Acceptable Household Medications For Pets
I received an e-mail yesterday from "Joyce" who said I had printed the wrong dosage for Imodium and dogs in this article about doggie diarrhea.
Panicked, I rushed to double-check right away, and found that I had NOT listed the wrong dosage... Whew!
Her confusion lies in the fact that I mentioned the dosage for liquid medications in milliliters (ml), whereas others (including a site I actually linked to in that article) sometimes mention the dosage for solid medications (i.e. pills) in milligrams (mg).
For some reason, my dogs have always been more receptive to liquid forms of medicine, rather than pills. No matter what I try to "hide" the pill in, they find it and spit it right out. Whereas with liquid meds, I just mix it in cottage cheese (which they rarely get, so they think it's a special treat ...or sometimes I even mix it in their own dog food gravy), and they never even know it's there!
Which brings to light the fact that it's imperative that you closely double-check dosing information before dispensing any human medications to your pets.
While there rarely is a difference in the effectiveness of liquid vs solid medications, there is a huge difference in dosages if you happened to mistake mg's (milligrams) for ml's (milliliters).
The following chart of acceptable household medications for pets came directly from my veterinarian.
This list has been a lifesaver for me. It has saved me lots of unnecessary trips to the vet, when I could simply provide some pet-friendly doses of over-the-counter medications that we already had on hand.
The "human medicine" we use most frequently with our dog is Benadryl.
UPDATE: Please see this footnote regarding the dosages listed in the charts below.
The form I got from my vet in the Summer of 2004...
The form I got from my vet in December of 2007...
The most notable changes from 2004 to 2007 are: the clarification of dosages for liquid vs caplet forms, the addition of canned pumpkin to relieve constipation, the clarification that Ibuprofin is not an acceptable medication for dogs or cats, and the addition of Robitussin DM to relieve a hacking cough.
Better Safe Than Sorry
Why?
Three reasons:
1. So your dog's health chart always stays up-to-date with all major and minor ailments through the years.
2. To make sure that the meds are still A-OK according to the latest findings (and dosages) regarding animal health and human medications.
3. For the peace of mind. Almost always, the veterinarian will assure you that your dog will be just fine, and they'll also give you signs of what to watch for if the "problem" persists. (Usually, anything lasting more than 24 hours requires a trip to the vet for a physical exam.)
Thank you for all this good info,may the Lord bless you for that....
I'm not sure if any of you have ever heard of this but plain canned pumkin will cure diarrhea and also constipation. I took in 2 dogs that were very emaciated one of them had a very bad case of diarrhea I remembered someone telling me this a long time ago..so I opened a can and gave him 2 large spoonfuls fixed him right up it stopped it right away.
Just a note to say the brand name Kaopectate no longer contains kaolin and pectin. In fact, the ingredients are the same as in Pepto Bismol which is not safe for cats. If you are looking for a product for cat diarrhea, look for a generic that contains kaolin and pectin and no bismuth salicylates
Hi Janice,
For reducing anxiety in your dog, try some of the tips we shared in this article regarding dogs and fireworks:
http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/07/dogs_fireworks_4th_of_july.php
Also, these dog aromatherapy tips might help:
http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/06/calming_dog_aromatherapy.php
http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/07/aromatherapy_for_dogs.php
what is good for anxiety in dogs
We have a new 10 week old puppy that has diarrhea. We've taken her to the vet and she does not have worms, she's been on antibiotics "just in case" but still diarrhea. We did not switch her food. The only thing I can think of is that she was estimated to be a 40-50 lb dog and she is only Eagle Pack brand puppy food for large to giant breed dogs. I'm wondering if this could be the problem. Also between kaopectate, imodium and pepto which is the best way to go to help stop the diarrhea?
Can you tell me if there is anything over the counter that is safe for my dog's joint health, like Glucosamine Chondroitin? Thank you.
I hope you have received an answer by now but aspirin is relatively safe as a fever reducer in dogs. You have to watch for GI signs but no liver or kidney problems. There is a lot of misinformation about aspirin. While giving a buffered aspirin or ascriptin is not a bad idea, plain children's aspirin as well as regular non buffered aspirin usually will do no harm for at least a few days. You didn't give the weights of your dogs. If you did, I would be able to tell you how much aspirin to give
Hi Dave -
The charts you see in this article came directly from my vet. Those are the dosages they recommend to their clients.
There are other dog related websites that confirm those same dosages for pepto bismol:
http://www.canadasguidetodogs.com/health/healtharticle1.htm
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Dogs-701/counter-meds-dogs.htm
http://www.diamondpaws.com/health/drugs.htm
http://bullmastiffinfo.tripod.com/firstaid.html
However, it's clear that the dosages of pepto bismol for dogs tends to vary depending on who you talk to:
http://www.oxfordvh.com/emergency.html
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+1459&aid=1456
http://www.dog-health-guide.org/dogdiarrheapeptobismol.html
http://www.walkervalleyvet.com/otc-meds.htm
The chart says 1 tsp. Pepto for 5 lbs.
of dog. Shouldn't that be 50 lbs??
I don't want to give a 30 lb. puppy
6 tsp. of Pepto!!
I've also found doggy aspirin in the pet stores. It's beef flavored, so most dogs will just chew them up and since they're specifically for dogs you know their safe!
Thanks so much for this information. My little eight month old guy has given me plenty of reason to look at this page over and over. One thing that I found really useful is to use PediaLyte to rehydrate him (with an eye dropper) after he's been throwing up a while. It really put the energy back in him, and he retained his fluids better. Does anyone know of a way to reduce a fever since ibuprofen is a bad idea for dogs?
I have used Pepto for years. If your pet takes a human medication you can have a written script from your vet and have it filled at any pharmacy. But, my dog has Cushings Disease and meds are VERY espensive from a store. My vet has the same thing for 2/3 the price. It pays to shop around.
thank you so much for all this info.
im so sad i didn't find early before my snoopy passed away because of food poison and it was too late when we get to the vet.
That happened because he walked away from our home one day and we coundln't find him until a week later that we put ads everywhere and somebody called me that they foun my snoopy so we had for two days when in the morning he stared vomiting and as soon i got from work i took to the vet but they couldn't do anything about it was to late
Perhaps the safest for your tiny pup would be to start with the plain white rice first. Or some of the other non-medical options in this article: http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/02/dog_diarrhea_treatment.php
Otherwise, your vet will be the best place for you to check -- since your dog is so tiny.
I enjoyed reading the very helpful info on this page but I have a question....I have a toy chihuahua she is 10 wks old and weighs under a pound, she also walks around the house like a vacuum cleaner eating whatever she can... this morning diarrhea set in i would like to try the pepto but Im not sure of dosage since shes so tiny.. please help my chloes tiny tummy!!!
you may want to put tums as one of the meds my dog [yorkie] just had puppies and i found giving her one tum a day gives her calcium. p.s thanks for your web site i like to always find out about things i can give my dogs to save me money thank you again
Thank you so much. Just this morning I was talking to hubby about taking his golden to the vet for diarrhea (on and off again), so now we are going to try the pepto (we have that here). I also have a dog that has congested heart failure and is on three different very expensive medications, one being a Lasix. My vet told me that I could get that cheaper if he called it into Walmart, as it is the same medication that humans use...isn't that weird...again, thanks for the information, hopefully her tummy will feel better soon.
Thank you so much for the info. My little Boston Terrier has a case of the runs. Who knows what he decided to eat outside while roaming the backyard.
One important thing to remember on both those charts is to give ascriptin, and not any other buffered aspirin. Acriptin contains a coating the protects the lining of the stomach which isn't found on any other buffered aspirin. Humans can take aspirin over a long period with no damage. Damage can happen in dogs in a matter of one or two doses without protection for it's lining. I know that's hard to believe with all the other things that they eat, but my vet told me that this morning.
Hope that helps someone.
If anyone knows the oral dosage of penicillin for felines PLEASE contact me! I am only finding dosages for subcutaneous. This is so important for me!!!!
ambeolin910@aol.com
Famotidine, the active ingredient in Pepcid AC, is what my vet recommended for upset stomaches, vomiting and bloating. The tablets are small and easy to conceal in a small piece of cheese or meat.
I walked in the house yesterday and my apartment was a disaster. My dog opened the garbage and ate everything in it... since then he has had a bad case of diarrhea. So thank you so much for the note on Pepto. Its worked pretty good.
In 2003 Pepto replaced Attapulgite clay with Bismuth Subsalicylate according to both the Pepto website and Wikipedia (cited below). Also the same in Kaopectate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bismuth_subsalicylate
http://www.pepto-bismol.com/liquid.shtml
Since I note that the chart on this page is dated 12/2007 I suppose that this formula change has no noticable negative effects on dogs in the doses listed?
The active ingredient in Immodium is quite different than either Kao or Pepto, and appears to be of concern to researchers at the Univ of Wash Vet School for specific breeds.
petsits -
THANK YOU for all of that valuable information! And for the link to additional info, as well.
I've added a "footnote" to the information above.
Thanks again.
You have a dosage listed for Kaopectate. That is for the OLD formulation for Kaopectate.
The new formulation for ALL products (for the last few years � probably about 2-3) contains the exact same ingredients as PEPTO BISMO. So it�s not safe to give the way you have it currently listed.
When you read messages regarding the dosage of Kaopectate, generally they always refer to the OLD formulation of Kaopectate: attapugite clay. The pharmacist told me this stuff was great for pets because it absorbed and neutralized poisons as it soothed the diarrhea. And it was a very mild substance that didn't seem to have side effects if there was an overdose - so you could use it frequently.
Unfortunately, a few years ago, Kaopectate decided to scrap their formula, and now they just put straight Pepto Bismol ingredients in all their products :( . I haven't seen the attapulgite available anywhere else. For a couple of years vets were still prescribing Kaopectate without realizing the ingredients had changed to Pepto.
So when you see Kaopectate, think "Pepto". It seems to me that usually vets go with prescription medicines, or Loperamide (Immodium) now that Attapulgite is not available?
*Also - Immodium can cause the same potentially fatal reaction in sheepdogs/shepherds/related breeds as Ivermectin. So it should not be given to those breeds unless a dog is known not to have the MDR1 mutation. More info at http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-VCPL/drugs.aspx
Sandra,
Good point. Thanks. (But what a shame if it's just an unsupported rumor.)
If anyone finds info to support the fact that Pepto is no longer acceptable for dogs, please post.
I did a quick search and didn't find anything about such a change that would adversely affect dogs. (NOTE: the results found at this link will change daily.)
You may wan to check on the Pepto Bismol for dogs. I was told that the formula had changed so it is no longer acceptable to give to dogs.
Thanks so much for your very imformative website. I can tell you took alot of time putting this all together! I have a 12 year old Jack Russell who just spent a week at the kennel eating their food, and she came home with diarrhea. She is still very active and my vet just said to give her a bland diet for a week. I started her on oatmeal and white rice with boiled chicken, which helped but she needed a little more help. And your website helped with the immodium dosage. Thank you thank you thank you from my dog who was tired of staying in the bathroom. :o)
Robitussin for kennel cough save us $75 a bottle from vet. In fact he was pouring it into his own plastic bottles with his label.
1 ml of Imodium per pound seems like a lot to me. I have a good size syringe that only holds 5 ml. A childs 4 oz. bottle would only dose my 40 pound puppy three times. That is a little more than 2.5 TBSP.
With that said, my question is this: how can I convince my dog to swallow this much medication without running away every time I fill the syringe?
Thanks for the information. We have a suddenly sick pup. We are trying to make it till morning to get to the vet.
Hmmm... I'd be hesitant to try the alka seltzer with my dogs because I cannot find any documentation on the 'Net about the safety and effectiveness of alka seltzer with dogs.
Anyone know of any related articles???
I have a wonderful vet that also advised me of what human meds I can give to my dogs. One thing he advised, which I didn't see on your list, was alka seltzer for upset stomachs in dogs (unfortunately, I don't remember the dosage). Thanks for the list, I am gonna keep it handy.