Can I give my dog human Kaopectate? Are there dangerous additives?

I do not recommend using Kaopectate in dogs, since it contains salicylic acid, which is the active ingredient and can cause further GI upset. Your dog should be tested for parasites (since not all dewormers treat all parasites), food sensitivities, food allergies, and other problems that can cause diarrhea, such as pancreatitis and liver issues. You can try feeding a bland diet containing boiled white meat chicken and boiled white rice to see if that helps him, however the exact cause of the diarrhea needs to be discovered and treated appropriately.

Actual Kao-pectate (which contains only kaolin and pectate) is safe to use. PetCo sells it as NutriVet Antidiarrheal Liquid for cats. On the other hand the brand name “Kaopectate” is not actually kaolin and pectate but is made of the same ingredients as pepto-bismol (bismuth subsalicylate). This is absolutely TOXIC to cats and is not recommended under any circumstance. If you’d like to try something over the counter for diarrhea, and can’t get the NutriVet or aren’t sure, I’d much rather you try out a probiotic like Purina Fortiflora. Of course, if these remedies aren’t working, it’s time to see your vet to rule out parasites, infections, or inflammatory bowel disease. Best of luck to you and Walker!

Human medications can be dangerous and even toxic to animals so you should not give this medication to Abby. Understanding the underlying cause of the diarrhea e.g parasites, infection, endocrine disease, etc is essential to treating Abby’s diarrhea. Your veterinarian will be able to diagnose what is going on with Abby and prescribe appropriate treatment. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do for her at home medically. You can however feed Abby a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice to help settle her stomach. If signs persists you will need to take her to your veterinarian.

Either can be used in dogs, however you should confirm a dose with your veterinarian based on Wolverine's weight. In the meantime, you can try withholding food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts. Begin with 1 tablespoon every hour and gradually increase the amount of food. Feed bland until the stool is normal then transition slowly to his regular diet. If the diarrhea does not resolve or if Wolverine develops vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite, see your vet for an exam. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth.

I would not give human kaopectate in a kitten that young. You are better off trying pro-pectalin/probiotic paste made for animals and if the diarrhea does not clear then consult with your vet. The label instrucitons say 1cc up to every 8 hours. I suggest only giving half that amount in a kitten that young. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Vetoquinol-009VET-15CC-Pro-Pectalin-Gel/43412669 Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I am not sure if you are talking about a prior question you posted here. You don't mention the name of the anti-inflammatory you have on hand, but if it is an NSAID (non steroidal anti inflammatory) it would NOT be recommended to administer to a dog who has gastrointestinal upset as NSAIDS can in fact cause GI upset as a side effect. There are some over the counter anti diarrhea medications at pet stores that contain kaolin and pectin that can be useful in some diarrhea. Another over the counter consideration would be a probiotic.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, human amoxicillin is the same that is used in dogs. Make sure to check with your veterinarian to make sure that she would benefit from this. Good luck and have a great day!