Treating a Dog with an Upset Stomach

A dog with an upset stomach may show some mild signs such as vomiting and diarrhea, which only requires some easy home remedies to fix. However, if the vomiting persists, it may be more serious and require veterinary treatment.

Determining Severity of a Dog's Upset Stomach

Dogs can develop upset stomachs for many reasons, just as we can. They may have gotten into the trash, eaten something in the yard that disagreed with them or have a mild virus that causes mild nausea. If your dog is vomiting or has diarrhea, it is usually nothing to worry about.

However, if your dog is vomiting for several hours or you find blood in the vomit or diarrhea, you may have cause for concern. Also, make sure your dog doesn't have a fever. Check for dehydration by pulling back the skin on his neck. It should snap back readily. If not, he may be dehydrated. Even a mild stomach ache can become serious if your dog becomes dehydrated.

Diet Changes

If your dog is vomiting, keep him from eating for 12 to 24 hours. The vomiting should stop for around 12 hours before trying to feed him again.

When you begin feeding, feed a bland diet such as boiled chicken and rice. If your dog has loose stool, use 3/4 rice and 1/4 chicken to firm up stools. Feed him the bland diet for at least 48 hours before trying to feed him his regular diet again.

Adding a spoonful of pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix, will also help soothe your dog's stomach. Continue to add that to his regular diet for a few days after the vomiting is done. A spoonful of cottage cheese is also a good supplement since it restores the healthy bacteria to your dog's stomach.

Make sure your dog always has access to fresh water throughout this time. Consider adding Pedialyte or Gatorade to increase the electrolytes in your dog's system.

Because small dogs and puppies are especially prone to dehydration, rub a little maple syrup on their gums to quickly add glucose to their system.

Herbal Remedies

Though upset stomachs will usually go away on their own in a few days, there are some herbal remedies that can help soothe the dog's stomach. Plantain, Podophyllum and Alchemilla vulgaris are all shown to soothe the digestive system in dogs. Ginger root is also an effective treatment of nausea.

Vomiting and diarrhea can be a cause for concern, but often, there is nothing to worry about. If your dog is seeking grass to resolve the stomach ache, let him do so because it will cleanse his system. However, if that's not working, there are plenty of home methods available to you to ease your dog's pain.

 

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