Life-threatening external bleeding can occur from an open wound, trauma, or from clotting disorders such as rat bait poisoning. In some cases, surgery and a blood transfusion are required. Vomiting of blood is also a serious situation for your pet, and this requires immediate veterinary attention. If your pet is vomiting blood, in most cases blood tests and Xrays will be required initially. Further investigation can be performed using video endoscopy, CT scanning or exploratory surgery.

Life-threatening internal bleeding can also occur, and this can be challenging to diagnose. In some cases, the only symptoms may be pale gums and loss of energy/lethargy. Internal bleeding can occur as a results of trauma, poisoning, or a bleeding tumor for example.