My dog has back pain, but NSAIDs upset his stomach. What can I do?

Poor Diesel! The Metacam would be the more likely culprit for the upset stomach, as this is a common side effect with NSAIDs - but the omega-3 supplement could certainly be a possibility. I would suggest calling your veterinarian to let them know that Diesel has been having stomach issues on his meds. They may suggest trying him on a different NSAID such as Rimadyl or Galliprant, to see if he tolerates this better.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I see this sort of thing quite commonly in small dogs and the question always is: is it stomach pain or back pain. These little guys can easily hurt their backs and so they tense their abdominal muscles. They also don’t want you to touch them for fear it might tweak their back even more. Because we don’t know yet, I’d refrain from giving anything tonight as we don’t want to interfere with whatever your vet decides to give tomorrow. Tramadol is a safe pain medication but it can slow the GI tract so let’s skip it for now. For tonight, just let Rigby rest alone. Best of luck to you and Rigby!

I do not recommend giving over the counter medication such as Tums to Lyle. If you think he is in pain you are likely correct, and that warrants a trip to your veterinarian to see why Lyle is uncomfortable. What looks like stomach pain can be due to pancreatitis/ inflammation of the pancreas, back pain, infection, a blockage in the gastrointestinal tract due to a mass or ingestion or a foreign object. Your vet should be able to help figure out what is going on and formulate an appropriate treatment plan for Lyle. I hope he feels better soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bimbo. Motrin is very toxic to dogs so you will need to stop giving him that medication. It can cause severe kidney damage or even ulcers in the stomach or intestines. Ulcers can be indicated by black tarry or coffee grounds like stool. I suspect you were right that he is painful based on your description of his behavior. Small breed dogs can be prone to back pain. The muscles that line the spine can spasm making the dog very sore. There not over-the-counter pain medications that I can recommend for him. I would keep him very quiet and carry him as much as possible. Encourage him to eat and drink as much as possible. If there is any way he could see a veterinarian, it would be best. I hope this information helps.

I'm sorry to hear Brownie is unwell. I am concerned that the pain medicine is causing a stomach upset making him feel nauseous and not want to eat. Many pain medicines can do this as a negative side effect. Stop giving medicine to him and take him back to your vet to discuss what to do. They may need to run a blood test and give him stomach protecting medicine.

Hello. Sildenafil does not cause any known stomach issues, so no real precautions are needed, but it never hurts to give a medication with a little food ( unless it specifically says to give on an empty stomach ). Sildenafil has no know precautions like this. Kidney failure definitely can cause nausea & vomiting. You may need to discuss the use of anti-nausea medications such as Cerenia to keep Memi comfortable. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear your dog is having stomach issues on a medication. Typically, a bland diet (such as boiled white meat chicken and white rice) can be helpful for medication-induced GI upset. If your dog isn't eating, vomiting, having diarrhea or otherwise feeling ill, then I would recommend having him evaluated by his veterinarian, as something more than just a medication reaction may be going on. Good luck!