Pepto bismol for dogs with Upset Stomach – Is it a Safe Option

Pepto Bismol for dogs with stomach problems has been discussed and deliberated a lot by the pet owners with their friends and family members raising a pet dog. Some pet owners are still confused whether to give Pepto Bismol medication to their pet down with stomach infection.

The real truth
Pepto Bismol is absolutely safe for dogs down with stomach bugs, provided they are given in correct quantities. Each and every dog differs in their body composition and weight. According to the body weight, the affected dog should be administered the right quantity of Pepto Bismol. There are certain recommended dosage levels that must be followed religiously.

Recommended dosage levels while administering Pepto Bismol for dogs
While giving this medication, pet owners have to ensure that the dosage is according to the prescribed 1 teaspoon for 20 pounds of dog body weight. Based on these dosage specifications, pet owners can increase or decrease the quantity of Pepto Bismol given to their dogs. This should be done once in 6 hours continuously for two days. At the end of two days, the pet owners should take their dogs to the local veterinarian and subject the dog to a thorough screening. This needs to be done irrespective of whether the pet dog gets complete cure or partial cure after administering Pepto Bismol for two days. The pet owner has to continuously monitor the waste released by the dog during the two days of treatment.

Known side effects
While administering Pepto Bismol, some dogs might develop some side effects. This can be compared to the side effects caused to human beings when they take some drugs as a cure for stomach problems. All the dogs that take Pepto Bismol will not show these side effects. Some pet owners have reported black stools released by their pet dogs as a side effect of consuming this medicine. Some dogs might also develop indigestion problems, which would automatically come back to normalcy in a day or two.

Another important fact to be aware of is the ineffectiveness of Pepto Bismol in dogs that are allergic to silicates. Some dogs might be less tolerant to silicates. It is better to avoid using Pepto Bismol with dogs with such conditions. Pepto Bismol should also be avoided when the dog is pregnant. For dogs with bleeding problems, it is better to consult the veterinarian regarding the dosage levels before starting the treatment. Usually the veterinarians advise for starting with low dosages of this medicine, when treating dogs with bleeding problems. Once the pet owner sees that their pet dog doesn’t exhibit any abnormal behavior on the first day of treatment, they can start increasing the dosage on the second day. When the dog starts to show stains of blood in their stools, the pet owner should immediately stop administering Pepto Bismol and consult their veterinarian.

Pet owners grooming cats should be cautious in using this medicine with stomach infected cats. This may cause adverse reactions in cats. There are alternative medicines available for curing cat stomach problems. As far as Pepto Bismol for dogs is concerned, it is perfectly safe to treat the dog with upset stomach.