Dogsmanship - The Dog Lover's Survival Guide

Puppy Health Clots Problems, Symptoms and Treatments

When we talk about puppy health clots it is generally about blood clots that occur after surgery. Clots can actually happen anywhere. If it is in the lung area, it can prove fatal. Otherwise if it is in the abdomen, and the blood clot is partly blocking a vein or artery, there could be pain.

Since puppy health clots happen after surgery, they are difficult to predict. If the clot forms near the heart it can be fatal too. Or it could be pushed along the vein to any other part of the body and cause discomfort and pain.

Vomiting Blood Symptoms
Puppy blood clots are often seen when the puppy vomits blood. Sometimes blood comes out in tiny flecks mixed with fluids, and this could be in the form of blood clots. You should take the puppy to the veterinarian immediately. Vomiting blood could have been caused because of ulcers in the food pipe, stomach or upper intestines. If the puppy is under medication and taking aspirin or steroids, clots may be associated with that.

If the puppy has eaten any foreign material like sharp bones, blood clots could occur in the stomach or the esophagus. Other reasons could be cancers of the upper digestive tract, severe inflammatory conditions or any other problems with the blood coagulation system. All these causes require specialized help from the vet.

It is sometimes difficult to figure out where the pup health clots have occurred. For example, if the bowel movements of the puppy are of a dark, tarry color, the clot may have been moved down through the digestive tract. It may actually have a clot in the respiratory tract, and then cough blood up into the oral cavity. It then swallows the blood so that it comes out with vomit instead of cough. Hence not all sources of blood are only in the digestive tract.

Diagnostic tests have to be carried out by the vet, in order to pinpoint the cause of bloody vomit. For the purpose of blood clots there are tests such as clotting evaluations which can be done. An endoscope can also determine the position of the blood clot in the food pipe and the stomach.

Van Willebrand's Disease
Puppy health clots occur in dogs when they are infected with the van Willebrand's Disease. It is an inherited puppy disease, and can happen in various breeds of dogs. Of course it is one of the least destructive diseases, especially common with the Dobermans, but it should not be ignored. It is a bleeding disorder like hemophilia, and is inherited genetically. In normal circumstances, when there is bleeding, it clots normally. But if the puppy is suffering from the disease, when there is major blood loss during surgery or injury, the blood is unable to clot. This can of course be curbed by medication or injection, but tests should be conducted before a puppy undergoes surgery whether he has the disease.

It is possible to breed out the disease of a kennel's bloodline, but it is very time-consuming and frightfully expensive. Some puppies could just be carriers, who only possess the genes, but are not affected by any symptoms relating to blood clots. The status of the disease can get altered during an animal's life. The disorder often reduces as the puppy gets older, and hence the testing should be done at an early age.