You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Hemoptysis occurs occasionally in veterinary patients and needs to be differentiated from other causes of hemorrhage

Hemoptysis lilterally translated from it's origins means "I spit blood" . Medically, it means bleeding in the lower airways which is then coughed up. It is bright red and frothy in appearance. It needs to be differentiated from other sources of bleeding such as the stomach or oesophagus. The pH of blood from the stomach is acidic and also it is only bright red if it hasn't been in the stomach long..

Last updated : October 2013