Just like their human owners, dogs eat things that don’t agree with their digestive system on occasion and may experience an upset stomach. Although dogs will eat grass when their stomach hurts, sometimes it will not help much. When this is the case, there are other options you can try before calling the vet.
Symptoms
If your dog has been vomiting or making strange sounds in his stomach, then he likely has an upset stomach. The dog may also have diarrhea or a swollen stomach caused by too much pressure inside the belly.
Causes
There are many causes of an upset stomach in dogs. Eating table food or changing your dog’s regular dog food can cause pain in the stomach. Some cases may be emotional in nature, such as stress or car sickness. However, some cases are more severe and are caused by parasites, viruses, diseases or poisoning. In some cases, the cause may be a swallowed object such as part of a stick, ball or dog toy.
Home remedies
If you are fairly sure that the cause is not something major, then you can try some home remedies to avoid a vet visit. First, remove your dog’s food and abstain from feeding him for at least 12 hours. Keep him dehydrated, however, by leaving water or a Gatorade and water mixture in his bowl so he can replenish his fluids. If he dog refuses to drink water, you can use a syringe and inject the mixture down his throat. You can ease the process by massaging his throat and you squirt the mixture down.
Start him back on solids foods slowly by feeding his rice or chicken. Yogurt is a good choice, as it promotes healthy bacteria in the dog’s body. You can also give him Pepto-Bismol. The correct dosage is 1 ml per pound of weight administered every 6-8 hours. So a 30-pound dog would get 30 ml of Pepto-Bismol 3-4 times per day. You should use it for no more than five straight days.
Vet Guru has many other home remedies you can try.
When to call the vet
If no improvement is made after 24 hours, you should call the vet to avoid having your dog suffer any longer. You can check your dog for signs of dehydration by checking his gums for a wet film. If none is present, then dehydration is beginning to occur. Dehydration can cause organ failure and even death if not treated properly. Any sign of blood in the vomit or feces is a sign of a more serious condition and must be diagnosed by a vet immediately.
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