Medications like Pepto have always worked for you so it might be very tempting to let Rover lick up a teaspoon of the stuff for his upset tummy. It couldn’t hurt, right? Well, there may be more issues than you might expect!
Imodium
What does Imodium do? Imodium is a brand name for a non-addictive drug called Loperamide, which slows the movement of material through the digestive tract, and encourages the absorption of excess water. These properties imply that in cases of diarrhea in dogs, Imodium for dogs should act to prevent frequent, watery defecation and limit the repetitive, fruitless, and unproductive straining that accompanies loose stool. Like most OTC medications these days, Imodium is available in liquid and pill/chewable tablet formats, as well as in varieties that contain different ingredients.The list of restrictions on Imodium for dogs reads like one of those commercials you see on television, where the warnings take fully a third of the air time to disclose. The most important of these include cautions against use in senior dogs, and against treatment of diarrhea caused by toxins or bacterial infections. It really is best to at least call a veterinarian before you give your canid friends human medications of any kind.
Kaopectate and Pepto-Bismol
(As with) Imodium, Kaopectate and Pepto-Bismol also come in a variety of formulas, each with its own strength, and each geared toward resolving a specific digestive issue. In other words, not all over-the-counter upset stomach medications are created equal, and the one you trust when your stomach is unsettled may do more harm than good when administered to a dog. Even a basic, standard formula can interact poorly if your dog is on other prescription medications, and frequently leads to blackened stools or constipation in dogs.Wholesome, short-term treatments, like chicken and rice, thankfully have no dangerous side effects and can help get a dog’s gastrointestinal tract back on track. If you take the time to search the internet in quest of a solution to a dog’s upset stomach, then you are clearly thorough enough to understand and appreciate the risks of giving human over-the-counter medications to your dog. Remember that most cases of diarrhea and vomiting in dogs have dietary or stress-related causes, and most resolve on their own with no treatment.
For more information, including how to care for a dog with diarrhea, go to Dogster.
We know that going to a vet for every little issue your pooch has may seem overwhelming, not to mention expensive! And as is mentioned above with the white rice and chicken, there are ways to prevent some lesser problems but, honestly, you have to think of your poor pooch like your own kids when it comes to illness. If they look better after a day or two, you can go on living happy lives.
However, if they continue to have issues sometimes a veterinarian is the best call. After all, you wouldn’t keep your human children in pain, away from their pediatrician, for more than a few days — right?
