It's easy to panic when blood comes out of your dog's nose, but it's important to stay calm. Bleeding from the nose is often caused by sinus infections, direct trauma, or foreign objects lodged in the nasal cavity.

Sometimes, though, nose bleeding is a sign of something more serious. For instance, cancer, poison ingestion, and snake bites often cause nosebleeds, so it's important to take bleeding seriously, especially when it doesn't stop on its own. Here's what you need to do if blood starts coming out of your dog's nose.

Pay Attention to Sneezing

If your dog is sneezing blood, chances are there is a foreign object lodged in the nasal cavity. When sneezing occurs, check to see if there is a branch or other small object visible in your dog's nose. If you see a twig, thorn, or any other foreign object in the nose, you may be able to gently remove it using tweezers; however, if the object can't be removed easily, take your dog to a vet. A vet has the proper tools and knowledge needed to remove objects without causing further damage to your dog's nasal passages.

Check Your Dog's Medications for Blood Thinners

Medications that thin blood are another possible cause of nosebleeds. Many pain pills, such as aspirin, are blood thinners, so do not give your dog pain pills while its nose is bleeding.

Many blood pressure medications also thin blood and could be causing the nosebleed. Unfortunately, discontinuing blood pressure medication can cause a spike in blood pressure, which can be disastrous. Always bring up medication side effects, including nosebleeds, with a veterinarian.

Ensure Your Dog Didn't Eat a Poisoned Rodent

Another potential cause of nose bleeding is rat poison. If you notice that your dog ate a rodent—or even just part of a rodent—your dog could have a bloody nose due to rat poison. If the rodent consumed was poisoned, your dog is likely poisoned as well. In addition to nose bleeding, rat poison causes the following symptoms:

• Tremors
• Seizures
• Weakness
• Difficulty breathing

If your dog has one or more of the above symptoms, get help at an animal hospital immediately.

Unlike people, dogs rarely experience nosebleeds. If your dog's nose won't stop bleeding, place a bag of frozen vegetables or an icepack on your dog's nose to constrict the blood vessels and slow the bleeding. Then immediately take your dog to an animal hospital like Kenmore Veterinary Hospital to find out the cause of the bleeding.

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