How to Treat a Dog's Stomach Ache

Like a small child, your dog can't tell you when he has a stomach ache. Similar to a small child, the first warning you are likely to get that all is not right with your dog's digestive track is when he vomits on your carpet. Fortunately, the treatment for a dog's stomach ache is not terribly different from how you would treat your own. With diet and some basic over-the-counter medications, your best canine friend can be back to normal in no time.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Chicken broth
• Boiled rice
• Plain hamburger or chicken
• Pepto-Bismol
• Benadryl

1. Start with the treats. Some dogs can have an averse digestive reaction to rawhide chew treats. If your dog is one of them, you'll know pretty much immediately and the solution is simple--ban all future rawhide treats from your home. It is also common for treats high in fat to cause similar digestive upset. For example, the soft treats that look like miniature steaks are particularly hard for some dogs to digest, so their system gets rid of them--all over the floor. If your dog is having a chronic upset stomach, start a log of what treats he is getting and when, and see if there is any connection.

2. Feed the bland. When you feel sick, you tend to gravitate toward bland food--crackers, broth and toast--to help settle your stomach. What works for you can work for your dog as well. Try feeding him low sodium chicken broth, or a mixture of boiled rice and boiled hamburger (or boiled chicken) for a day or two until his tummy settles down.

3. Go for the pink. While there are not many over-the-counter medications for people that also work on dogs, Pepto-Bismol is one of them. One or two spoonfuls should be enough for your dog, depending on his size. Please note that dogs generally do not like the taste of Pepto-Bismol (especially the wintergreen kind), and will resist. You will want to attempt dosage in an easily cleaned area like the kitchen--or better yet, outside.

4. If your dog just cannot seem to stop the cycle, give him some Benadryl. Dogs don't process Benadryl like we do, and will simply "mellow out" if you give yours one tablet per 10 lbs. of weight. Maybe just a little rest is all your dog needs to get his tummy under control.

5. Give your dog a break. An otherwise healthy dog can actually benefit from a weekly day of fasting, and a sick dog may just need to completely "clean out the system" in order to stop feeling sick. If your dog cannot keep a meal of boiled rice and ground beef down, try not feeding him anything for 24 hours before you feed him again. Make sure that he has plenty of fresh water.

Tips & Warnings

• If the stomach problems persist more than two or three days or if your dog starts vomiting blood, take him to the vet immediately. Partially digested blood looks like coffee grounds.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish