it was clotting after it had come out.. but the bleeding continued. Also her gums were paler than normal but still pinkish..

Just keep on the vet.. im ultra ultra paranoid about anything out of the ordinary now.

[puggy_puggy]

I woud be concerned as well and would be wanting extra investigations done. If blood clotting problems have been ruled out I would be wanting to have possibly an endoscopic investigation or even some type of scan.

[Pointers Rule]

I would be getting this checked into further right away with a scope. Our old ES started to get blood noses, one vet said it was nothing. Took him to another, they did a scope, turned out there was a tumour right back. Unfortunately it was on a blood vessel, so spead very quickly. He was only 4. While it might be nothing serious, I wouldn't leave it too long...

[Cavandra]

The only time i have seen this was in a Golden Retriever who had tumours.

[dogbesotted]

i too would be concerned that this is more than a simple nose bleed.

I would be seeking a second opinion sooner rather than later. my dog morris had immune mediated thrombocytopenia which caused nosebleeds and internal bleeding.. with thrombocytopenia clotting is normal but the bleeding is due to lack of platelets.

have you tried a cold pack on the nose???

eta:

http://www.helpmyhound.com/symptoms.php?ds=219

cheers

h

Edited September 19, 2009 by dogbesotted

[zuhraan]

Thank you all for your input & concern...... Sally's nose bleed did stop that night, eventually, & she seems OK since. I have since spoken to a specialist vet aquaintance who said 75% (maybe more) of nose bleeds in dogs are due to tumours..... They usually bleed only through one nostril until late stages.

Otherwise, could be an aspergillus infection but you'd expect a snotty discharge as well, or a foreign body. To begin investigation with anaesthetic, endoscope and maybe CT - looking at $800 up.

Sally is fine at the moment, so my parents are going to get in touch with vet specialist to talk more, but otherwise sit on it until/if it happens again.....

Thanks again; will update you if anything changes, for your interest.