What this means
First note whether blood comes from one nostril or both, whether it is thin or mixed with mucus or pus, and whether your dog is also sneezing, rubbing its nose with a paw or breathing noisily. Bleeding from one nostril more often points to a local cause in the nose, while from both, especially with other signs of bleeding, it may point to a general disorder.
Look for bleeding or bruising elsewhere: the gums, the skin, the urine or stools. If there is bleeding in several places, the problem lies in clotting rather than in the nose alone. Also think about whether your dog could have had a blow to the head, breathed in a foreign object such as a grass seed, or swallowed rodent poison.
A dog who has a nosebleed, sneezes constantly or has had a discharge from the nostrils for several weeks should also be examined, even if there is only a little blood. Write down since when this has been going on, how much blood, from which side and whether your dog seems lethargic as well.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
-
Disease inside the nose
Inflammation, a fungal infection, a foreign object or a lodged grass seed irritates the lining and causes bleeding. Sneezing, discharge and rubbing the nose are often seen.
About the condition: Nasal disease -
A platelet function disorder
The platelets do not stick together well enough, so bleeding does not stop as it should. Bruises or bleeding gums may come with it.
About the condition: Thrombocytopathy -
Von Willebrand disease
An inherited clotting disorder that makes bleeding go on for longer. Blood can come from the nose with no clear injury.
About the condition: Von Willebrand disease -
Growths in the nose or elsewhere in the body
A tumour in the nasal cavity or a general illness can cause repeated bleeding. It is most often from one nostril, with air passing less easily.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether blood comes from one nostril or both
- Whether the blood is thin, or mixed with mucus or pus
- Whether your dog sneezes, rubs its nose or breathes noisily
- Whether there is bleeding or bruising in the gums, skin, urine or stools
- Whether your dog could have had a blow to the head or swallowed a poison
- How often the bleeding comes back
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit the same or the next day even for a small or recurring nosebleed. If the bleeding is heavy, does not stop or comes from several places, go straight away.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Nasal disease Breathing This is an umbrella term for various problems of the nasal passages and sinuses: infections, inflammation, foreign bodies such as grass awns lodged in the nose, tooth root disease or tumours. A dog's nose matters not only for breathing but also for smell, the sense through which it gets to know the world. Lingering nose trouble can have very different causes, so it is worth showing to a vet.
- Thrombocytopathy Blood and immunity Thrombocytopathy is a blood clotting disorder in which the blood has enough platelets but they do not work as they should, so bleeding is slow to stop. It can be inherited or arise from another illness or certain drugs. In such a dog even a small wound or a veterinary procedure can lead to prolonged bleeding, so it is worth telling the vet about it beforehand.
- Von Willebrand disease Blood and immunity Von Willebrand disease is an inherited bleeding disorder in which the body lacks a protein that helps platelets stick together and plug a damaged blood vessel, or the protein doesn't work properly. As a result even a small wound can bleed for longer than normal, and the disease varies in severity, sometimes only coming to light after an injury or a procedure. Genetic tests exist for some forms.
- Cancer Cancer Cancer is not one disease but a whole group of different malignant tumours that can appear in almost any organ or tissue. They can grow slowly or quickly and spread to other parts of the body, so the earlier a change is noticed, the more options a vet has. Only a vet can tell whether a lump or other change is malignant.
- Anaplasmosis Infections Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne bacterial infection whose bacteria settle inside white blood cells. In Lithuania it is spread, like Lyme disease, by the castor bean tick. Some infected dogs show no signs, while others develop a fever and a limp within a few weeks of the tick bite; what caused the illness is for a vet to establish.
Body systems: Breathing Blood and immunity Cancer Infections