My dog has IBD. Is Metronidazole dosage low? Long-term side effects?

Some dogs that have an underlying disease like inflammatory bowel disease do need long term antibiotic use, but it is best to have a diagnosis before continuing medications long term for two reasons: one is that antibiotic usage can sometimes mask the underlying problem, and the other is that there can be effects on the gastrointestinal flora. There are many diseases that could cause chronic diarrhea including a food intolerance, pancreatitis, or inflammatory bowel disease as stated above. I would recommend talking to your veterinarian to see if other tests or treatments are recommended at this point to try to diagnose the problem - some additional tests might include a pancreatic lipase test, cobalamin/folate, abdominal ultrasound or even obtaining intestinal biopsy samples to try to determine what might be causing chronic diarrhea. You might also want to talk to your veterinarian about a hypoallergenic food trial.

Unfortunately no, it may not be enough to be effective. I'm quite concerned that Kaia is having neurological symptoms and that is a medical emergency. This is not something you should see how she does at home or try to treat at home, this requires a vet visit right away. I strongly urge you to take her into a vet immediately to get checked out. Best of luck.

Sorry Jake is having problems. Metronidazole is often used to treat diarrhea in dogs. It is not common for metronidazole to cause vomiting. However, the underlying CAUSE of the diarrhea is usually some form of gastroenteritis which is inflammation of the stomach and intestine. Gastroenteritis often includes vomiting and can occur for many reasons including: bacterial imbalance, viral infections such as parvovirus (Jake is too old for this to be a concern) ingesting non-food items such as trash or mulch inflammatory bowel disease cancer in the GI tract intestinal parasites At higher doses, metronidazole can cause "grogginess" or an unsteady gait. If he is showing those signs, discontinue the metronidazole. Correct, I would hold off on Pepto, but Pepcid AC is fine. I hope I've answered your questions, and I apologize that we did not get to your question sooner. Please feel free to post again if you still have questions or concerns with Jake. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Her maximum daily dosage for 18.5kg is 900mg per day. I would not be giving 400mg three times a day as it could cause neurologic effects. You could try a bland diet of cooked white rice and boiled chicken breast or talk to your vet about deworming or a hypoallergenic diet.

It would not be a good idea to stop metronidazole now and the symptoms may come back. Please, complete 5 days of treatment and then double-check with your vet that it is ok to stop the medication. The dose of metronidazole Leo was prescribed is ok (100mg every 12hrs).

Oh no, it's not good that Bella ate the metronidazole tablet! There is a wide range of doses for metronidazole for dogs depending on the condition being treated, and at her weight and the dose she ate, the tablet is within the range of doses. It's on the higher end, but still within the dose range. That being said, you could see some side effects from eating this medication, such as GI upset. Excessive salivation, gagging, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite are the most common side effects seen. If you see any of those signs, withhold food for 8-12 hours, then feed her a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. Rarely you can see neurological disorders from an accidental overdose, but she likely may not show these signs due to her not overdosing. It's just something I will mention you should be aware of, and if you see anything concerning or she won't stop vomiting, won't eat the bland diet, and/or becomes very lethargic, take her into a vet right away. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Yes, Metronidazole is safe to give pets that are less than 6 months old. In refractory cases, it is often recommended to also treat with a dewormer (i.e. Fenbendazole). I really like Foriflora probiotic, here is a link --> https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets/dp/50029 In cases where a pet is positive for Giardia but not symptomatic, we may not treat, so its best to ask your veterinarian for advice before moving forward. Also if your pet is constantly getting Giardia, then I would highly consider doing a bloodwork check to ensure there is no immune system issue that is making your pet more prone to infections. I wish you all the best in managing your pet Jackson's Giardia. Take care!