IndyandHollyluv Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Hello all. Just wondering if anyone has been through this: My 10 yr old Indy started to bleed from his right nostril about the beginning of October. Not profuse, mostly a few drops in the morning. If I dab his nostril with a Kleenex, you can see light-colored blood. Vet had a look-see (rhinoscopy). Origin seems to be within the nasal cavity. Pathology report (culture and biopsy) came back "non-specific." So far, no sign of cancer, fungus, parasites. Indy does not seem bothered by it other than I suspect he is swallowing a certain amount of blood. No unusual pawing, rubbing, sneezing, etc. I live in Michigan and fired up the furnace early this month, but nothing else has changed and the house isn't unusually dry. Could it be from the gas-forced air? Don't know if there is anything more sinister lurking elsewhere or a ruptured vessel in his nostril? Any thoughts, experience with this? Many thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WhenIGiveIn Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 You may want to PM Wendie she went through this with Joe. Oh I just saw you dont have enought post to send a PM I will point her to your thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SoulsMom Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 (edited) Perhaps a bone chip from an old racing injury? ETA-Soul's nose bleeds from time to time, but he has Discoid Lupus Edited October 31, 2008 by SoulsMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyandHollyluv Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 Perhaps a bone chip from an old racing injury? ETA-Soul's nose bleeds from time to time, but he has Discoid Lupus By the way, I didn't mean to post twice. Sorry, don't know how to delete the second post?? Anyway, thank you. It's possible it could be some inflammatory or auto-immune process. Indy is on thyroid meds, but otherwise in good shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Have you checked for Ehrlichia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest boondog Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 (edited) One of my fosters had three or four nosebleeds, all very minor. After x-rays and a rhinoscopy, OSU found nothing. She also had a full tick panel. I see her owner on a regular basis, so I know she has never had any more. We really don't know why they happened. ETA: Like Indy, she never showed any signs of discomfort. Edited October 31, 2008 by boondog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyandHollyluv Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 Have you checked for Ehrlichia? Forgot to mention, vet ran coagulation panel, checked platelets -- all normal. Vet said negative re parasites, but I don't know if that covered TBD? I will have to ask. Thanks for mentioning that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendie Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 I would say that TBD (tick born diseases) are your next step. There are several that can cause nosebleeds. Another thing to check into is the condition of the canine teeth. The roots on those teeth are extremely long and if they are infected or have something wrong with them, they can definitely cause nosebleeds. My dog Joe has suffered from nosebleeds of unknown cause since March 2007. We took many of the same steps you have - rhinoscoping, blood tests, clotting tests, etc. and all came back with nothing. Along with Joe's nosebleeds, he also suffers from severe boughts of reverse sneezing and rubs at his face like it is very itchy. Sometimes the nosebleeds are a drip here and there and sometimes they are profuse, stuff horror shows are made of profuse. Joe's nosebleeds respond to antibiotics. If he is on antibiotics, his nose does not bleed. He's had one antibiotic that he built a resistancy to and that no longer works to ward off the nosebleeds, but otherwise, if he's on an antibiotic, his his symptoms disappear. This has led my vet to continue to believe it's nothing cancerous and some sort of strange unknown infection since it is so responsive to the antibiotics. Joe has been on a tiny dose of prednisone since November 11th, 2007. Since being on pred, his symptoms have disappeared. When we tried to taper down to barely no pred at all, the symptoms came back within a week. It's still a total mystery to us what causes them - we've done the dehumidifer, he's had his canine teeth removed (they practically fell out of his head during the dental and we were so sure that was the cause and the bleeding started again a month later), he's been given every blood test on the face of the earth, we've tried about 7 different drugs, and all I know is that pred works for us, he's still with us 20 months later, and he acts and seems like a very happy, healthy hound. Sorry I have no answers, but I thought I would share our experience anyway. Quote Forever in my Heart Joe T Greyhound, Charly Bear, Angel Daisy, and Katze & Buzz Kitty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyandHollyluv Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 I would say that TBD (tick born diseases) are your next step. There are several that can cause nosebleeds. Another thing to check into is the condition of the canine teeth. The roots on those teeth are extremely long and if they are infected or have something wrong with them, they can definitely cause nosebleeds. My dog Joe has suffered from nosebleeds of unknown cause since March 2007. We took many of the same steps you have - rhinoscoping, blood tests, clotting tests, etc. and all came back with nothing. Along with Joe's nosebleeds, he also suffers from severe boughts of reverse sneezing and rubs at his face like it is very itchy. Sometimes the nosebleeds are a drip here and there and sometimes they are profuse, stuff horror shows are made of profuse. Joe's nosebleeds respond to antibiotics. If he is on antibiotics, his nose does not bleed. He's had one antibiotic that he built a resistancy to and that no longer works to ward off the nosebleeds, but otherwise, if he's on an antibiotic, his his symptoms disappear. This has led my vet to continue to believe it's nothing cancerous and some sort of strange unknown infection since it is so responsive to the antibiotics. Joe has been on a tiny dose of prednisone since November 11th, 2007. Since being on pred, his symptoms have disappeared. When we tried to taper down to barely no pred at all, the symptoms came back within a week. It's still a total mystery to us what causes them - we've done the dehumidifer, he's had his canine teeth removed (they practically fell out of his head during the dental and we were so sure that was the cause and the bleeding started again a month later), he's been given every blood test on the face of the earth, we've tried about 7 different drugs, and all I know is that pred works for us, he's still with us 20 months later, and he acts and seems like a very happy, healthy hound. Sorry I have no answers, but I thought I would share our experience anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyandHollyluv Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 Thank you so much, Wendie. I will inquire about TBD. While under for the rhinoscopy, vet also took skull x-rays (negative) and cleaned his teeth. Indy still has all his choppers; no particular dental issues - although he did have a root canal ($$) six years ago on a chipped canine tooth, but think it was the lower. (Post-adoption, my food-obsessed Indy snagged a can of kidney beans off the kitchen counter and attempted to open it with his teeth. I came home and found the can on the living room floor full of tooth marks. Silly hound.) Indy does have environmental allergies, but no bouts of reverse sneezing. I asked the vet if it might be a funky blood vessel - and could they cauterize it? Vet said, yes, if they could isolate it. Poor Joe - profuse nosebleeds are no fun. As a kid, I suffered frequent nosebleeds. Glad Joe is okay. I will also ask about a course of antibiotics. Thanks for the suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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