Healthy nutrition is just as important for people as it is for pets. It is very common for people to experience heartburn due to indigestion, but this condition could also affect your dog. Just like some treatments may work better for some people and others could worsen the symptoms, not all treatments are as effective when treating your dog's digestion problems.
A dog suffering from heartburn is uncommon, but it could occur due to stressful situations, food allergies and unbalanced diets.
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Symptoms
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Some symptoms caused by heartburn are vomiting and lack of appetite. Once these symptoms are visible, a veterinarian would ran a detailed checkup to rule out several other optional problems, such as swallowed objects or heart worms.
Treatment
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However, there are a few remedies to help relief and treat this condition under the veterinarian's supervision. Sandy Harper, DVM, said that giving over the counter anti-acids would help relief the symptoms. Some of those anti-acids are Zantag, Pepcid AC and Reglan. "Reglan helps keep the stomach empty by moving the food to the intestine to be processed instead of letting the food stay in the stomach causing indigestion." Harper said.
If the heartburn is severe enough that caused an ulcer, Carafate should be given to the dog. "It is like a super strong Pepto-Bismol. It will attach to the area affected and act as a band-Aid." Harper said.
Before giving your dog any anti-acids, Harper recommends to check with your veterinarian to determine the right doses that should be dispensed to keep the dog safe.
Holistic method
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A natural approach that Shiner recommends to relief your dog's heartburn is Slippery Elm bark and Marshmallow herbs, which would soothe the throat. The diet should be monitored since not all dogs like the same exact food, and their needs may vary depending on allergies and age. " Older animals will suffer from very little stomach acid." Shiner said.
There are different types of diets to choose for your dog, such as raw food and home cooking. But when feeding fresh food or home cooked meals, the dog owner has to make sure the diet is balanced to mimic the variety of foods the dog would have been eating in the wild.
There are many kinds of natural herbs and remedies to aid a dog with this condition.
According to the National Center for complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), Turmeric, from the ginger family, is a natural reliever of heartburn in small doses. When given in high doses it can cause liver problems in animals.
Prevention
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The best way to prevent the painful and uncomfortable symptoms of heartburn is by reducing the stress level that your dog might be experiencing; avoid feeding rich foods that could be hard to digest, and watch for food allergies. Harper's advice is to change the diet of your dog to rice based foods that are easier to digest. "Change the lifestyle (more exercise), the diet and ad herbs to that." Shiner said.
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