How to Treat a Dog Sneezing Blood

Co-authored by Natalie Punt, DVM

Last Updated: July 11, 2024

It can be very disconcerting to see blood come out of your dog's nose when it sneezes. A bleeding nose can be caused by a variety of factors, including trauma, an infection, or a tumor, among other causes. If your dog's nose is bleeding then you should try to slow the bleeding, keep your dog calm, and consult with a veterinarian about whether the dog needs immediate veterinary treatment or not. Even if the bleeding ends quickly, your dog should get seen by a veterinarian if it ever bleeds when it sneezes.

Why Your Dog Might be Sneezing Blood (& What to Do)

This issue could be caused by a strong sneeze, a foreign body, an infection, or even a tumor, so find the appropriate treatment plan with your vet.
Keep your dog calm, limit your dog's bleeding with a cold pack, and finally, contact your vet.
Tests will need to be administered to understand your dog's condition, so if your vet isn't available, you should call or visit your local emergency pet hospital.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Giving Immediate Care

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1
Keep your dog calm. If your dog is actively bleeding it may be upset or agitated by that. Focus on keeping the dog calm by petting it and reassuring it if you can. This will help its mental state, as well as keeping its blood pressure down and thus limiting the amount of bleeding.
- However, do not give it any medication to keep it calm unless you discuss that option with a veterinarian before you do.^{[1]
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- Also put the dog in a location where it is comfortable but its blood will not damage any surfaces in your home. This will help you focus on your dog's health instead of mopping up blood immediately.
2
Put a cold pack on your dog's snout. If your dog's nose continues to bleed after it sneezed, try icing the area to stop the bleeding. Icing the area will restrict the blood vessels, hopefully cutting off the flow of blood that is coming out of your dog's nose.^{[2]
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- It can be difficult to ice the nose of a dog. Be patient and calm with your dog and do what you can.
- If you are unable to ice your dog's snout, usually due to resistance from the dog, then you should simply focus on getting it to a veterinary clinic for treatment instead.
- Depending on blood flow, icing might not be enough to stop it.
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Contact your veterinarian. Call your veterinary office if it is open and tell them what is occurring with your dog. If your dog only expelled blood while it sneezed and no more blood followed, then it is likely that you can wait for an appointment to get your dog checked out.^{[3]
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- If your dog is actively bleeding, take your dog immediately to a veterinarian but call the veterinary office on the way to warm them that you are coming in. This will allow the veterinary office staff to prepare for dealing with a bleeding animal.
- If your dog sneezed blood and then no more blood came out that doesn't mean that you can forget about it and not take your dog to a veterinarian. Any time a dog sneezes blood it should be seen by a veterinarian.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Getting Veterinary Treatment

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1
Take your dog to a veterinarian. If your dog's nose bled or is bleeding it should be taken to a veterinarian. If the bleeding stopped quickly after the sneeze, then you can call your veterinary office, discuss the issue, and make an appointment to bring your dog in. If the bleeding has not stopped or took a long time to stop, then the dog should be taken to a veterinarian immediately, as the blood loss alone can be a threat to your dog's health.
- If your regular veterinary office is closed while your dog's nose is bleeding, then you should take your dog to an emergency pet hospital in your area. If your dog's nose stopped bleeding shortly after the sneeze, call the emergency pet hospital and discuss whether to bring the dog in or to wait until the dog's normal veterinary office is open.
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Approve veterinary testing. In order to get a diagnosis, your veterinarian will need to do a variety of tests on your dog. These tests, which may require several rounds of testing, will allow your vet to narrow in on the cause of the bleeding. Possible tests your vet will want to perform include:
- Blood cell count
- Urinalysis
- X-rays
- Rhinoscopy^{[4]
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- Blood pressure
- Cultures from nose
- Additional specialized testing
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Treat the underlying cause of bleeding. There are a variety of things that could be causing your dog's nose to bleed. Once your veterinarian gives you a definitive diagnosis, they should also present you with a treatment plan.
- Your dog's bloody nose could have simply been caused by the force of your dog sneezing or by a foreign body in the nose. If this is the case your dog should easily recover on its own once any foreign bodies are removed. However, this may not be the case if there is an underlying problem with the dog's blood clotting ability.
- Your dog's bloody nose could be caused by a simple sinus infection. A sinus infection is usually treated with a round of antibiotics and can be cleared up quickly.^{[5]
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- Your dog's bloody nose could be caused by a tumor. Treatment for a malignant tumor usually includes surgery and chemotherapy, although these treatments can be difficult for tumors in the sinuses.^{[6]
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- Your dog's bloody nose could be caused by an infection in its teeth that traveled up into its sinus cavity. If the dog's teeth are infected, your dog will need to go to a veterinary dentist and have its dental infection treated.