It has been a long day at work, and you come home to find your dog vomiting in the living room. You feel guilty, but what can you do? It is not always easy to give your pet the attention they need when busy with other things. Luckily, some straightforward remedies will help calm an upset stomach or soothe a sore throat. In this blog post, we will list some of these home remedies for dogs and tell you how to use them effectively!
Symptoms Your Dog Has an Upset Stomach
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When we have an upset stomach, it’s typically a sign that something is wrong. We might lie down and rest or tell someone else how not feeling good really does make us think! However, dogs don’t always show signs of pain because their instinct to hide any weaknesses could make them act like everything’s normal, even when subtle symptoms are present. The following behaviors may help you identify if your pup has problems with digestion:
- Licking its mouth incessantly (normal behavior)
- Licking its anus (normal behavior)
- Excessive drooling (normal behavior if they’re excited or thirsty, but not when it seems to be unreasonable and over their excitement/thirst level)
- Listlessness (your pup may seem lethargic and slow-moving; however, this can also be normal at times depending on the dog; remember that every animal is different!)
- Hunched back (when your pet adopts a hunched posture, there could be some pain involved.)
- Vomiting after eating certain foods or treats
- Diarrhea, which could be bloody
- Inability to keep water down for 12 hours or more (sometimes with vomiting)
- Ear scratching and head shaking (especially without ear infection)
You should always observe these behaviors before deciding whether or not to give them something for an upset stomach. If you see any warning signs above, then you want to act quickly!
Vomiting and Diarrhea
One of the most obvious signs that your dog might have a stomach problem is vomiting and diarrhea. If you see your dog or another animal vomit, note what color it is. If they throw up again, the color may be different. If they eat something, check their stool to find out what it was.
Lip Smacking and Saliva Excess
Have you ever wondered why your dog kisses themselves when they’re feeling sick? It’s because of how their saliva helps neutralize the acidic components in puke.
When a pet vomits, some amount of stomach acids are released, which can damage throat and mouth tissues; however, dogs with nausea usually produce too much oral moisture to counteract these effects! The act of vomiting often causes an overproduction from pets, so that way we know if our pup has been gagging or not enough while eating something yucky just by taking note on whether or not they drool excessively after sipping up this bile liquid, aka “spit.”
Eating Grass
Some people think that pets eat grass when they are sick because they want to eat fresh vegetables. Some people think it is because the pet is not feeling well, and eating anything will help them feel better. The list below includes some other things you should check for if they’ve been throwing up already:
- Spitting anything out after 31 minutes or less, even water may indicate a possible blockage.
- Tummy aches when going from standing still into sitting down
- Weakness in the limbs
- Pup does not want to eat or drink even after a couple of hours have passed since the last mealtime, which could indicate that they’re vomiting blood/bleeding from mouth, anus, etc.
In this case, you should take your pet to the emergency vet right away!
Gas and Burping
When it comes to upset stomachs, some pets will only show the signs of gas and Burping. Often, they’ll try to do these independently without assistance because holding in excess amounts of methane can cause them pain, while others might need your help due to how uncomfortable this feels for them.
You should be able to get rid of excessive gases by administering anti-gas or oatmeal foods which are healthy choices you can give after vomiting has ceased so that way they don’t have another episode soon after! If you see any mucus coming out with gasses, then call the emergency vet immediately since there is a possibility that something more serious could be going on inside his abdomen.
Not Eating
Even if your pet is not vomiting, it’s still important to watch out for any signs of an upset stomach. If they are not eating or drinking anything even when you offer them their favorite treats, this could result from nausea and stress in general since food doesn’t seem appealing because they just feel sick overall!
Dog Stretching Neck and Looking Up
If you notice your dog stretching out their neck and looking up while lying down, this could signify that they are trying to help their stomach pass something faster. It’s like how humans take big breaths when they’re about the vomit because it feels good for them to exhale or relax in general; plus, animals can’t do this if there isn’t any gas inside!
When our pets stretch out necks, we know that it means they feel nauseous, which might also tell they are drooling more than usual (lots of salivae) since vomiting often causes dry mouth due to nausea. Since these symptoms happen together frequently, watch closely if the pet wants food or not by using one of the other signs listed above!
Can You Treat Your Dog at Home, or Do You Need to Take Them to the Vet?
An upset stomach could be nothing, just some indigestion, or it could be something potentially fatal. If your dog starts acting sick, see a Vet. Here are signs to look for:
- Blood in stools and/or vomit
- Fever
- Watery diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Nervous pacing
- Straining to poop or blood in the seat during this process
- Bloated abdomen (this can be dangerous if their stomach gets too full of gas!)
- Pup doesn’t want to eat or drink after 24 hours without vomiting
What Caused Your Dog’s Upset Stomach?
When you’re looking for solutions to make your dog comfortable after he has an upset stomach, it’s essential not only that the problem is diagnosed correctly but also what might have caused this in the first place. If possible, review where they were when their tummy started acting up and see if any other signs like shoes or toys are missing (anything small enough could be ingested). Have someone check around outside too; toxic plants can-‘ve been touching them while we weren’t watching!
Ways to Make Your Dog Feel Better
You know that your dog feels sick, but you’re not sure what’s wrong with them. So to keep the pet happy and healthy long-term, try one of these tricks!
Keep Them Hydrated
Keeping hydrated is the number one priority when dealing with an upset stomach since dehydration can cause more problems if they don’t get what their body needs ASAP! Plus, it’s easier to give them something that will help calm down diarrhea and vomiting. If you’re worried about your dog not drinking enough water, then try adding a pinch of salt for flavor or using chicken broth instead (it does wonders!).
Be sure to take away any food/water after 24 hours without throwing up-that way; his tummy has time to recover from overfeeding before he gets anything else in him…which might be why he was sick in the first place!
Provide Pedialyte
For a quick pick-me-up, try giving your dog Pedialyte since it will help to rehydrate them and replenish electrolytes too! It’s the #one pediatrician recommended product for hydration because it comes in flavors dogs love (chicken or grape) that they’ll be sure to drink right up. Plus, if there is any gas inside, then this should pass through their system much faster than vomiting alone could, so you know they’re on the road back to health…but always call a vet just in case, no matter what type of home remedies you use!
Monitor Their Temperature
When a dog’s stomach is upset, they will try to get rid of it by vomiting or having diarrhea. If the problem continues for more than one day, there might be something else going on that needs medical attention from a vet since this could indicate an infection that can lead to sepsis if left untreated!
A pet’s temperature is usually taken with a rectal thermometer, but you should take their temperature if the average number is higher or lower than usual. There are other essential factors to take into account, like environmental conditions. When it’s hot outside, for example, your pet may not be feeling well, and you need to give them medicine to make them feel better.
The average body temperature of a dog is between 101 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Take your dog to the veterinarian if its temperature is 103 or higher.
Let Them Fast
If your dog has eaten something upsetting their stomach, it might be best to let them fast for 24 hours. This will give the body time to digest whatever they eat and hopefully eliminate making them feel poorly! If possible (and if you know when he last ate), try withholding food for 12-24 hours if there is any undigested food leftover, which could be causing these symptoms.
What to Feed Your Dog After
You may have heard that you should not eat anything when you have a stomachache. But if it is okay with your doctor, here are some good foods for you to try:
- Bland Diet: A bland diet is perfect for an upset stomach since it includes simple (easily digestible) foods that won’t irritate their system. Try boiled white rice with lean meat or a little bit of chicken broth and cooked vegetables like carrots or green beans.
- Potato Diet: Potato works well, too, so try adding extra flavor by boiling them in chicken broth before mashing up the potatoes to mix together! Just be sure not to add any spices/salt when you’re cooking this meal because they will only make things worse if your dog’s tummy continues acting up.
- Canned pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Bananas, and Oatmeal: If your dog can handle some solid foods, these are perfect for their stomach too! Just mash them up and mix them into the mashed potatoes, rice, or chicken broth to make a tasty meal they’ll love (and one that will help calm down diarrhea).
- Bone Broth: A great way to supply extra nutrients is by making homemade bone broth. Just cook down the bones of a chicken or fish until they are tender enough to eat, then mix with their regular food so it can be easily digested.
- Probiotics: You can also add probiotics to their diet to restore healthy bacteria and aid in digestion. This is especially important if your dog has been vomiting a lot! Some good options are yogurt or kefir, which will provide lots of protein too.
- Slippery Elm Bark: Slippery elm bark is a highly soothing ingredient that helps the stomach to heal. It can be found in powder form at most health food stores or even online, and it works great for humans too! Just mix with water into a paste, then add your dog’s regular food (it smells like maple syrup!).
- Avoid Grass: If your dog has been vomiting or has diarrhea, don’t allow them to eat grass. It will only upset their stomach more!
Additional Tips
In addition to home remedies for an upset stomach, we have a few more tips. Here they are:
1. Over-the-Counter Medication: What to Give a Dog for Upset Stomach
If you know what is causing your dog’s upset stomach, then it might be helpful to give them over-the-counter medications like Pepto Bismol (for diarrhea) or Imodium (for vomiting). Just ensure that these are safe for dogs because some aren’t!
2. Switching Dog Food
If your dog is vomiting or has diarrhea, then it might be time to switch its food. This way, they aren’t ingesting anything that may irritate them even more, and by changing, you’ll also get rid of any ingredients in the current food that could be causing these symptoms (like beef, for example). Just ensure that when you purchase a new type of dog food, read over the list of ingredients carefully, so you’re sure there isn’t anything else upsetting their stomach!
3. In Case of an Emergency
If the symptoms are severe or continue for more than 24 hours, you should take your dog to a veterinarian’s office. This way, they can properly diagnose what is causing them and ensure there isn’t anything else wrong with their stomach!
Conclusion
“Do I have an upset stomach?” you ask your dog. He points to his belly and wags his tail like crazy but doesn’t seem too concerned about it in general because he’s still happy-go-lucky as ever! It could be something minor or significant- if not urgent, then definitely worth checking out with a vet before taking any drastic measures on your own (like giving him Tums).
