Pet Medications for Stomach Related Disorders

When Should You Use Pet Meds for Stomach Disorder

• It is important that you, as the pet's owner, notice the signs that your pet's health is questionable. A simple tell-tale sign that your dog has a stomach problem is that dogs will go outside to eat grass. Eating grass helps induce vomiting, which in turn, makes the dog's stomach feel better. This can sometimes be an easy fix, but you want to watch for the dog doing this too often. Frequent vomiting can be a sign of further damage to the stomach or digestive tract, and the gastric acid from the animal's stomach can cause extreme damage to the animal's esophagus. Diarrhea is also a common sign that an animal is experiencing stomach pain or illness, for both dogs, cats and other domestic pets.

Pet Meds for An Upset Stomach

• For a simple upset stomach, the same medicines used to treat humans are used to treat pets. These medications reduce inflammation in the stomach or eliminate pain. It has been reported that pet owners who use small doses of Pepto Bismol have reduced the stomach irritation in both cats and dogs. Although this may be the case, medical professionals from the The American Animal Hospital Association Encyclopedia of Dog Health and Care recommend that pet owners use Kaopectate if they only adjust the recommended dosage for humans. However, aspirin should never be given to a pet as the acetaminophen in aspirin can cause fatal liver and blood disorders. Not every human medicine is acceptable, so it is best to consult your veterinarian before attempting to treat your animal at home.

Medicine for Animals with Stomach Ulcers

• Animals with ulcers require a completely different kind of medication to help reduce the stomach pain radiating from the ulcer. One of the best drugs available for treatment of an ulcer is Sucralfate. Sucralfate, or Carafate, is a drug specifically designed to treat intestinal ulcers and gastric ulcers in domestic pets, including dogs and cats. Sucralfate forms a chemical reaction with the animal's gastric juices (which are higher in acid content than human stomach acids). As a result of this chemical reaction, the gastric juices and sulfate create a thick coating around the ulcer that reduces symptoms and irritation.

  Natural remedies for dogs with ulcers include Licorice root, Slippery Elm, Aloe Vera and Alfalfa. These natural remedies for ulcers, and many more for simple stomach illnesses can help reduce the pain and inflammation; however, little evidence is shown that they will eliminate the ulcer.

Natural Pet Meds for Stomach Disorders

• One popular product that acts as a natural remedy for stomach irritation in dogs is Active Manuka Honey. In addition, the creators of Active Manuka Honey claim that this product can also kill the bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori, which is believed to cause peptic ulcers in animals and humans though consumption of unclean drinking water. The Active Manuka Honey can also be used as a preventative that is given to your pets before each meal. Gingko can also be used as it will cause a similar reaction as the chemicals found in natural grass that cause your pets to vomit. Gingko reduces pain and also helps reduce vomiting and inflammation to calm the stomach.

Side Effects of Pet Medications for Stomach Disorders

• The risk of side effects differs on the type of medication given for the stomach ulcer. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are excellent for reducing pain and eliminating stomach inflammation in pets; however, NSAIDs can have many serious side-effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers, perforations, kidney damage, and liver or blood problems.

  Minor side-effects for Sucralfate and Kaopectate can include vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, lethargy, and diarrhea.