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Last Updated on March 29, 2024 by Thee Puppypreneur
WHAT IS ACID REFLUX IN DOGS GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease in dogs also known as GERD in dogs is a condition known simply as acid reflux in dogs. Well, GERD is actually a more chronic form of acid reflux to be precise.
This causes stomach acid to flow up the esophagus and it can cause health issues such as gas, bloating and even heartburn.
Long term this condition can also cause food to become undigested resulting in nutrient deficiencies.
WHAT CAUSES ACID REFLUX IN DOGS
Dog’s can get acid reflux from things such as
- Allergies to food
- Intestinal disorders
- Fatty Foods
I know that my little girl experienced this until I finally figured out what her allergies to food were. When she was on kibble there are so many different ingredients in the bag it was hard to decipher at first.
When I switched to home cooked food I discovered she had a grain allergy as well as other weird allergies to certain vegetables and powders like sunflower lecithin. She only produced symptoms of GERD, consistently, when she would be fed sweet potatoes.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ACID REFLUX IN DOGS
Gastroesophageal reflux in dogs’ symptoms can range from dog to dog depending on the severity and how long this has been going on, such as;
- Lip licking or air licking
- Regurgitation
- Burping
- Gas
- Stomach gurgling
- Eating grass
- Deep exhale (like when you get heartburn)
HOW IS GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX IN DOGS DIAGNOSED
There are several ways this is diagnosed and you want to make sure you are not confusing the acid reflux in dogs with indigestion or something else wrong with your dog such as vomiting.
Diagnosis will include several things such as your typical blood panels cbc, serum chemistry and urinalysis which will give an overall picture of your dog’s health and how organs are functioning and how everything is functioning together.
- CBC (check red, white blood cells and platelets)
- Serum Chemistry (check organ function)
- Urinalysis
- X-rays
- Endoscopy (allows them to see esophagus, stomach and intestines with a camera)
- Barium Swallow (check gastrointestinal motility and disorders of the esophagus)
- Abdominal Ultrasounds
HOW IS ACID REFLUX IN DOGS TREATED
Typically, your veterinarian will want to prescribe famotidine ak.a Pepcid® or Omeprazole a.k.a. Prilosec®.
I have had both for my little girl and they didn’t work. They also only suppress the issue and not find the root cause but can offer relief.
Not to mention Prilosec® can cause severe digestive upset as it did in my little girl. Not only that but long-term use of Omeprazole has been linked to health risks such as kidney damage and disease. 1Long-Term Consumer Dangers of Prilosec | Consumer Protect.com 2020 2Jaynes M, Kumar AB. The risks of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors: a critical review. Ther Adv Drug Saf. 2018 Nov 19;10:2042098618809927. doi: 10.1177/2042098618809927. PMID: 31019676; PMCID: PMC6463334. The risks of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors: a critical review – PMC (nih.gov)
The above listed is the most basic treatment and other treatments will depend on your veterinarian’s findings.
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR GERD OR ACID REFLUX IN DOGS IN DOGS
There are products out there that can support the digestive tract but first you need to know whether your furbaby is suffering from GERD or not.
Also, if it is because of low stomach acid. It’s good to know that products like Omeprazole and Famotidine are meant to lower stomach acid which over time can lead to more imbalances in their stomach acid and other adverse effects.
If they have low stomach acid
is what I used but had a difficult time opening the capsule and measuring out the right dose for my little girl’s weight.
The other thing is that for this to be effective it needs to be taken before every meal so if you are feeding multiple small meals a day then the tiny amount in this capsule becomes harder to split up.
Another great alternative which I have personally used as well on my little fur kid is
Amazon.com: Aloe Vera Juice Organic No Preservatives – 16 oz – Liquid : Health & Household
as it is not whole leaf and contains no extra ingredients.
Aloe vera has been proven to be an effective treatment for GERD in a trial against omeprazole and ranitidine where it was considered
“safe and well tolerated and reduced the frequencies of all the assessed GERD symptoms.” 3Panahi, Y., Khedmat, H., Valizadegan, G., Mohtashami, R., & Sahebkar, A. (2015). Efficacy and safety of Aloe vera syrup for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a pilot randomized positive-controlled trial. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan, 35(6), 632–636. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0254-6272(15)30151-5
The dose for my 80-pound dog when I give her aloe vera every once in a while, is 1 oz or 29 ml divided into morning and night servings about 30 minutes before I give her food.
They recommend on the bottle between 1-2 ounces as a serving (for humans).
I started initially with 0.5 oz servings for a couple days to make sure there were no adverse effects and it was well tolerated.
I also use
which contain bromelain and papain which are enzymes that aid the digestion of food and soothe inflammation.
They come from papaya and pineapple. Not only that but this also contains probiotics and other specific enzymes like protease, lipase and amylase which help digest protein, starch and fat.
Whatever your situation is make sure that you confirm the diagnosis with your veterinarian and discuss if any of these options is appropriate for your specific situation, as all animals are unique and different and have different needs.
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