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Nose Bleed in Dogs
Written By hannah hollinger
Published: 09/30/2015Updated: 08/26/2021
Veterinary reviewed by Michele K.
What is Nose Bleed?
If your dog suddenly begins to bleed from the nose, remain calm. It is important to keep your pet quiet and relaxed in order to prevent the nose from bleeding more intensely. You may put an icepack on the bridge of your dog’s nose to slow down or stop the flow of blood. Contact your veterinarian promptly to have your dog seen. Trauma to the snout or an upper respiratory infection can cause the nose to bleed. Your pet may also have an underlying problem such as a tumor; taking your pet to the veterinarian is important.
Nose bleed in dogs (epistaxis) is an outflow of blood from the nostril, nasopharynx or nasal cavity. Immediate veterinary care is recommended to diagnose the cause quickly.
Nose Bleed Average Cost
From 36 quotes ranging from $200 - $15,000
Average Cost
$1,500
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Symptoms of Nose Bleed in Dogs
- Slow drips or a continuous flow of blood from your dog’s nose
- Continuous pawing at nose
- Vomit (unusual dark color)
- Swelling
- The appearance of the skin around the nose
- New, unusual behavior, such as increased whining or crying but on most occasions, a bloody nose may be the only noticeable symptom and should be better inspected by a veterinarian.
Causes of Nose Bleed in Dogs
There can be numerous probable causes for epistaxis, which must rule out to ensure the health of your dog:
- Mild or severe trauma to the snout
- High blood pressure
- Dental disease
- Presence of a tumor
- Coagulation problem
- The presence of a foreign body lodged in the nose
- Certain cancers
- Ingestion of rat poison
- Fungal infection
- Certain tick-borne diseases
- Issues with blood proteins
Diagnosis of Nose Bleed in Dogs
Your veterinarian will begin to diagnose the reason why your pet has bleeding from the nose after acquiring and evaluating your dog’s recent medical history. She will inquire about medications your pet may be taking and whether you have noticed any unusual bleeding prior to this event. If there has been a trauma to your dog’s nose, advise the veterinarian. Other information to relay would be if you have used any poisons or pesticides in your yard, or whether your dog has been exposed to any rodents recently. Your veterinarian will also want to know if the stools have been normal.
An examination will include checking the appearance of the area around the nose and the gums. Your veterinarian will look for evidence of pain or facial swelling, and check the condition of the eyes, looking for redness or abnormalities.
Your veterinarian will likely order a CBC, blood chemistry and clotting profile to check for anemia along with other potential issues, such as organ damage. She may want to do a radiograph (x-ray) to look for evidence of internal bleeding. Other tests, such as MRI or bone marrow analysis may be required, depending on findings from the initial examination.
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Treatment of Nose Bleed in Dogs
Treatment will begin with returning your pet to a better immediate state of health. Ensuring that your dog can breathe properly and has not lost too much blood are two important considerations. Treatment for blood loss may be required. Upon leaving the clinic, you will be asked to carefully monitor your pet’s activity levels, appetite and general demeanor over the coming days.
Treatment will vary depending on the underlying cause of the nose bleed. If your pet is suffering from a fungal infection, nasal aspiration and antifungal medication may be necessary. If a foreign object is lodged in the nose, the prognosis is typically good once the object has been removed. Other illnesses such as a tumor, cancer or tick borne illness will require more invasive investigation and treatment. Infections will likely require antibiotics.
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Recovery of Nose Bleed in Dogs
Successful recovery and management for your pet depend upon the origin of the nose bleed. Complete cessation of the bleeding, continued normal vital signs, and the return to usual behaviors are the desired goals.
Dental issues, infection, and the removal of a foreign object all allow for a favorable recovery. If there is the diagnosis of an underlying illness that continues to progress, the recovery will be more difficult and treatment will be more extensive. The possibility of an illness progressing to an untreatable stage exists also. For example, the presence of a tumor or cancerous growth in the nasal cavity or skull would result in a poor prognosis for recovery.
Nose Bleed Average Cost
From 36 quotes ranging from $200 - $15,000
Average Cost
$1,500
Top
Nose Bleed Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Golden Retriever
Five Months
62 found this helpful
62 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Nose Bleed
I was taking him for a walk and noticed he had a nose bleed
Oct. 6, 2020
Answered by Jessica N. DVM
62 Recommendations
Hello-
Thank you for your question. I would recommend monitoring the bleeding. If it doesn’t stop over the next 30 minutes or increases in flow then I would recommend taking him to your veterinarian to be examined. Otherwise he may have just bumped his nose and if given a little bit of time the bleeding may stop with no treatment needed.
Oct. 6, 2020
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Rottweiler
Eighteen Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Drops Of Blood From Nose
This has happened two or three times in last ten days
Sept. 26, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
Since I cannot see your puppy or where the blood might be coming from, It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine your pet, see what might be going on, and get treatment for them if needed.
Oct. 17, 2020
Was this question and answer helpful?
N/A
Thirteen Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Epistaxis
What should we do if one of the nose of our dog is bleeding?
Sept. 25, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay, this venue is not set up for urgent emails.
It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine them, see what might be going on, and get any testing or treatment taken care of that might be needed.
Oct. 22, 2020
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Labrador Retriever
Nine Years
12 found this helpful
12 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Unilateral Bleed Left Nostril, But Only When Eating...Twice A Day
For the past couple of days when my dog is done eating, her dog food bowl is full of blood. Upon the examining her, there is no obvious problem, but noticed today that the bleeding is only coming from left nostril. She never bleeds at any other time, except while eating. She does get SUPER excited just before all meals.
In addition, just about a week ago her left jaw WAS swollen (see pics), but I found nothing unusual upon inspection, and considered a bee sting, what not; THEN, within 2 days, it disappeared.
Her temperament, activity level, etc, are all normal. What might this be?
Aug. 6, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
12 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. This could be caused by a dental problem if a tooth root has an infection, or an immune disorder, or a tick-borne disease, or a tumor Since this doesn't seem to be getting better, it would probably be best to have your dog seen by a veterinarian. They will be able to examine your her mouth and head and give her a good examination, do any lab work needed, and let you know more what might be going on and what treatments might be needed. I hope that all goes well for her.
Aug. 6, 2020
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Siberian Husky
One Year
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Redness
He had surgery for right eye removal due to cataracts/glaucoma a few days ago. He is nose started bleeding at 4pm today and has not stopped.
July 18, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
I'm sorry that he is having these problems.
If the bleeding is not stopping, he needs to go to the ER. It may be related to the surgery, but they will be able to help treat that for you.
I hope that he is okay.
July 18, 2020
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Weimaraner
Cap
6 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Nervous
Hungry
Scared
Stress
My pup was going to go get fixed today but couldn't because he got just a little bit aggressive with the vets coming at him and his nose started bleeding. Never has he ever had a nose bleed before but I do know he was stressed, scared, and so forth along with being very hungry. Could there be any other issue? Could it have easily been stress?
German Shepherd
Zeus
9 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Nose Bleed
Bleeding
Zeus was alwaing down the stairs and fell we found him standing and ok but blood was everywhere we cleaned him up and he seemed ok. I checked on him today while he was relaxing and his nose was running and he seemed like his left nostril was maybe blocked. Will it clear up by it self or will I have to get the blood out of his nose ?
Pit bull
Tyson
12 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Weakness
Bloody Nose
My pit bull was 12 years old and an indoor dog. He had lost s lot of weight and one day had actual blood clots leaving his nose. it would slow down at some points and pick back up. His weakness was so bad, I managed to pour water in my hand and allow him to drink from my palms; it was then when i noticed that the water started to get blood in it as well from his tongue. you heard a click in his breathing. The blood clots were so bad, he had to be put down :( we still never got to find out what the problem was but the doctor narrowed it down to be possible pneumonia or cancer. What kind of cancer could cause this?
Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler)
Baby
15 Years
3 found this helpful
3 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Collapse Sever
Weakness To Stand
My Australian cattle lab has been having her nose/mouth bleed for the last few weeks. Before that happen she gain a lot of weight and have grown lazy due to her age. The bleeding from the mouth/nose has raised a concern for our family.
Nose Bleed Average Cost
From 36 quotes ranging from $200 - $15,000
Average Cost
$1,500
Get a free pet insurance quote in less than 60 seconds!
Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
