Have you ever had stomach acid problems? In fact, this health disorder occurs when the acid in the stomach rises to the esophagus or throat, which is the cavity that serves to distribute food from the mouth to the stomach. If the valve called the esophageal sphincter that protects the stomach wall is not closed tightly, stomach acid can flow into the wrong place and cause discomfort in the stomach. So, whether gastric acid disease can only be experienced by humans? Of course not because of the fact that even your beloved dog can experience it and feel pain from it. Therefore, if the dog begins to show symptoms of acid reflux, immediately take him to the doctor for immediate treatment. If in doubt about your diagnosis, try reading the third method in this article to understand the various indicators to watch out for.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Treating by Controlling Dog's Diet
Step 1. Take a dog who is vomiting constantly or looks uncomfortable to the doctor
If your dog seems to be throwing up food, has a low appetite, or is constantly whimpering when he swallows food, he is most likely suffering from acid reflux. To get the right diagnosis, immediately get him checked by the nearest vet!
Step 2. Provide a diet that is low in fat and protein for the dog
Avoid foods that contain large amounts of fat and protein because both can stimulate acid production in the stomach. Instead, provide carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, or boiled potatoes combined with low-fat white meats such as chicken, turkey, cod, or coley.
Examples of foods that are "bad" for dogs to eat include fatty minced meat, bacon, cream, butter, and pate (pasta made from meat and offal, especially liver)
Step 3. Encourage your dog to eat four small meals a day
If your dog is used to being fed large meals two or three times a day, the risk of being full will increase. As a result, the esophageal sphincter will stretch and allow acidic fluids to flow out of the stomach.
Therefore, encourage the dog to eat low-fat, low-protein foods in small portions four times a day, for at least 7 days or until symptoms subside. After 7 days, the dog can be fed again as usual
Step 4. Place the bowl of dog food on a table or chair that is not too high
Thus, the dog will be forced to eat with the head higher than the shoulders. As a result, the food they eat will stay in the stomach instead of going back up into the esophagus.
However, this method also carries the risk of making the dog's stomach bloated, and this condition can actually be life-threatening when the dog's stomach is twisted and filled with gas
Method 2 of 3: Treating with Gastroprotectors
Step 1. Give the dog a gastroprotector
In particular, gastroprotectors can provide maximum protection for a dog's stomach and esophagus, and the most commonly used type of gastroprotector is sucralfate. Armed with a doctor's prescription, you can buy it at a pharmacy under the trademark Antepsin or Carafate.
Step 2. Give omeprazole to the dog
Generally, omeprazole is sold under the brand names GastroGard and Prilosec in pharmacies, and must be purchased with a doctor's prescription. This type of drug is a proton pump inhibitor and is able to prevent the production of acid both in the stomach that is actively digesting food, and on an empty stomach.
- The dose generally recommended by doctors is 0.5 mg for every 1 kg of body weight of the dog, and should be taken orally once a day. Currently, omeprazole is sold in tablet form in varying doses, namely 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg. Therefore, for dogs weighing 30 kg, you should give one tablet at a dose of 15 mg per day and observe the effect. In the future, the dose can be reduced or increased according to the needs of the dog.
- Omeprazole is a very safe drug with very few reports of side effects. However, theoretically, the use of omeprazole in the long term can make acid levels in the stomach very low and trigger yeast overgrowth. However, this theory has not been scientifically proven until now.
Step 3. Ask your doctor for a prescription for sucralfate
Today, sucralfate has been widely used as an antiulcer drug for humans, which can also be used in animals if prescribed with the right rules of use. When in contact with acid, sucralfate will turn into a substance with a paste-like consistency. As a result, the drug can easily stick to the inflamed gastric tissue and protect the area from acids.
- The commonly prescribed dose is 0.5 to 1 gram, and must be taken orally three times a day. In particular, larger dogs need to take a larger dose of about 1 gram, while smaller dogs need only about 0.5 grams of the drug. Understand that liquid sucralfate has a higher effectiveness for treating acid reflux disorders, especially because the liquid that flows down the throat is able to line the esophagus better. Generally, the dosage of liquid sucralfate that is generally recommended by doctors is 2.5 to 5 ml, and should be taken orally three times a day.
- Since sucralfate is a very effective "guard fence," taking it will also make it difficult for other drugs to be absorbed properly in the dog's body. Therefore, if your dog is taking another medication, try giving it an hour before your dog takes sucralfate.
Step 4. Try giving your dog prokinetic drugs
In fact, prokinetic drugs can increase muscle tension in the digestive tract. As a result, the esophageal sphincter will tighten so that gastric acid has a lower chance of rising into the esophagus. One example of a prokinetic drug worth trying is metoclopramide.
Step 5. Ask for a prescription for metoclopramide for your dog's problem
In particular, metoclopramide can help the gastrointestinal tract to respond to acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter that sends messages to muscles to contract). As a result, the esophageal sphincter will continue to be closed so that stomach acid cannot go up into the esophagus.
- The generally recommended dose of metoclopramide is 0.1 to 0.4 mg/kg, and is taken orally four times a day. This means that dogs weighing 30 kg need to consume 3 to 12 mg of metoclopramide per day. Therefore, try giving a 5 mg tablet four times a day first and observe the effect. In the future, the dose can be increased or decreased according to the needs of the dog.
- Metoclopramide should not be given to dogs with intestinal obstructions because increased muscle contraction can actually cause cavities in the intestines.
- In addition, metoclopramide is also considered to be able to increase the release of prolactin (a hormone that stimulates milk production), so it should be avoided by female dogs so as not to develop "false pregnancy" symptoms that risk worsening acid reflux symptoms. In particular, a false pregnancy can occur when the hormones that build up trick the dog's body and mind into thinking it's pregnant, even though it's not. One of his tricks is to produce milk as if it was prepared for his future child. In fact, producing milk that will not be consumed by anyone can actually trigger infections in the dog's mammary glands, such as mastitis.
Step 6. Give the dog an antacid and observe the effect
In particular, antacids are able to reduce the production of acid in the stomach. As a result, consuming it is able to suppress the amount of acid that has the potential to rise to the dog's esophagus.
One type of antacid that is sold over the counter in pharmacies is famotidine (which is sold under the brand name Pepcid). Meanwhile, higher doses of antacids such as omeprazole can only be purchased with a doctor's prescription
Step 7. Try buying famotidine
Famotidine is an H2 receptor antagonist that can slow down the production and secretion of gastric acid in the dog's stomach.
- Famotidine can be purchased without a prescription at most major pharmacies. Since famotidine is an over-the-counter medication, you can use it to treat dog conditions without a prescription. Although recommended doses vary widely, famotidine should generally be taken at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg orally twice daily.
- This means that a dog weighing 30 kg should take 1.5 tablets of 10 mg twice a day on an empty stomach. So far, no harmful side effects have been reported even when famotidine is taken for a long time.
Method 3 of 3: Recognizing and Diagnosing Stomach Acid
Step 1. Recognize the symptoms of acid reflux in dogs
Basically, a dog with acid reflux will:
- Throws up the food.
- Feel pain when swallowing. Usually, the dog will be heard whimpering when trying to swallow its food.
- Experiencing weight loss and appetite.
Step 2. Take the dog to the doctor for further examination
Generally, the doctor will perform an endoscopic procedure to identify the presence or absence of stomach acid problems in dogs. Specifically, in this procedure, the doctor will insert a small camera into the dog's throat to check the condition of the mucus lining on the esophageal wall.
If your dog has stomach acid problems, the esophagus near the gastric opening will appear blistered, red, or even ulcerated
Step 3. Develop a proper treatment plan with the help of a veterinarian
Even though this article has recommended steps that you can take to restore your dog's condition, it is still important to have your dog checked by a doctor to get the right treatment and according to his medical history so far.
Tips
- The esophagus has a thin layer of mucus which, while it acts as a barrier, is not designed to counteract the corrosive effects of stomach acid. After the layer is eroded, the esophageal tissue will become inflamed and cause excruciating pain in the sufferer.
- Acid reflux most often occurs when a dog is under the influence of drugs, or it can even occur spontaneously for no apparent reason.
- In fact, there are many things you can do to make your dog feel better when he has acid reflux. Some of them are controlling the dog's diet and encouraging dogs to take gastroprotectors (drugs that can provide protection to inflamed gastric tissue), prokinetics, and antacids (drugs that can reduce stomach acid production).
