Nose bleeds in dogs are not common, but may occur if the dog has suffered an injury, has a trapped object in the nasal cavity or has a medical condition. A nose bleed can be stopped, but the underlying condition should be detected and treated to prevent future nose bleeds. If the bleeding is not stopped, this can be deadly, as the pet loses a lot of blood.
Causes of Dog Nose Bleed
A nose bleed may occur when pressure is applied on the nose or the dog gets hit in the nose and this will lead to bleeding, however, there are also other causes that may lead to nose bleeds:
- An object that is stuck in the nasal cavity and has caused an injury. The object can be anything starting from a paper clip to a piece of food that hasn’t been properly chewed
- Allergies, which make the dog sneeze and some blood vessels may break due to excessive sneezing
- Poisoning, which can be due to the ingestion of a toxic material such as rat poison. The ingestion of rat poison may be dangerous, as it is a powerful anticoagulant and the bleeding may not be stopped
- Tumors or polyps in the nasal cavity that may rupture
- Hemophilia, which is a rare condition that will interfere with blood coagulation
Additional Symptoms with Nose Bleeds
You should watch your pet carefully and see if there are additional symptoms that could help you identify the cause of the nose bleed:
- Sneezing, which may be indicative of a foreign object in the nasal cavity, but may also indicate that there is a tumor
- Bruises or skin lesions, which can point to a trauma or a fight
- Drooling and vomiting, which can indicate that the dog suffers from poisoning
- Pale gums
You should also notice how severe the nose bleed is and whether this stops instantly or continues for several minutes. This can also help in the diagnosis process.
Diagnosing Nose Bleeds
Allergy testing, blood tests and radiographs will be needed to establish the cause of the nose bleeds.
The vet will examine the dog to see if there are other symptoms.
Treatment Options for Nose Bleeds
The treatment may include:
- Inducing vomiting and administering activated charcoal, if the dog has ingested rat poison or other toxic materials
- Surgery, to remove foreign objects, cysts or tumors
- Antihistamines for allergies
- Cauterizing the broken blood vessels
- Corticosteroids, which can be used in the case of allergies and autoimmune conditions
Stopping Nose Bleeds
In some cases, the nose bleeds can be stopped at home, but you will still need to check with the vet to establish if there is a medical problem.
You can stop the nose bleeding by applying pressure and ice packs on the bridge of the nose and helping the dog calm down. Make sure the dog is able to breathe. Remove the ice pack after 5 minutes.