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Section: Overview
Hematochezia is the presence of bright red, fresh blood in the feces. Hematochezia usually occurs with bleeding in the lower intestines (colon, rectum). Hematochezia should not be confused with melena , which is the passage of dark, tarry, black feces. Melena represents the passage of old, digested blood that has occurred with bleeding higher up in the intestinal tract.The presence of hematochezia may be a symptom of either a minor problem, or a potentially more serious problem in the animal. One occurrence of hematochezia may be a minor and transient event. Repeated or persistent hematochezia is more serious and should not be ignored. There are several possible causes. The most common cause in older pets is cancer and in younger pets are parasites.
Melena is the presence of digested blood in the feces and appears as black, tarry stool. Melena may represent a severe, even life-threatening illness, therefore, should not be ignored and should be addressed...
Gastrointestinal neoplasia is cancer located anywhere throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including the oral cavity (mouth), esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines, and rectum....
Proctitis is an inflammation of the rectum, which is the last part of the large intestine just before the anal opening. It can be caused by parasites, trauma, allergies, disease, tumors or polyps, or it...
Gastrointestinal ulcerations are inflammatory lesions that extend into the deeper layers of the gastrointestinal tract, going beyond the mucosa (lining). They are typically located in the stomach or upper...
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