We are going to look at ways to help when your puppy has diarrhea and some other useful medications.
Sometimes the stress of traveling, being in a new place, meeting new people, drinking new water, or maybe they found a little French fry, or chicken nugget on the floor and decided to eat it up. There are a number of reason why your new Rottweiler puppy can have Diarrhea.
When it comes to our dogs, we always want the best possible care that we can get for them. Pet specific medications can often be expensive and sometimes complicated. However, did you know that there are a lot of human over the counter medications that your dog can take as well? Not only is that beneficial for dog owner’s wallets, but it is great for your dog in case of an emergency of some sort.
Today we are going to go over and discuss which medications are safe for your dogs and which are not. Have a seat and grab a notepad because we are going to talk about medication!
As a basic precaution, you should always do your own research as well as consulting with your veterinarian before you administer any sort of medication. This article is only for educational purposes. Covering up a sickness with medications can be dangerous. IF you puppy is sick bring it to a vet to be examined.
While there are many medications meant for humans that are safe for dogs, some can contain a single ingredient that could be harmful to your beloved best friend. Something that you should also keep in mind about over-the-counter medication is that some breeds cannot take certain “dog safe” medications.
Pain
Let us begin with basic pain medication. If your dog does require pain meds, you always want to avoid anything that contains acetaminophen which can be found in Tylenol and ibuprofen. This ingredient can be fatal to dogs if ingested. Buffered aspirin pose less of a risk but most veterinarians recommend staying away from giving dogs any form of human pain medication.
My puppy has diarrhea?
This is a very thorough video and I highly recommend watching it.
Oddly enough, you can also give your dogs Pepto-Bismol for an upset stomach. While this medication is safe for your dogs, it is not safe for cats! If your dog happens to throw up after taking Pepto-Bismol, consult your vet immediately. Also, certain worms can cause Diarrhea so be sure to follow the vets deworming schedule
The recommended dosage is 1 teaspoon per 20 pounds and should be given every 4 to 6 hours for 24 hours.
Imodium (Loperamide) is usually the go to medication to help our furry friends in this situation. Most dogs can take this without issues, but some breeds such as Collies, Shelties, Australian Shepherds, and Long-haired Whippets might have terrible reactions to Imodium. If your dog’s back end issues do not clear up within 24 hours, immediately contact your vet as diarrhea can cause severe issues such as dehydration. The usual recommended dosage is one milligram per twenty pounds and should be administered every four to six hours until your dog’s diarrhea clears up.
Allergy medication on the other hand tends to be safe for dogs. Most dogs simply experience drowsiness and hyperactivity. Some examples include Benadryl (Diphenhydramine), Claritin (Loratadine), and Zyrtec (Cetirizine). The thing to really watch out for is decongestants when it comes to allergy medications. Since decongestants are unsafe for dogs, you need to be 100% certain that the allergy medication only contains antihistamines. The usual recommended dosage is one milligram for every pound and this can be administered up to twice a day. The only time this would not be acceptable would be if you were told otherwise by your vet.
Most of us have seen a dog, if not our very own, eating grass on occasion when they go outside. This is usually because your dog’s stomach is upset and grass seems to help them with this problem.
Heart Burn & Stomach Ulcer
A few other dog friendly over the counter medications are Pepcid-AC (Famotidine), Tagamet (Cimetidine), and Zantac (Ranitidine). These medications are mainly to treat heartburn and stomach ulcer related problems. These medications have been known to be generally safe and effective for both dogs and cats, but it is still best to talk to your veterinarian first. When it comes to the dosage it is recommended to administer 1/4 tablet for dogs less than 20 pounds, half tablet for dogs 20 to 60 pounds, and one full tablet for dogs 60 pounds and over. Hear burn yes, what about foot burn?
There are more medications that are dog safe, but there are just as many if not more meds out there that are not safe for dogs at all. Always ask your veterinarian what is and is not okay for your dog in particular before you give them anything. Also keep in mind that you can call animal poison control at 888–426–4435 if your dog ingested something that may be toxic or poisonous or if you simply have questions about certain medications!
Quick Reference
Pepto Bismol 1 teaspoon per 20 Lbs of dogs weight. 0.5 ML to 1 ML of pepto regular strength per pound of weight a easy way to remember is 1ml per pound and if in doubt back off a little. Up to 3 times a day.
Imodium A – D for Diarrhea 1 milligram per pound of dog. Heres what we do. 0.5 ML per pound of weight up to 3 times a day. If you puppy still has diarrhea a vet visit is a good option.
Kayopectate .05 to 1.5 ML per pound of dogs weight. Again just keep in mind 1ML per pound of dogs total weight. (This dosage can be divided and given 2 times a day) A puppy with diarrhea can dehydrate quickly so be careful.
Robitussin DM for coughing or hacking 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs of dogs weight
Asprin 1/2 baby aspirin for dogs under 10 Lbs
1 baby aspirin for dogs 10-30 Lbs
1/2 regular aspirin for dogs 30-50 Lbs
1 regular aspirin for dogs 50-100 Lbs
Dramamine (for motion sickness) 12.5 milligrams for small dogs
25 milligrams for medium dogs
50 milligrams for large dogs
Hydrogen Peroxide (used to induce vomiting if pet has ingested toxic substances) 10 millimeters by mouth best used within 30 minutes (soon as you know dog ingested poisons) still must see a vet.
Gas -x to minimize gas 1/4 adult dos for small dogs
1/2 for medium dogs
1 adult pill for large dogs
Pepcid ac (FAMOTIDINE) / ZANTAC (RANITIDINE) TO REDUCE STOMACH acids
1/4 tablet for dogs under 20 lbs
1/2 for dogs 20-60 lbs
1 tablet for dogs over 60 lbs Works Cited Caninejournal, vet street, petmd, vcahospitals.