My dog sounds hoarse. Is it acid reflux or another stomach issue?

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sky may need some diagnostic testing to find out what the problem is. He may have an esophageal foreign body, ulcers of stomach or esophagus or just acid reflex. I would discuss with Sky's vet if radiographs might help determine what is wrong. If the pepcid seemed to help, it may be that he needs to be on an acid reducer long term. There are other medications that may used longer term than the pepcid. I hope Sky is back to normal soon.

In the long term, there is a thought the chronic famotidine use may decrease some nutrient absorption and lead to excessive gastric acid production with possible esophageal acid reflux if it is discontinued. However, most internal medicine specialists still preferentially recommend famotidine over other antacids (such as omeprazole/Prilosec) for chronic use as it is a bit more "mild" in its mechanism of action. I know you mentioned changing foods, but consider discussing a diet trial with a hydrolyzed "hypoallergenic" diet with Brody's vet. If he has a degree of a food allergy or inflammatory bowel disease causing his vomiting and skipping of meals, these hydrolyzed diets fed for 2-3 months can remove a lot of antigenic stimulation in the GI tract and potentially prevent a lot of GI upset.

Hello. Acid reflux can result from several things, not just the production of acid in response to food in the stomach. Esophageal disease/motility disorders, diet, over-secretion of pepsin & non-specific inflammation can all contribute to the problem. It may be as simple as switching to a sensitive skin/stomach formulation of dog food, or an actual GI diet or one geared toward allergies such as Prescription Diet z/d. Adding an acid reflux medication such as famotidine or omeprazole is often a pretty safe option to try. Talk to your vet about what might be the best option for Gemma. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

A better choice for an antacid would be Pepcid. You can discuss it and get a dose based on Bella's weight from your veterinarian. Legally, we are prohibited from telling you to give it and providing a dose without a physical exam and a VPCR (Veterinarian-Patient-Client Relationship). The bland diet is definitely a good idea. Consider a short fast, 12-24 hours, to give her tummy a rest. Offer the bland diet in small, frequent amounts

Poor guy. This sounds like Bennett may be experiencing some acid reflux. Typically this affects pets when they have an empty stomach (at night) or early morning. Ask you vet about doing a trial run with some antacids to see if this helps. You can also feed him a late night snack (small meal) to see if this helps Otherwise consider having some bloodwork ran to check his organ function for any further clues. I hope that Bennett is just experiencing acid reflux and can be managed well soon! Best wishes and take care.

Yes, this could be due to acid reflux, but I can't say for certain without seeing Leo in person. In addition, it's illegal for me to recommend taking any OTC medication. I would have him seen by a vet for this problem. The vet can diagnose what is causing his issues and can treat him. Best of luck.

I wouldn't necessarily expect all of these signs with indigestion, and I think it would be a good idea to have Bobby examined by your vet. An elevated temperature in particular should not occur with reflux, and it is rare (though possible) for a dog to develop a cough from reflux. I would not recommend Gaviscon - it is not typically used in dogs.