A dog nose bleed can be upsetting (and messy). To help you feel prepared should your dog’s nose ever start bleeding unexpectedly, integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby explains how to stop a nose bleed at home and discusses 13 causes of dog nose bleeds.
Nose bleeds in people can be common occurrences. If you’ve ever accidentally been hit in the nose, you may have experienced a nose bleed. And some people may develop them in the wintertime due to the presence of dry air. But what does it mean when your dog has a nose bleed? And how do you stop a dog nose bleed?
What is a dog nose bleed?
As the name would indicate, a nose bleed involves blood or bloody nasal discharge coming from your dog’s nose. The technical term for a nose bleed is “epistaxis.” Depending on the underlying cause, the blood can come out of one or both nostrils. The source of the blood may be the nostrils, nasal passages, or nasopharynx (back of the throat adjacent to the nasal passages).
Nose bleeds can be very mild and short-lived, or they can be intense and result in severe blood loss. Some nose bleeds will not be very noticeable until the dog sneezes and little droplets of blood come out of his or her nostrils. Other times the blood may be steadily pouring out onto the floor.
How do you treat a dog’s nose bleed at home?
If you notice your dog is having a nose bleed, the first question on your mind is probably how to make it stop. You might not have to worry about doing much if there is only a drop or two of blood. But if there is more blood, follow these steps to help stop a dog’s nose from bleeding:
1. Remain calm
Try to bring your furry friend away from any noisy, busy areas. Look for somewhere quiet, especially if you’re at home. Stress and excitement can raise your dog’s blood pressure and make him or her bleed more.
2. Apply an ice pack to the bridge of the nose
Grab an ice pack (or a Ziploc bag filled with ice will do in a pinch), wrap it in paper towels or a washcloth and then gently apply it to the bridge of your pup’s nose. The cold will slow the bleeding by constricting local blood vessels.
Word of warning—if you have a short-nosed dog, ensure that you are not making it hard for your dog to breathe by obstructing the nostrils with the ice pack.
3. Avoid sticking anything in your dog’s nose
Don’t stick anything up your dog’s nose to stop the bleeding. I know it might be tempting because people do it for their nose bleeds. But stuffing gauze, tissues, etc. up a dog’s nose is irritating and may make him or her sneeze, which can worsen the bleeding.
4. Follow up with your vet
If your dog is bleeding heavily, the bleeding lasts longer than a few minutes without showing signs of stopping, or your dog is showing any other signs of illness or injury, your may need to make an emergency vet visit to get the bleeding under control and find and treat the underlying cause. Even if you get the bleeding to stop and your dog seems fine, it is usually still a good idea to check in with your vet during his or her regular business hours. That way your vet can run any needed diagnostic to help get to the bottom of why your dog had a bloody nose.
What can cause nose bleeds in dogs?
There are times when the cause for a dog’s nose bleed can be very obvious and times when it is not. If your pup has a nose bleed after he or she went excitedly careening across the room and ran face-first into the wall or doorframe, you can probably put two and two together. However, there are other situations where the cause may not be so clear. That is when it will be up to your veterinarian to help you look for it. Some of the causes of a nose bleed in dogs include:
#1: Trauma
We might as well start with trauma because, according to a 2007 study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA), trauma and nasal tumors are the top two causes of nose bleeds in dogs.
Sometimes trauma can be as simple as your excitable canine companion not being able to “hit the brakes” fast enough when doing zoomies in the house or not noticing that the clear sliding glass door was closed and hitting his or her head. Examples of more intense trauma include falling from great heights or being hit by a car. If the nose was traumatized in these examples, a nose bleed is very likely to occur.
#2: Nasal tumors or cancer
The other top cause of epistaxis in the 2007 JAVMA article was nasal tumors. Nasal adenocarcinoma, a locally aggressive kind of cancer, is the most common type of nasal tumor. It can affect one or both sides of the nose.
This means a dog nose bleed on one side may be more indicative of a local tumor (or other local issue) instead of other body-wide causes of nose bleeds that would affect both sides.
There are also many different non-nasal cancers that can increase the risk of epistaxis. These include:
- Lymphoma in dogs
- Hemangiosarcoma in dogs
- Multiple myeloma
- Leukemia
#3: Medications and drug reactions
The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may increase the risk of nose bleeds because they can inactivate blood clotting factors. This makes it easier for bleeding to occur from the delicate mucous membranes within the nose. There are several different NSAIDs that are made specifically for dogs (e.g., firocoxib, carprofen). Thankfully, nose bleeds tend to be a rare side effect of these drugs.
Adverse reactions to other medications are also rare but possible. Certain hormone therapies and chemotherapeutic drugs have been known to cause nose bleeds. A specific antibiotic drug class known as the sulfonamides (aka sulfa drugs) can also result in epistaxis.
#4: Toxin exposure
There are any number of toxic chemicals that have been known to affect an animal’s blood clotting abilities. This in turn could lead to nose bleeds as well as bleeding from other locations in the body.
Rat poison (i.e. rodenticide) works by decreasing a rodent’s ability to clot blood, leading to fatal internal hemorrhaging. Unfortunately, many commercially available rodenticides can cause the same terrible death in dogs and cats. It is important to keep these poisons far out of reach of your dog.
#5: Foreign bodies
It is possible for a foreign object to find its way up your pup’s nose. In the Western United States, spiky plant material known as grass awns can be a big problem. Some examples of grass awns include foxtails and cheatgrass. These sharp, stiff pieces of grass are barbed in such a way that pulling them out of a dog’s nasal passages can be extremely painful. It is no wonder they can irritate the tissue and cause nose bleeds.
#6: Dental disease
In the average dog skull, there is a thin plate of bone that separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity below. When periodontal disease (i.e. dental disease in dogs) is present, it can lead to significant bone infection or even bone loss beneath the surface of the gums.
Thus, dental disease affecting the teeth in the upper portions of the mouth can lead to problems within the nasal cavity. One such example is an oronasal fistula, a tiny open communication between the nasal cavity and the oral cavity. This communication can result in infection and nose bleeds.
#7: Fungal infections
While transmission of certain bacterial and viral infections through nasal inhalation of particles is possible, the inhalation of fungal spores tends to be much more devastating. Fungal infections such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and certain Penicillium species can invade the nasal cavity as well as other parts of the upper and lower respiratory tracts.
The end results of these fungal infections are pneumonia-like symptoms, nose bleeds, and various other clinical signs. It can take months for a dog to undergo treatment, and some infections may be lifelong.
#8: Tick-borne illnesses
Tick-borne diseases in dogs such as Ehrlichia canis and Babesia gibsoni can cause several clinical symptoms such as fever, lameness, and lethargy. Because these types of infections can affect a dog’s blood-clotting abilities, tick-borne diseases can also cause nose bleeds.
#9: Autoimmune diseases
If a dog has an autoimmune disorder, it means that the immune system is mounting an inappropriate response to the dog’s own cells. In other words, immune system complexes that would normally attack foreign invaders are attacking normal parts of the dog’s body instead.
Patients with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) suffer from low platelet counts. This is because the immune system attacks and destroys platelets, a type of cell that helps to form blood clots. Without enough platelets to help the blood clot, nose bleeds are possible.
#10: Bone marrow disorders
Your dog’s bones do a lot more than just form his or her skeleton. In the center of the bones, there is a spongy, vascular tissue called bone marrow. Among other things, bone marrow is responsible for the creation of platelets. It houses large precursor cells called a megakaryocytes, which eventually break down to create hundreds of little platelets.
Certain diseases and drugs that inhibit or suppress the bone marrow can lead to overall decreased platelet production, thus increasing the risk of epistaxis.
#11: Hyperviscosity syndrome
Hyperviscosity syndrome occurs when there are very high levels of protein in a dog’s blood. It is difficult to know the true reason this happens. But certain diseases like amyloidosis (i.e. a condition where the body deposits a protein called amyloid in various locations) and monoclonal gammopathies (i.e. a condition where the body makes too much of one type of immune system protein called immunoglobulins) are thought to be factors.
When there is too much protein in the blood, there isn’t enough room for the fluid component (i.e. plasma) so the blood becomes very thick or viscous. The increased pressure from this thicker fluid results in blood vessels rupturing, which leads to blood loss. Nose bleeds are one way the body may lose blood.
#12: Blood clotting disorders
Blood clotting is controlled by the interplay of numerous proteins known as coagulation factors. If one of those factors is deficient, it can cause a bleeding disorder.
Various inherited conditions can negatively impact clotting ability. For example, hemophilia A results in a deficiency of coagulation factor VIII. This causes anything from a mild nose bleeds to extreme blood loss. As another example, Doberman Pinschers are at an increased risk of inheriting von Willebrand disease. This condition causes platelets to lose the protein that makes them “sticky” enough to form blood clots. Affected dogs are at a higher risk of abnormal bleeding.
Clotting issues can also be acquired. When there is serious damage to the internal organs—due to things like infection, inflammation, or heat stroke in dogs—the body can enter a state called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). In DIC, the clotting system, which normally regulates how clots form and break down, goes haywire. Thus, a dog with DIC might suffer from clots in all the wrong places or bleeding from anywhere, especially the nose.
#13: Liver failure or kidney failure
When important internal organs like the liver and kidneys can no longer function properly, there can be problems that lead to bleeding. The liver creates the majority of the coagulation factors, so understandably, liver disease in dogs can lead to decreased coagulation factor production. Without coagulation factors, blood cannot clot and the dog is prone to spontaneous bleeding like nose bleeds.
Chronic kidney failure in dogs may lead to high blood pressure (i.e. hypertension in dogs). The increased pressure in the vessels may make the capillaries more fragile and therefore, prone to rupturing. This can cause bleeding in various locations, including the nose.
What other symptoms go along with a nose bleed?
As you can see from this list, there are many different reasons a dog may get a bloody nose. Sometimes you might only see the bloody nasal discharge. Other times there are additional clinical signs such as:
- A firm swelling that appears over the bridge of the nose or next to the eyes, eye discharge or a protruding third eyelid, and/or more frequent sneezing in dogs with a nasal tumor.
- Pale gums, black/tarry stools, unexplained bruising under the skin, difficult or heavy breathing, dog is breathing fast, and/or becoming a pot-bellied dog if there are issues with clotting factors or platelet numbers.
- Sudden onset sneezing and pawing at the nose in dogs who have a nasal foreign body.
- Bad breath, old dog losing teeth, dog tooth abscesses and/or oral pain if the dog has dental disease.
- Increased thirst in dogs, increased urination, vomiting, and/or weight loss in a dog with kidney disease.
If your dog is having nose bleeds, please also report any other symptoms to your vet. That will make it easier for your vet to get to the bottom of why the nose bleeds are happening.
What diagnostics might the vet run?
In addition to gathering your dog’s history (including travel history, symptoms, etc.) and doing a complete physical exam, your vet may suggest several other tests. Often, he or she will start with some blood tests. This may include a complete blood count (CBC) and blood chemistry profile. These tests are a useful way to evaluate red blood cell and platelet numbers, measure proteins and globulins (for hyperviscosity syndrome), and look at liver and kidney enzyme levels. Urine testing is also a part of this minimum database of information.
Additionally, the vet may decide to run tick titers to look for the presence of tick-borne illnesses or coagulation tests to check for blood clotting issues or DIC. The vet might also suggest basic imaging like X-rays and ultrasound to look for evidence of cancer, fungal infections, and internal bleeding.
If the vet suspects a nasal tumor, he or she will probably recommend advanced imaging such as a CT and MRI. These modalities are better at detecting nasal tumors than X-rays alone. The vet also may suggest a thorough oral exam under general anesthesia (including dental X-rays) if he or she thinks dental disease may be contributing to the nose bleeds.
Some dogs will end up needing a rhinoscopy to figure out why they are having nose bleeds. Rhinoscopy is a procedure where the veterinarian inserts a special scope into the nasal cavity to look for signs of trauma, tumors, fungal infections, or foreign bodies. In some cases, the vet may decide to take biopsy samples during the rhinoscopy. However, you should be aware that local inflammation and the tendency for nasal tissue to bleed easily can make it hard to get good samples.
What is the treatment for nose bleeds?
Once your vet reaches a diagnosis, he or she will work with you to come up with a treatment plan. The vet will need to address issues like infections, inflammatory conditions, and organ damage with additional therapy. If the epistaxis resulted from the use of certain medications, the vet may advise you to stop giving those medications.
A dog with a nasal foreign body requires surgical removal of the offending object before it causes further damage. If there is a nasal tumor, the vet may recommend referral to a board-certified oncologist for surgery and/or radiation.
Your veterinarian may also recommend a Chinese herbal supplement called Yunnan Baiyao for dogs if your dog suffers from chronic nose bleeds. Yunnan Baiyao seems to have almost magical clotting properties.
What is the outlook for dogs with nose bleeds?
As you can imagine, the prognosis varies depending on why the dog is having nose bleeds. Most dogs with minor nose bleeds due to trauma or a mild infection have a very good prognosis. However, chronic illnesses like liver failure and kidney failure will have guarded to poor prognoses. Locally aggressive nasal cancers also carry a poor to grave prognosis, especially if left untreated.
Don’t let nose bleeds get you down
I know it can be alarming to see your dog’s nose suddenly dripping blood or to have him or her sneezing blood. But if your dog starts to have a nose bleed, remember to remain calm, apply ice to the bridge of the nose, and then get in contact with your vet.
There are a wide range of reasons for a nose bleed, and some are worse than others. Regardless of what the cause may be, work closely with your veterinarian and follow his or her advice. Together you can hopefully reduce or maybe even eliminate your dog’s nose bleeds. That way you and your dog can keep enjoying life together without nose bleeds getting in the way.
Has your dog ever had a nose bleed?
Please share your experience below.
our 16yo yorkie who can’t see or hear very well at all just started barely sneezing brownish/redish pin hole spots from his nose. Has had little labored breathing for some time, but all checkups are good,.
He struggles to walk at times and falls on his back legs.
I had him in for a sickly well check a couple months ago and his bloodwork and other testing was all good.
Is this just old age? he can’t go up and down stairs at all so he is rarely in the grass.
We lost our 5yo Weimeraner this last Oct 2023 from IVDD. We did the surgery March of 2023 went through the therapy and she did well. In Oct she lost all leg use and the vet said its progressing. Our Yorkie took a quick turn downwards.
The vet also said we would know when it’s “time”. I’m reluctant to spends thousands of dollars knowing his life quality is pretty tough. That sounds harsh maybe, but we love our dogs dearly and don’t want to see them suffer either,
Thoughts?
Hi Kristi,
I understand your concern for your senior pup with all these worrisome symptoms he is displaying. Without personally examining him it is hard to offer specific advice. Mobility issues (especially in the rear legs) can be due to arthritis changes that are commonly seen with old age. There are MANY different medications, supplements, and therapies that can help reduce inflammation and pain to offer more comfort and relief. Panting or an increased respiratory rate can be a sign of pain but if your boy is truly having trouble breathing, this is not something I would consider a normal age-related change. Also, I am very concerned about the bloody nasal discharge you are seeing. My suspicion is there could be a nasal tumor, and cancer of this type can definitely cause breathing problems. Here is a link to another article with more information: Nasal Tumors in Dogs: A Dog Parent’s Guide
It is ok to forgo expensive testing and treatments as long as you pursue comfort care and ensure your boy is not suffering. Please reach out to your vet and have an honest discussion about your worries and get their opinion on palliative/hospice care. Also, it is ok to say goodbye before all joy is lost and the only thing that remains is pain. Sometimes letting go is the most loving option. Praying for your strength and clarity as you navigate this difficult path. Bless you and your sweet boy.
Can my lab bled out by having a nose bleed in only one nostril?
Hi Mac,
Any bleeding can be serious if a dog’s clotting factors are not functioning properly. Typically, a nosebleed is not life threatening, but I can’t guarantee it isn’t a possibility with extreme circumstances. If your dog is having episodes of bleeding, please contact your vet right away.
Hi, two days ago my dog started having nose bleeds from his right side, roughly every few hours. We took him to the vet and they couldn’t find anything obviously wrong, blood pressure, lungs, teeth…all came out fine. They gave us some medicine to help his blood clot faster and an antibiotic to be safe if it’s an infection.
He now hasn’t had a bleed for a whole day. With his last one being a day after we started him on the medications.
We’re hoping and assuming it was just a light infection or injury that caused it, but there is always the fear of it being a tumor or something more serious.
What we’re mainly wondering , is whether these medications would completely stop the bleeds and just hide the symptoms. We are worried that once the week of medication runs out the bleeding will start again just as we are feeling safe again, or if once stopped generally it stays fine.
Thanks 🙂
Hi Taylor,
I understand your concern for your pup with these worrisome bleeding issues he experienced. I wish there was some way to know what will happen once the medications are discontinued, but unfortunately anything is possible. I too hope that this is all in the past and there won’t be any future episodes of bleeding. If symptoms return, it may be time to consider more in-depth testing (x-rays, lab work, etc.) or even a referral to a specialist. Praying for answers and a clear path forward. Best wishes!
I have a 14 year old beagle and he went outside to use the bathroom and when he came back and i saw some blood spots on the ground. I wiped it up thinking he might have scratched his nose and it was fine after i cleaned it up. Hours layer like 5/6 hours he came o we to the door and blood was splattered on the found in the kitchen. His nose was running with blood and then he sneezed and a big chunk came out. After wiping it as best i could it stopped and seemed fine but I’m worried because this has never happened. He’s has allergies but in the 14 years of having him this has never happened.
Hi Christina,
I am sorry you experienced this scary situation with your senior boy. I agree this bleeding is cause for concern and think it would be best to contact your vet. They can perform an exam and then give you options for testing and treatment. Hoping you can get some answers quickly and praying for a positive outcome.
Same here. Beagle, around 14 years old. Sneezed blood 4 weeks ago, and again today. Also increased reverse sneezing and snorting. Ugh. I have a bad feeling about this and have a vet appt. tomorrow. Good luck, @Christina Wong.
Curious what did your vet say it was I’m having the same issue with my dog?
Hi Denise,
Our vet is conservative and prescribed antibiotics/follow up appt. That said, factors that weigh in favor of something more serious is our Beagle girl’s age and that she is bleeding only out of the right nostril. Bleeding only out of one nostril suggests a problem affecting that particular nostril, as opposed to a systemic problem, like anemia, allergies, etc.
Vet will refer her to our animal diagnostic center if she continues to slide downhill and should we decide to pursue a dx. Hate to put her through that at her age. I know (all too well) how this chapter ends. ): Best of luck to you and your pet.
Our six yo beagle started having nose bleeds from exterior tip of her nose about almost two weeks ago. They were pretty bad and hard to stop, even spurting at times. Did research, and thought it might be Lupus of the nose type. Vet confirmed and gave her four meds plus ER vet gave her vitamin K for clotting. We have a cone on her so she doesn’t rub her nose. Question is, is there anything else we can do to stop bleeding? It still bleeds if she exerts herself or rubs it on carpet. We do the usual, hold ice on her nose, slight pressure with a soft tissue. It does stop eventually and hasn’t been as bad as it was. ER vet was talking about cauterizing it of an operation to tie off blood vessels. Would that be a viable option? I know this Lupus can take a while to clear up.
Hi James,
I am sorry your Beagle is having issues with her nose bleeding due to the changes in her skin from Lupus. Cauterization surgery may end up being necessary. But prior to pursuing that I would suggest you ask your vet about a few other options. Your vet may be willing to prescribe epinephrine drops. This medication helps to constrict blood vessels and is very useful for a variety of superficial bleeding issues. Also, you can ask about Yunnan Baiyao. This is an herbal supplement that helps to stop bleeding from external and internal causes. Laser therapy may also be helpful in encouraging the tissue of the nose to heal. I hope you can find a way to maintain your girl’s quality of life. Wishing you all the best of luck!
Hello, My 7 1/2 year border collie had a nose bleed in the middle of the night. Now she has what looks like a dried clot on the left nostril and snorting occasionally. She just had a vet check up and vaccines last month and is known to be healthy. I do have wood heat and currently two of my cats have sinus infections. Her appetite has decreased slightly. I travel with work and had someone watch her for three days. I have taken that into account that the person that watched her feeds her lots of treats and ususally when they home their appitite isn’t the greatest for a few days then goes back to normal. That person lives in the country and took her for several long walks in the woods. I also live in the coutry and have a hobby farm. I have noticed she is laying around more. I also have a 2 year doberman that she plays with,
Hi Wendy,
I am sorry your girl is having these worrisome bleeding issues. From what you describe, I do think she needs to be evaluated by your vet. I like to err on the side of caution and make sure there is nothing serious or life-threatening contributing to the situation. I hope your girl is doing well and pray the bleeding has resolved. Best wishes and good luck to you both!
we have an almost 5-year-old male Dachshund. He has so many things wrong with him: Atlanto Axial Subluxation; cryptorcid, enlarged heart. Tonight his nose started bleeding. He takes Vetmedin for his heart. He’s pretty much a bag of bones at this point.
We did buy him a cart to use and while initially he used it a little bit, the past 3 years he’s refused. I don’t know if all of his issues, now including bloody nose, is worth hanging on to him…not for our sake, but for his. Any thoughts are appreciated.
We are taking him to the vet tomorrow, but tonight I am in a state of anxiety.
Dear Liz,
I understand your concern for your Dachshund with all of the issues he is facing. I am glad you took him to your vet for a thorough evaluation. What did you find out? If your boy is suffering, it is ok to consider saying goodbye. Sometimes letting go is the most loving option and only way to offer freedom and peace. Hoping you can get the answers you need to make the best decision for everyone involved. Praying for comfort and a clear path forward.
My pup got kicked in the face this morning by a donkey. His nose did not start bleeding until a few minutes later. There is a small cut and some swelling just to the left of center, right between his eyes. There is still bleeding … three hours later now. He seems fine otherwise, behaving normally. I gave him some ice cubes to eat (his favorite treat!) which seemed to slow it down … but he lost interest in the cubes. Is there anything else I can do? How long can this go on before it becomes a serious problem? Thank you!!
Hi Sherrie,
I am sorry your pup has endured this traumatic event! With possible head trauma I would highly recommend you have him evaluated by your vet right away. There could be hidden issues that are only apparent with x-rays or other testing. Hoping all is well today and your sweet boy is resting and healing. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
We have a 13 year old working cocker
For about 18 months he’s been making noises from his nose as if it’s bunged up. Earlier this year we would see occasional bleeding.
In August it he bleeding got worse so we went to the vet. He gave us some options for tests and we went away to think.
Meanwhile the bleeding stopped.
Then it came back and he was sneezing bloody and mucus all the time. The vet prescribed antibiotics and anti inflammatory tablets which helped for a week and seemed to clear the infection.
Today the nostril is just dripping blood continuously.
the vet set a CT scan is recommended but the cost is high. I’d pay for it all day long if I thought the outcome would be something treatable. As an old dog I’m wondering what’s the best thing.
Before jumping to a £2k scan, what steps would you recommend to try to get more of an idea of the issue?
If anyone else has similar experience please let me know. He seems fine in himself. When out walking his tail is happy and he is running around as normal.
Dear Lorna,
I am sorry your senior guy is having these worrisome health issues. There are other tests that can be done that may offer some additional information, but they will probably not be enough for a definitive diagnosis. So, you might spend money on preliminary tests just to end up still needing the CT to get answers. If you are thinking you just want to pursue palliative care, then getting a diagnosis may not be in your best interest. But if you think there is a chance you would want to pursue treatment (surgery, radiation, etc.) then getting a diagnosis early in the disease process is best. I don’t know that your boy has a nasal, but in case that is what you are facing here is a link to another article with more information: Nasal Tumors in Dogs: A Dog Parent’s Guide
I hope this will offer some guidance and help you navigate the unknown path you are walking. Wishing you all the best and praying for a positive outcome.
My dog is experiencing similar issues but he’s only 9 and finding the money for veterinary specialty testing is proving to be a challenge, sadly. it’s sad to not be able to afford treatment for our long time pets.
Dear Carolyn,
I am sorry you are in this situation with your boy. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time. ♥
My 14yr old spayed dog started bleeding from right nostril. Vet couldn’t find anything wrong.
A few months ago she developed lumps on her stomach, which opened into nasty sores. Surgery to remove the lumps which were cancerous. Now she is snorting and her nostril is bleeding again .She is otherwise happy and eating well. Could the skin cancer and nose problems be related.
Hi Annette,
I am so sorry your senior girl is having these bleeding episodes. It is possible for cancer to spread and affect separate parts of the body. Without knowing the type of tumor the lumps were, it is hard to say for certain if these two issues could be related. I encourage you to talk to your vet and see if they have a diagnosis based on the pathology report from the surgery. With this information, you could ask for a consultation with a specialist and get more definitive answers. I am glad your girl is feeling good and eating well. Hoping she has many more happy days ahead!
Our 11 year old had the same thing. We did all kinds of tests and ultimately found out he has multiple myeloma. He seems fine, happy and energetic. We tried Chemo but it showed no difference and it was very expensive, mostly because of the constant appointments and bloodwork. It did not help the nose bleeds. We have been using Yunnin Baio but also doesn’t seem to be helping. Came here for hopefully some other preventative remedies. He’s a happy dog but we can’t keep coming home to a bloody mess everyday.
Hi Harley,
I am sorry your boy has received this difficult diagnosis. I am not sure I have any great advice but hope others will see this and be able to offer suggestions from their own experiences. I know your pup does not have a nasal tumor, but I am attaching a link to an article on that topic just because it also has lots of great information about how to deal with nosebleeds (good advice in the comments section too). Hoping you can find a way to give your boy some relief and restore the quality of life for everyone involved. ♥
Nasal Tumors in Dogs: A Dog Parent’s Guide
My 1 yr old DDB mastiff has been dealing with allergies for last couple months and they are now calming down. But yesterday I came home to my boy with a mild nose bleed. It stopped and isn’t heavy but every once and awhile he has a couple drips of blood.
On way to vet later today..
fyi. he is completely normal with eating drinking playing etc.
Hi Tim,
I am sorry your pup has been dealing with allergy issues. Glad you have an appointment scheduled to have him evaluated by your vet. Hoping you get some answers and wishing your sweet boy the best for a positive outcome!
Thanks so much for this article as it gives me an idea what my lab could be dealing with. My lab (10 yo) has been bleeding from his right nostril for more than a week now. The first vet did a blood work and said it’s likely because he has blood parasites so he prescribed antibiotic and some iron. It’s been 7 days since, my lab is still dripping blood on and off especially when he sneezed. I took him to see another vet and he did another blood work which shows that my lab has high CRT (2.3mg/dL), borderline high GLOB (4.5g/dL), low BUN (6mg/dL), high MON# (1.3), low HGB (10.8. ), low HCT (34.9), high PLT (497). The vet said we need to bring down his CRT and high CRT is indicative of tumor, hence recommending a rhinoscopy.
I’d highly appreciate anyone could share some insights and advice here:
1. whether what his blood work indicates
2. whether his age (10 yo) is suitable to undergo general anesthesia for rhinoscopy.
Thanks you so much all.
Hi Lee,
I am sorry your Lab is having these bleeding issues. It is hard to say if the benefits of getting a diagnosis outweigh the risks of anesthesia in this situation. If you are interested in pursuing treatment for a possible nasal tumor then I think the rhinoscopy is the way to go. If you are leaning toward palliative care, then obtaining a diagnosis may not be needed. Here is a link to another article with more information: Nasal Tumors in Dogs: A Dog Parent’s Guide
Hoping you were able to find the answers you needed to navigate this difficult path. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance. Best wishes and good luck!
hi – my 10 year old Old English Sheepdog has been having nosebleeds for the last month. Initially i took himto the vet and did bloodwork and x-rays and they came back normal. I went to an internist who did a MRI and a rhinoscopy and put him on Yunnai Baiyao and Clavacillin (amoxicillin). The MRI came back clear as did the biopsy (biopsy’s seemed to be good as they got some bone fragment). We are still waiting on the fungal results, but there were no plaque deposits visible on the rhinoscopy results. that being said, he is still having some terrible nosebleeds. The last few days have been much better (very little blood), but this morning he had a horrible nosebleed – bright red and very thick. He still has an appetite and loves to go on walks. at this point, i just want answers. i know you haven’t seen him, but are you familiar with any cases similar to this? i know there is a new dog disease going around, but i have another dog too who isn’t sick from being around him 24/7 and i don’t think nosebleeds are associated with it. thanks in advance.
Hi Stacy,
I understand your concern for your big guy and wish I had some answers. Unfortunately, I hear of cases like this often, but am just as puzzled as to what the cause could be. It sounds like you have done everything you can, and I commend you for taking such an active stance with advocating for your boy. It could be worthwhile to reach out to a holistic vet in your area. They may have suggestions for therapies (such as acupuncture) or herbal supplements that could be beneficial for him. Praying you are able to find a way to offer relief from these worrisome bleeding episodes. Please keep us updated on how things are going with your sweet boy.
My 11 month old Staffy suddenly got a nose bleed it is in her right nostril and she was overexcited when it happened, I took her for a walk at the beach today and she was running around with the zoomies then her nose started bleeding again it lasts for a few minutes then stops, apart from that she is her usual happy self I am going to take her to the vet tomorrow to get checked out but I’m worried as it’s come out of the blue any recommendations?
Hi Anita,
I am sorry you are facing this worrisome situation with your young pup. I understand your concern and think it is good you are planning a visit to the vet. Unfortunately, without knowing the cause of these nosebleeds, it is hard to make recommendations. If they are occurring when your dog is excited, they may be happening when her blood pressure is higher than normal. To try and avoid another issue while you wait for her appointment, it may be best to keep her calm and restrict activity a bit. Hoping all is well and you get some answers soon. Best wishes to you both!
What did the Vet say was the course of the dog’s nose bleed?
Hello,
I have a rescued pitbull who at the time of rescue was very healthy but. eventually fell sick and was led fo diagnosis of kidney failure and non re generative anemia.
We have been prescribed long term treatment and we put on an IVY on her every alternate day. Her nose bleedings started a month back but they were minor and all of a suden in the last two weeks the volume and frequency of the nose bleeds have increased alot.
We used KStat and Bostorate vials as per vet’s prescription however, it still doesn’t seem to be helping as much.
What can we do to make the situation better? please help me out.
Hi Vidushi,
I am so sorry your sweet girl is dealing with such severe symptoms. You are already doing just about everything I would normally recommend. The only other thing I can think of is to try the herbal supplement Yunnan Baiyao. I am not sure if I have used it for nose bleeds, but it has worked wonders for my patients with internal bleeding from splenic tumors and such. It definitely won’t hurt. Don’t forget you can always ask for a consultation with a specialist if needed. They may have ideas about treatments or therapies that are not readily available in general practice. Hoping your girl can maintain her quality of life and have many happy days ahead. Wishing you both the best.
Hi, my Stuart is a 5.5 yr old black lab-shepherd mix. He started with sneezing a lot with clear nasal discharge from right nostril and gradually thick yellowish discharge to blood tinged and to heavy bleeding multiple at times since then. His CBC and PTT tests, fungal blood test, head x-ray, CT scan and biopsy all came back normal The vet prescribed Doxycycline and Yunnan Bieyoe both did’t help, then went to see another vet who prescribed Amoxicillin and Animax ointment for the ulcer/discoloration on the outer part of his nostril, both helped a little. For couple of weeks he didnt bleed but his bleeding is back since Wednesday and he has bleed heavily three time until this morning today is Friday. I dont know what to do, I took him to the vet yesterday, but the vet says he does not know what to do either. Please kindly help me to help my dog. I want my dog to get better and I would do anything to get him back to normal. Please let me know if anyone else have a similar experience and got the treatment. please please please. thank you.
Dear Tenkun,
I am quite puzzled as to what could be causing the bleeding you describe. Your vet has already preformed all the tests I can think of to recommend. I am surprised that all the results have been normal. With how thorough your vet has been, I would have expected something to show up by now. I am hoping other readers will see your post and be able to offer some additional information and support. Praying for answers and a positive outcome. ♥
I am goin through the same situation. they don’t know what causes the bleeding. dont know what to do. helpless .anyone can please help
Dear Cynthia,
My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult situation with your pup. Praying for answers and comfort for you both. ♥
Hello. I have been through this with my German shepherd. He was about 4.5 when he got his first nosebleed and it was GUSHING out of his right nostril for 20-30 mins at a time. I took him in and they preformed all the tests, rhinoscopy, ct scan, biopsies. EVERYTHING came back normal. No foreign object, no fungal infection, no cancer, no tumors, no valley fever. The only thing that stopped them was yunnan baiyao and after 5 days on that they completely stopped. Well, for 2.5 years. November 13,2023 they started again. Same exact thing but only 1-5 mins at a time, day one probably 30 times that day. I immediately ordered the yunnan baiyao again and started him on that and they stopped after I believe 3 weeks. I didn’t take him in this time cuz I didn’t have the $4000 to spend on the same testing to be told they don’t know why it’s happening. I did order a dna/health swab kit to test for Vonwillibrands, canine scott syndrome and a couple other blood clotting disorder genes and he doesn’t have any of them. I’m completely at a loss with him but glad they have stopped again. Hoping we go another 2.5 years without them cuz when they come on, they are ROUGH!
Hi Ashlee,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! I am so glad you have found what works for your Shepherd. Praying he will get some long-lasting relief from the nosebleeds and wishing you both the best for many happy years ahead.
Ashlee,
I have a German shepherd going through this exact thing. She, too, is 4.5 yrs old and we’re waiting to get results from the rhinoscopy exam she had last Friday. Would you let me know what you find out from your tests? I’m concerned they aren’t going to find out anything either and I don’t have the thousands of dollars needed to have more tests done. But, my girl is sick and something is wrong. Her nose bleeds have stopped, but they occurred when her nose was hit, for example, playing with dogs and the bleeding was horrific. If she plays at all, I’m concerned her nose will bleed.
Dear Debra,
My heart aches for you as you anxiously await these results. Praying you get some definitive answers and that there will be a clear path forward. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance. Bless you and your sweet girl. ♥
Hi,
I have been dealing with an almost situation as to you..I have a four year old yellow lab and her nose bleeds from her left nostril. Had a rhinoscopy about two years ago at blue pearl, results sent to another lab for further review and inflammation in her left nostril (Epistaxis). Tried the same herbal blood clotting Yunnan, giving her apoquel for allergies, tried about everything possible.. I am at my breaking point and do not know what to do but took the advice from a speciality doctor were working with and taking her to University of Florida for another rhinoscopy with their advanced technology.. It’s just so hard and frustrating for me, and I’m so sad for my dog as shes my life and I hate seeing her in discomfort. I was told that although its not cancer right now, all the inflammation in the nose can and will increase chances of cancer.
Dear Hillary,
I am sorry your pup is having these issues and understand why you are concerned. I am glad you are pursuing the rhinoscopy at UF and pray you get the answers you need. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance. Wishing you and your sweet boy all the best.
I found a dog who looked like he was hit by a car or beaten and left .he has head wounds and other visible booboos . We brought him home he was doing great until the moose was outside then got the first nose bleed that didn’t stop for over 5hours .I took him to the emergency they cleaned his head wounds but the nose has not stopped it’s now day 6 .. I don’t have money to keep taking him .what can I do to help him .
Hi Jen,
I understand why you are concerned about this continued bleeding. It does make me worried there is something serious that hasn’t been found or diagnosed yet. Unfortunately, since I haven’t personally examined your dog, I can’t make specific conclusions. Without knowing why the bleeding is occurring there is no way to know what treatment to recommend to stop it. Have you talked to your general practice veterinarian about this? Many times, an ER will stabilize a pet until it can bet transferred back to the regular vet for continued workup and care. I think this situation needs more investigation and your GP vet would be the best way to go especially if you have financial concerns. Hoping you can get some answers soon. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hi. my shih tzu puppy recently got tick fever. suddenly she got nose bleeding very heavy. i bring to vet and doctor treated her to stop bleeding and and she is in medication for her tick fever/ infection. im not sure how long she was infected tick fever. she was very healthy and didn’t show any symptoms like no energy. her nose start bleeds if she sneeze, stress, eat solid food or active play. does nose bleeding is serious or very common cause tick fever ?
how long will take to 100% cure when she having all this symptoms. I’m too much worrying and stress out to see her in this situation.
Hi Sub,
I understand why you are worried and your concerns for your puppy are valid. Unfortunately, without playing a personal role in your dog’s medical care and examining her myself, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. Have you asked your vet these questions? They should be able to give you a timeline and tell you what they expect as things progress. How is your puppy feeling today? Hoping she is well and has been able to make a full recovery. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Today I was playing with my German Shepherd outside. It is quite warm out and he never gives up playing even when he is panting alot but I called a time out to go in and rest get water and lay by the fan. Well when I looked at his face there was a drop of blood coming out of one nostril scared me cause that never happened before. I wiped it with a cloth and it was mixed with fluid he has allergies it stopped right away but was very scary to say the least. He did go to the bathroom so maybe something in the grass got up his nose.
Hi Brenda,
I understand why this bleeding had you concerned. That would have been alarming to me as well. Has your Shepherd had any other bleeding events since then? Even though the bleeding stopped, and your dog seemed to feel ok, I recommend you mention this occurrence to your vet. They can make a note of it in your dog’s medical record and monitor him for any further problems. Hoping all is well and your sweet boy is living his best life. Wishing you both many happy days ahead.
I have a 7 year old boxer/hound mix. He has started having nose bleeds. They squirt out of one nostril. He can bleed enough to look like a massacre. I’ve talked to our vet and he tells me that tumors are likely
Hi Angela,
I am sorry your dog is having these severe nose bleeds. I agree, a tumor would be high on the list of things to rule out. Hoping you can partner with your vet and get some answers. Praying for a clear path forward.
My dog experienced bleeding a while ago, I don’t really know what’s the reason. I always give my dog a water so that she will not be dehydrated. Last day, I saw her sitting, and beside her there’s a portion of an animal’s organ (maybe a liver or lungs). I can’t really tell if it’s her organ or other animals’ organ. Please I need help, I don’t want to lose my dog. 🙁
Hi Yoki,
I understand that you are worried about your dog. Without examining her myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. I can say that I do not think a dog would be able to have an organ come out of their body and them still be alive or showing no signs of distress. It is still a good idea to have your vet take a look at your pup and do a thorough evaluation. Hoping all is well and you can get some answers. Best wishes.
My 10 1/2 year old male Doberman, Rebound. About a month ago we started seeing blood drops on the floor. We have 2 Dobermans, we checked both dogs for feet bleeding but found nothing. Finally my older pup sneezed in front of my husband and he saw blood coming out of his nose. The left side of his nose seemed plugged except for the blood dripping occasionally. I took him to the vet where they did blood work which all seemed good. However upon her examining his heart determined he had DCM. She was concerned about doing the rhinoplasty procedure due to this new diagnosis, but we went through with it. He did great, no heart issues!! However, they only could see an abnormality on x-ray.. She sent out the nose discharge for a biopsy. My question is, will his nose ever stop bleeding. Since the procedure his nose discharge is more like snot with a tinge of blood. And much more discharge than before. His poor nostril is sore because of the constant wiping. I don’t feel he can breathe out of this nostril still. Awaiting the results of the biopsy, we do use a freezer pack to help with the bleeding, It seems like he likes it when we put the freezer pack on his nose. I think his nose might hurt him because he rubs his nose with his paw.
Hi Mary Jo,
I’m sorry to hear that Rebound was having nose bleeds and then also got diagnosed with DCM, but I’m glad he did so well during the rhinoscopy. I’m guessing that some of the increased discharge from the nose may have been due to irritation from the scope plus whatever was causing the nose bleeds in the first place, but since I haven’t examined him or looked at his diagnostics, I can say for sure or give you a clear idea of how long it should last. It sounds like you were doing all the right things to keep him comfortable while you waited for results. Hopefully the biopsy was able to give you some more clues as to what was causing the nosebleed and keeping him from breathing well out of that side. Please feel free to give us an update about what you found out and how he is doing now!
Hello, my 13 year old pit/lab has had spouts of serious kidney disease and pancreatitis. He doesn’t get full nose bleeds, I just saw today that on each side of his nose is exactly the same spots there were dots of blood that keep popping up. Not even a ton just little drips not big enough to drop. I hope it’s not from his kidneys failing I’m so scared I’d do anything for him, including already spending 6000 for his vet bills ☹️
Hi Anna,
I understand your concerns about this blood you are seeing around your dog’s nose. I am not sure if this could be due to progression of his kidney disease or something else entirely. If you have not discussed this with your vet already, I highly recommend you give them a call. Hoping all is well and your senior guy is living his best life. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hi! I have a 10 year old GSD who has had a dry nose for years, maybe 4-5 years. Six months ago he had his first nose bleed. Took him to the vet they said he seems fine and ran bloodwork and it’s all normal. Since then he will have an average of 2 days a week with major nose bleeds and those two days he will have 4-8 separate bleeds each time. It’s heartbreaking and I’m not sure where to go from here. One vet told me if his bloodwork is fine it might be ‘just him’. I’ve tried steroids, CBD, humidifiers, etc and nothing helps. The vet doesn’t seem to help either. I am booking another appointment today and demanding more work like scans, blood pressure, another round of bloodwork be done so we can get to the bottom of this. It’s so stressful for all of us 🙁
Hi Kelly,
I understand your concern and frustration over these recurring nose bleeds in your Shepherd. I think you are correct to ask for a recheck with some more in-depth testing. Don’t forget you can always request a referral to a specialist. Internal medicine vets are very familiar with complicated cases like this and may have recommendations for testing or therapies that can sometimes be cost prohibitive in a general practice setting. I hope you were able to find the answers you needed to resolve this worrisome issue. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hi there’s alot of chlorine in tap water lately aswell as other chemicals, could that cause the nose bleeds?
Hi Terence,
I don’t have any definite data to speak of related to this. With that being said, I would not suspect tap water to be a cause of nose bleeds. If this were the case, I would think the incidence of nose bleeds would be much higher in my own patients.
have they tested him for Scott syndrome? my German shepherd gets nosebleeds and bad ones and it’s hard to stop them do to the blood not clotting. right now I have been dealing with that with my german shepherd.
Same here with our GSD. We give her two Yunnan Baio capsules twice a day which does help clot. It’s chinese herbs not drugs which I am happy about. It smells very strong we had no luck hiding in steak so we just manually give to her and she is used it now. She is no longer bleeding from nostril but she has a pinhole that bleeds out on the outside of her nose between her nostrils. Is there a way to cauterize that?
Hi Larisa,
I am glad the Yunnan Baiyao is helping, and your pup has gotten used to the smell and will tolerate the supplement. It may be possible to cauterize the “hole” you mentioned, but without examining your dog myself I can’t say for sure. This would be a great question for your vet. You can even discuss the option with a specialist if needed. Wishing you both the best. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Larissa my GSD is bleeding like your and has a pin hole blood squirts out.
So glad but a little confused that I found this stream! Has some people have unresolved stories, which is were mine is going I believe…….
9yr old Rottie x Staff, recently started having nose bleeds, two small ones and two quite big ones. Have stated when asleep and also out walking.
Been to the vets had whole body xray, vet said he is in perfect health! £520 later!
What do we do!?
Hi Claire,
I am sorry your dog is having issues with nosebleeds and the cause has not been determined. Sometimes we never find answers to this type of thing. With that being said, it may be time to ask for a referral to a specialist. There can be nasal tumors that do not readily show up on x-ray and may need a form of higher imaging such as CT or MRI. How is your senior guy doing today? Praying you can find some answers and wishing you the best.
I had 16 year old mixed terrier female dog as of today. My pets name was Penny. She was found out in the street by my niece when she was a baby. At age 16 Penny all of a sudden started having nose bleeds. The first one wasn’t long at all, it lasted about less than a minute. we didn’t think much of it. Then about a month later she had another nosebleed. It didn’t last long either. The nosebleeds started getting more frequent, like every other day. All of a sudden my Penny started walking with difficulty like she had a limp on her hind legs. I took her to a vet and she said it could be a nasal tumor or an upper respiratory infection or a tooth infection. No blood work was performed. The vet said she would give her an antibiotic to see if that would help. A week went by and Penny was getting worse with walking. I took her to an Urgent care and they did xrays and found arthritis on her back and legs. They gave her two medications one for pain and another for inflammation. Penny did good for about three days but then she went back to walking problems. I took her another vet. This vet ran blood work and found High levels in Bun and creatinine which meant kidney failure. It took three vets to finally get the final picture. I did alot of reading in the internet my dog was bleeding from one side of the nose which is indicative of a probably cancer nasal tumor. The nose bleed probably because her liver and kidneys were failing. Also the stumbling and difficulty walking is indicative of kidney failure. I wish I would have taken her for more check ups so that I could have put her on medication. Penny was fine but started feeling sick all of a sudden. If you have pets it wouldn’t hurt to get blood work even if your pet looks and feels fine. I know my Penny was 16 years old but I had a pet that was 20 years old when he past away.
Dear Belinda,
My heart aches for you with your loss of Penny. While grieving it is normal to consider all the “what ifs”, but please don’t carry around the unnecessary burden of guilt. It is clear Penny was well loved and I am certain she knew. May her memory live on and be a blessing in your life. Praying for your comfort and peace. ♥
We have a 5 Year old Airedale Terrier and has nose bleeds mostly down one Nostril. He has been fully scanned from head to toe and everything is Ok also blood teat are all Ok . He rubs his nose alot. The bleeds last for about 1hr or so but he is full of health aprt from the Bleeds
Hi Rodney,
I am glad your Airedale’s testing revealed all normal results. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Wishing you both the best for a long and happy life together.
I have a 30lb terrier mix who is almost 14 1/2 years old. He’s started having thick bloody discharge on and off a couple of months ago. Today when we were out walking he had a sneezing fit and his nose started bleeding profusely and did so for nearly an hour. He’s been showing his age for the past several months and we’ve spent over $600 this past summer for various infections. The nose discharge started right after he finished his meds and we thought it might be a side effect of the drugs but he’s been off those for 6 weeks. At his age and physical condition I don’t think he has a lot longer to live. Not sure what to do at this point.
Hi Tim,
I understand your concern for your senior dog and these scary bleeding episodes. Without examining your pup myself, I can’t make specific recommendations. I am slightly suspicious of some kind of nasal tumor that could be growing and causing erosion inside the sinuses. You can always ask your vet if they think skull x-rays would offer some answers or help guide treatment recommendations. It is also ok to pursue hospice/palliative care if you want to focus on comfort and quality of life. I hope you can find the advice you need to make the best decisions for you and your sweet boy. Wishing you both the best. Bless you.
Dear Dr. Buzby,
Thank you for this helpful site and thorough article on nose bleeds for dogs. Our 3 year old Vizsla just went in for a laprascopic spay. We took Amber to the same place and Dr. of our other Vizsla who had no issues at all. Post op initially she was fine. The Vet called and said all went well. He then called an hour later and said she doesn’t look good has a fever and wbc count is severely low, other blood counts were normal. Chest xray was negative for infiltrate. He recommended we hospitalize Amber overnight for iv fluids and iv antx. We did that. While at ER Amber developed a nose bleed. I picked her up the next morning, still with fever, nose bleed but wbc count normal. I took her to her regular vet who put her on oral antx, bld work again with wbc slightly low and another chest xray showed mild infiltrate from possible aspiration but so mild that it didn’texplainthe nose bleed.,, Today is day 3. She still has a nose bleed… watery mucus, blood tinged trickle. I think the fever may be gone or less. She has a good appetite but super lethargic, to be expected after surgery maybe? Any thoughts would be appreciated. All the docs said they couldn’t explain her nose bleed or even why she declined after surgery. The antx are for possible aspiration pneumonia. Thank you for your thoughts. Susan
Hi Susan,
I am sorry you are dealing with these bleeding issues and complications after your dog’s recent surgery. Without examining your dog myself, it is hard to make conclusions about what could be happening. This case is puzzling and sounds like the vets have done all the standard testing to try and find some answers. How are things today? If these symptoms are persisting, it may be time to consider a consult with a specialist. I hope Amber is feeling better and has fully recovered from her ordeal. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Sadie is our 9 year old American. Bulldog who began having nose bleeds about 6months ago and has at least 6. They seem to happen like clock work every 3-4 weeks, last a couple of hours and then go away. They range from light to very extremely heavy. The last two have been really bad and huge blood clots are being blown out when she sneezes. We have been to the vet.. initial blood work and exam are normal.. a slightly high white blood cell count so she was given antibiotics and steroid but it happened again in 3 weeks and went back to the vet. He saledated and X rayed her nose area and found nothing unusual. Today she sneezed hard which started her nose bleeding again and it was horrible. Free bleeding. I used cold wet clothes and tried to calm her. Eventually she sneezed out a huge blood clot and the bleeding stopped like switching on a switch. She has acted normal since and always acts normal between episodes. We are so puzzled. Any suggestions or thoughts?
Hi Stephanie,
I am sorry you are dealing with these worrisome bleeding episodes in your senior girl. It sounds like your vet has done all of the recommended initial testing for an issue like this, but the diagnosis is still not clear. It may be time to schedule a consult with a specialist. They have a great deal of experience dealing with complicated cases like Sadie seems to be. They can let you know what next steps are recommended to find the cause for Sadie’s nose bleeds. I am hopeful you will find some answers soon and praying for a positive outcome. Best wishes to you both and feel free to leave an update as new information comes to light.
One of our dogs puppies, was 3yrs old. Just outta blue got bloody noses, over short period time they got worse, vet said couldn’t find anything. In less then two weeks, she had gotten so bad her parents said she just looked at sky, bleeds was so bad his room looked like murder sight see on TV. This was an active, bright eyed playful pup who enjoyed life an visits here w mom dog and daddy dog. Went from that to so bad off in less two weeks she had to be put to sleep. I wasn’t there for most vets appt, but once did pick her up she acted normal, following week dead. They said she was just suffering, wasn’t there anymore. what could have caused a young normally healthy dog to get that bad in such short period time
Hi Terry,
What a tragic end to a young dog’s life. I am so sorry you experienced this and had to watch your pup’s health deteriorate so quickly. Without examining the dog, myself, I can’t really make conclusions. There are just too many possibilities. It isn’t uncommon for a dog to have symptoms like these and still have no abnormalities on a physical exam. To get a diagnosis it often requires a great deal of diagnostic testing. Sometimes complicated cases even have to be referred to specialists. I am not sure how much investigating your vet was able to do before the puppy passed. We will probably never know for sure what happened. I hope you are able to find comfort in knowing you did all you could. Wishing you happier days ahead.
Hi we have a 12 month old XL bully x Staff and for the last month or so his nose is constantly dripping with clear liquid and dark blood, we took him to the vets two weeks ago as he doesn’t seem his usual giddy hyper self and we we’re prescribed antibiotics, ear wash, ear drops and anti inflammatorys. He is still the same and no change, still dripping blood. When he sneezes blood sprays over the floor and up the walls, when I go to feed him there’s blood in his bowl and on his bedding. We have put him on an allergy food and increased him to 4 meals a day but he doesn’t gain weight. For a dog that is meant to be chunky and solid he looks like a greyhound.
We’re in the uk so no tics the same here, only thing I can think is it’s something very serious
Or the lemon scented conifer tree he’s always
rubbing himself on in the garden.
Our vet said he’s the worst inflamed ears he’s ever seen and he sees a lot of old dogs and ours has just turned 1.
We’re back at the vet again tomorrow, any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Dawn,
I understand your concern about these bleeding issues in your young dog. I am glad you planned a follow up visit with your vet. What did you find out? Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. I too am worried there is something more serious going on and think it needs some more investigation. Is it possible to have your dog evaluated by an internal medicine specialist? Have you had any lab work performed? While ticks may not be as prevalent in some areas of the UK, you still share some of the same tick-borne diseases as what we battle here in the US such as Lyme and Anaplasmosis. I hope you can continue to search for more information and find some answers. Praying for a definitive diagnosis and options for treatment that will improve your dog’s quality of life.
I have a 10 year old husky/pit mix. Over the last few years, it seems like around the fall and winter he gets occasional swelling with a light nose bleed. The nose bleeds are always quick and very light. The swelling lasts a few days with no other symptoms. I normally give him Benadryl for 2 days and it clears up. Could this be like a sinus infection for him since it only occurs in the fall and winter months? thank you.
Hi Angela,
That is very interesting. I wouldn’t think this could be an infection since it is seasonal and clears up without antibiotics. Without examining your dog myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. Have you talked to your vet about this recurring issue? It might be a good idea to have some testing done to rule out more serious problems. I am glad your senior guy doesn’t seem to be severely affected by these episodes. Hoping you can find some answers and praying for a positive outcome.
Hi. We have a 7 and a half year old Goldendoodle. In July this year, he started sneezing a lot. We took him to vet, blood test showed negative for fungus. Put on antibiotic and Benadryl. Stopped excessive sneezing within a day or two. When at groomer in mid August, we were told he had a nose bleed. Didn’t think much of it. He started favoring back right leg, took him to vet on Aug 24. Vet said he had nose bleed while they were trying to take X-ray. Told him of prior nose bleed. Vet did blood and urine test. Results good again for clotting and other things tested. I noticed our dog has a small white discoloration on the inside of his right nostril. Vet indicated possible fungus.
Finally able to get him scheduled for Ct scan and rhinoplasty end of November. All specialty places booked until then. In mean time three more nose bleeds. One mid October found 3 small blood spots on floor. Nov 3 another partially wet drop of blood on floor. The last on Nov 5 when I found him licking blood on his front paw and a few drops of blood on floor.
Our baby has been taking breveto since he was 6 month old. Concerned possible exposure to fertilizers on walks. And most dreaded cancer.
Since puppy, he has had what I would describe as occasional nasal congested breathing. Vets (3) have said, no congestion they hear, lungs sound good. Said if and when time comes to clean teeth, can probe further.
Our boy has good energy and acts normal. He is being treated for a partial tear in right back knee. So we are limiting his walks and doing water therapy to treat knee. Also vet advised diet to lose 20 lbs. He is currently hovering around 90 lb. and slowly losing weight. Is there anything else we should do while awaiting Ct scan and rhinoplasty?
Hi Cathy,
I understand your concern for your sweet boy and these bleeding episodes you are noticing. I applaud you for paying such close attention and catching this while the symptoms are so mild. It sounds like you are already doing everything you can. I am not sure there would be any additional treatments you could try while waiting for your appointment with the specialist at the end of the month. I hope the CT will give you some answers and allow the vet to decide on a course of treatment to give your pup some relief. Praying for a positive outcome and a diagnosis that can be cured. Please keep us updated! Bless you both. ♥
Hi. Thanks for response. Unfortunately, they are telling me my baby has nose cancer even though biopsy came back negative. Had two other vets look at results and they feel the same. He is having occasional nose bleeds and gets anxious at times. But otherwise gratefully he is acting normal. I am giving him CBD chew that has ginger and turmeric.
Don’t know what to expect but praying for good results or anything that would make him as happy and comfortable going forward. They offer radiation but I don’t see putting my boy through this for a possibly another year. I want him as pain free and happy as possible.
Dear Cathy,
I am so sorry your sweet boy has received such a difficult diagnosis. I think your plan to keep him happy and comfortable will offer you both the most quality time possible. You might want to see if there is a house call vet in your area that practices hospice/palliative care. I am glad you have some answers for why these bleeding episodes are happening. Hoping your boy will continue to feel good and find joy in his days. Keep us updated. Bless you both. ♥
My dog prince is 9 …a retriever mix and has been having light nose bleeds for the past two weeks. The last few nights the blood loss is more than a drip on his bedding. He is also sneezing, shaking on and off and looks like he has a bulge under his eye on his cheek. We took him to the vet yesterday who ran bloods and advised he has a 0 platelet count indicative of cancer. We have to make a decision now as further tests will just show where it is but not change the prognosis. He is home with nasal bleeding ongoing and a change in his breathing. We are devastated but need to do what’s best for him. Any advice welcome.
Hi Suzanne,
I am so sorry Prince has received such a devastating diagnosis. Did your vet give you anything (like yunnan baiyao) in case of a bleeding emergency at home? It sounds like your sweet boy may be nearing the end of his life. I highly recommend you contact a hospice vet in your area. They can partner with you to make sure Prince is comfortable and these last days are peaceful and happy. Then when the time comes, you can say goodbye knowing you did everything you could. My heart goes out to you as you face these tough decisions. Praying for your strength. Bless you both.
Dear Dr. Buzby:
I just tripped over your site concerning dogs nose bleeds. We have a 10yrs. old black lab. and recently moved back to Maine from New Mexico where we had a small two (2) horse ranch. We rescued Shadow from his next-day being put down so we brought him to our ranch/home where he responded very positively with the horses.
Well, we have been back in Maine for 4yrs. to date & did recognized back at the ranch that Shadows outside nose was becoming dry & cracking. We applied Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Bagbalm, etc., & worked for a while. Recently, we’ve notice that very small pieces of his outside nose had bright pink blotches (where possibly parts of his nose were being scratched off) which looked like an old dried up ‘cork’!! We tried keeping the nose oiled but to no avail. Early this week my wife woke up to trails of blood & areas of a blood pool as if a “blood-letting” took place. Bedroom carpet, hall way, stairs, downstairs, dining room, kitchen to breeze-way!! We got the bleeding to stop with a pressure pack but would bleed at anytime.
Night before last pretty much the same thing, called our Vet. & I took him in yesterday morning, of course, blood in the truck. The Vet gave me some medication & some ointment; Medication-Cephalexin 500mgs., Ointment-Tacrolimus 0.1% 30gm. Having to apply this to his nose & then blow on it for 10mins. is quite a chore & Shadow wonders what’s going on? Do you have any other recommendations that we can apply to decrease the ‘nose bleeds’ or I’ve mentioned just “cauterizing’ his outer nose from his constant squirting the blood flow?? I feel so limited to help Shadow & he doesn’t deserve this, nor us, & he feels he is being punished?? Can you really help us out??? He’s my best buddy—we both suffer with Chronic PTSD, I’m a 100% disabled Nam veteran-with little funding–Shadow needs to be helped & the problem resolved.
Many thanks,
Brad
Hi Brad,
I understand your concern with these bleeding issues. I can only imagine the stress this has caused you and your pup over the last few weeks. Have you noticed any improvement since starting the medications your vet prescribed? Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. With that being said, I am suspicious there may be something else causing a problem such as an immune mediated disease (lupus, pemphigus, etc.) Make sure you keep your vet updated on how this is progressing. If you don’t see results as expected, it might be a good idea to consult with an internal medicine specialist. If a specialist would cause a strain with your finances, your vet may be able to try a course of immunosuppressive medications to see if your dog responds favorably. I hope you can find the answers you need to help restore your sweet boy’s quality of life. Wishing you both the best and feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hello, I am so glad to have found this article. My 15 year old pug had a nose bleed 6 months ago, and the vet did some bloodwork and everything came back fine. But the last week, his nose has been bleed on and off through the day but it’s doesn’t drip or anything. Just stays around his nostril. He acts normal and has not other symptoms. He suggested it could be a tumor in his nasal passage, but that would required a mri or ct. Due to my pug’s age and other issues such as his heart as well as his blood pressure raising lately when stressed, we believe that anesthesia/sedation would be dangerous. If it is a tumor or maybe even dental disease, could anything be done without sedation? I worry that there might not be anything I can do for him.
Hi Britt,
I understand your concern with your pug and these bleeding issues. Unfortunately, since I haven’t personally examined your dog, I can’t make specific conclusions and recommendations. You could talk to your vet about the possibility of trying a course of steroids. If there is a nasal tumor, it may be able to temporarily shrink it and lessen the severity of the bleeding side effects. Just be aware that steroids can cause an infection to worsen, and these medications have a long list of potential side effects. You and your vet will have to partner together to weight the benefits verses the risks and decide on the best course of action. It is ok to pursue palliative care if your main goal is to keep your pup comfortable. Also, you could request a consult with a specialist to find out what treatment options are available for your dog’s specific case. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best choices for you and your senior guy. Bless you both.
Our 2 yr old male golden retriever mix started showing signs of bleeding several months ago. We would find small amounts of blood on our bedspread, but were puzzled where it was coming from. He has a tendency to chew on his paws so we thought that was the source of the blood, but we could never find any blood on his paws. More recently we discovered more pronounced blood on the bedding and significant blood pools on the floor dripping down from the bed. We finally realized the blood was coming from his left nostril. We immediately took him to the vet who did blood work that was all normal. He’s been on Vitamin K bid for 2 days along with an antibiotic bid. He has not improved and seems to be sneezing more and spraying blood. Vet advised to give it a couple more days. If no improvement then she’ll sedate him and do a rhinoscopy. He shows no other signs or symptoms of illness. One worry that’s nagging me is last spring we found a raw potato and an orange in our dog fenced area. We didn’t think he ate any of it, but if that was laced with rat poison could this be the cause of this bleeding now? We examined the items and didn’t see anything suspicious, but I don’t really know if it could have been tainted. Should I be worried this could possibly be poisoning?
Hi Gloria,
I understand your concern about these bleeding episodes in your young pup. If the potato and orange that were found in his area last spring were poisoned, it definitely would not have taken this long to see symptoms. Even delayed symptoms from rat poison are usually seen within weeks. That doesn’t rule out the possibility that someone isn’t still giving him things he shouldn’t have. But if rat poison was the culprit, then there are blood tests that can be done to show clotting abnormalities which would allow for a diagnosis. I am leaning more toward where your vet is headed with the rhinoscopy. I am suspicious that there is a mass or polyp in the nasal cavity causing the bleeding. I hope the scoping procedure will give you the answers needed to pursue an effective treatment. Praying for a positive outcome and a full recovery for your sweet boy.
Hello! My 17 year old bichon mix is having a nosebleed as I write this. She started having them about 6-8 months ago and has 4 or 5 now. They’re never heavy – just drops that she licks off her nose. and some drops on the floor.. There seems to be no reason when they happen. She’s been taking Galliprant 20 mg every morning for over a year. Could that be causing it? She’s in good health otherwise and sees the vet regularly.. I’ve forgotten to mention it when there!
Thanks for any advice.
Hi Karen,
I understand your concern with these episodes of nose bleeding in your senior pup. I do think you should let your vet know sooner rather than later. It would be a good idea to have some lab work or other testing preformed to rule out some of the more serious potential causes. I wouldn’t think this would be a side effect of the Galliprant. Hoping you can get some answers and find an easy solution.
We have a about 12yr old 15lb silky terrier. A couple of yrs ago he started reverse sneezing when he got excited. It eventually evolved into regular sneezing, but with these violent head shakes. Now blood has become a part of it. It stops almost as soon as it starts. I try to rush him outside until he is done.
The first time we were walking and we thought he bit his tongue. The second time we only saw him sneeze and small streaks of blood came out. He ends up with half his mustache covered in blood and he won’t let you wash it off with a cloth. Another similar episode and then this morning he rubbed his nose and then started sneezing. The chain of events is def that he felt something, the blood started and that made him sneeze. It stopped quickly but it looked like more blood than before.
He has had regular vet visits (currently they won’t see him until late Nov) and so any tooth decay or some of the other possible causes, I think they would have found before. Is there something I can do or something I should say to the vet to be helpful. I may not have given enough info, but I just don’t know what to do. Any advice is helpful.
Hi Stephanie,
I too am concerned about these bleeding episodes in your senior boy. I understand than many veterinary clinics are overwhelmed with workload, and it can take a while to get an appointment. With that being said, I think your dog needs to be evaluated sooner rather than later. Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, I can’t make specific conclusions, but I am suspicious of a mass or cancerous process. If there is a mass in the nasal cavity, I would hate for it to have two months to grow before a diagnosis is made. I recommend you contact your vet and make sure they understand the details and your concerns. You may have to see if you can get your pup seen faster at another clinic. I hope you can get some answers and find a treatment to help relieve these bleeding issues. Praying for a positive outcome for you and your little guy.
Hi, I have a 9+years of golden cream labrador her name is Sofia., form past 3 week she is not eating anything .from.past 2 week I concern with my vet as she is diagnosed with kidney failure in ultrasound also her creatinine level is 24 .doctor told us it is a very high level of creatinine present in her body. we lost all hopes and praying to God and caring alot by giving her liquid diet by syringe and giving her food forcefully and giving her medicines too,but today I saw her nose bleeding to much my hands were shivering I consult her vet as he hold me that it is a multi organ damage .what precautions or steps we can do to make her in a peaceful condition we lost all our hopes to saw her happy with a smile her nose is bleeding too much doctor can you give me advice.its a humble request.
Hi Kashish,
I am sorry your senior dog is suffering from multi organ failure and nearing the end of her life. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I have no way of knowing what the options are for pain control and comfort. This would be a great question to ask your vet. Also, it might be a good idea to contact a hospice veterinarian. From what you are describing, I am concerned that efforts to keep your girl comfortable may be in vain and that choosing euthanasia might be the most loving choice at this point. Saying goodbye will allow Sofia to find peace and rest and end her struggling and discomfort. My heart goes out to you as you face these difficult decisions. Bless you both.
Hello. Our Dog Cook (8 1/2) has recently had cruciate ligament surgery and week into rehabilitation, a reoccurring nose bleed started for two nights running. He also has a heart murmur and is subscribed Vetmedin 10mg twice a day) for this. The first night the blood was poring for a few hours. It then clotted, but because he was sneezing it continued the cycle. After a few hours it stopped until the next night when it started again but this time the intensity was down about 50%. We initially thought that the inflammatory drugs (Pardale V 500mg) twice a day) we’re having an impact. The vet changed the medication to (Tramvetol 50mg 1.5 tablets every 8 hours) We’re waiting tonight to see if we have a reoccurrence. Any advice would be appreciated. Best Mark
Hi Mark,
You are right to be concerned about these bleeding events in your senior dog. I am glad you have talked to your vet, and they have already changed his medication to see if that solves the problem. If the nosebleeds continue, it will probably mean you are headed for lab work and some testing. Your vet may decide to check Cook’s platelets and other blood cell counts. High blood pressure can also cause these symptoms. X-rays may be needed to evaluate what the inside of your dog’s nose looks like and to rule out the possibility of a mass. My best advice is to make sure your sweet boy is as calm and anxiety free as possible. I hope the medication change will be the quick fix we are all hoping for. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance. Best wishes!
My 11 year old Dachshund started having a continual nasal discharge several months ago which gradually became pink and now deep red. It only comes from the right nostril. He makes snorting and gurgling sounds as it affects his breathing. Because he has heart problems, the vet doesn’t want to do an MRI so no diagnosis has been made. He is on heart and blood pressure meds but continues to seep from the nostril. Can anything be done?
Hi Nancy,
I understand your concern with these chronic nose bleeds and discharge from the right nostril of your senior guy. Unfortunately, without a definitive diagnosis it is difficult to make specific treatment recommendations. It might be a good idea to schedule a consult with a specialist. If a mass is suspected, it may be worth trying a course of steroids. The anti-inflammatory action of the steroids can sometimes temporarily shrink the size of tumors, offering a better quality of life. Steroids are not the best for dogs with heart issues, but I am not sure what kind of prognosis your boy has been given. If your vet is thinking this could progress and eventually become life threatening, it could be a good time to discuss palliative care. I would also ask if you could try the herbal remedy mentioned in the article, Yunnan Baiyao. I hope you are able to find the answers you need to give your sweet boy some relief. Bless you both.
hello I’m trying to help my brother figure out what my be happening to his dog she is a belgian malinois puppy he took her to her spay appointment while she was there her nose starts to bleed they call my brother letting him know what is goingon and they are trying to figure out why her nose started bleeding and trying to stop it they end up giving her epinephrine shots to stop bleeding and he picks her up now she is not the same shoemaker weird noises out of her nose because it sounds like she is struggling to breath her nose is constantly running sometimes it is green they are wanting to charge him 6000.00 for a cat scan to MAYBE see if they can figure it out..I look at like when he brought her there she was fine during a procedure they were preforming something happened with her nose now it is my brother’s responsibility to figure it out and pay for it I feel like something they did caused it and was wanting to know what advice I could get to try to help him
Hi Jennifer,
I am sorry your brother’s dog is dealing with these worrisome symptoms. There is nothing done in the normal routine of spaying a dog (pre-op, during surgery, or post-op) that should involve the nose. I can’t imagine how the veterinary staff could have caused what you are describing. I am inclined to think that the nosebleed and subsequent symptoms would have happened no matter where the puppy was, and it was lucky she was at a veterinary facility so treatment could be initiated right away. Since I haven’t examined the dog myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. Due to the green discharge and noises heard while breathing, I am suspicious of a mass like lesion in the sinus cavity or a bacterial/fungal infection. Fungal infections are very common depending on which area of the country you are located. A CT may be the only way to get a definitive diagnosis, but your brother could ask to start with x-rays. I recommend scheduling a consult with an internal medicine specialist. They can let you know how to prioritize the testing to save money and maximize the benefits and may offer treatment options that could be cost prohibitive in general practice. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best choices for everyone involved. Praying for a positive outcome for this little pup.
Hi, our dog is 11 yrs old. Her nose started bleeding a little last week and then two days later just started pouring blood. Rushed her to vet and they ran all blood work. Everything was normal. We were told that she probably has a tumor. They put her on the Chinese herb meds and doxy. And said she had maybe 3 months to live. We are devastated to say the least. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Gretchen,
I am so sorry your senior girl has received such a devastating prognosis. Since I haven’t personally examined your dog, it is hard to make specific conclusions or recommendations. Without a definitive diagnosis, there is really no way to know if other treatments or therapies would help prolong your pup’s life. It might be a good idea to schedule a consult with a veterinary oncologist. They could let you know if there is something else you should be doing or help guide you toward a vet that can help with palliative care. Has your dog had x-rays taken to try and visualize the mass? Sometimes prednisone can be used to temporarily shrink the size of some tumors to allow for a little extra quality time. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best choices for you and your sweet girl. Praying for comfort for your heart.
Dominic had a crazy nose bleed as he is on antibiotics for sinus infection. We got it to subside but now it seems that it may be starting up again. He has had ear infection we have been battling and it sounds like he has drainage. I may he at fault bc he had drainage and I went into his nose with a moist cloth. Could this be due to my fault or allergies and sneezing. Never happened before.
Hi Keisha,
I understand your concern and worry over the nosebleed Dominic is experiencing. Since I haven’t examined him myself, I can’t make specific conclusions and recommendations. I wouldn’t think a moist cloth would cause bleeding, but it also depends on how far into the nasal passages the cloth was put. Anything placed far enough into the nose can potentially cause bleeding. I highly recommend you call your vet and have Dominic evaluated as soon as possible. I hope he is doing better today, and the bleeding has stopped. Bless you both.
Hi taking a chance you may read this. My dog dozer lost a nail a few weeks back he was put on a antibiotic and inflammatory pill, we have finished the antibiotics and got a refill for the inflammatory . Dozer had a nose bleed last night and again this morning we got it to stop but I am concerned that it could be the ant inflammatory that could be causing it. It is Sunday and the vet is not in what should I do?
Hi Lynda,
Since the anti-inflammatory medication was originally prescribed for the torn nail, and it has been a few weeks since the incident, I think it would be ok to stop the medication. These drugs are not common causes of nose bleeds, but it is still a possibility. Please make sure to reach out to your vet tomorrow or as soon as possible. They may want to have Dozer come in for an exam and some testing.
This article was very timely for us. My Molly, an 18-year old Coton Du Tulear has had a couple nosebleeds over the last 6 months or so. Of course we consulted our Vet and we tried some non-invasive things to mitigate, but the other night she had another nosebleed. It trickled on throughout the night, and required icing on and off. Luckily, our K9 chiropractor who is also a Vet Tech was scheduled to come to the house the next night. Upon investigation, she found hard, heavy tartar on Molly’s incisor/canine teeth. She was able to manually remove this, and we are very hopeful that this (along with an antibiotic) have us on the road to healing. Molly is still making odd nasal snorting sounds at night, but at 18 we have to balance interventions right???
Hi Stephanie,
I am glad you were able to get the bleeding to stop. While it is true that dental infections can lead to nose bleeds, they usually do not resolve without a full dental cleaning and extractions. If you are concerned about an abscessed tooth or other dental issue, I highly recommend you have you pup evaluated by your vet. Since I haven’t examined your girl myself, it is difficult to make specific conclusions. I am concerned there may be something else going on that is contributing to the nose bleeds you have noticed over the last 6 moths. It might be a good idea to talk to a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They can let you know what testing is best to get a diagnosis and then form a treatment plan for Molly’s specific situation. I hope you can find the answers you need to prevent any further complications. Wishing you both the best!