My senior dog has kidney failure, gurgling stomach. Can he take Tums?

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!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that your pup has an upset stomach. While we do not typically recommend Tums for dogs, you can safely give him some Prilosec (omeprazole), to help reduce acid secretion in the stomach and help him feel better. Prilosec generally comes in 20 mg tablets, so he could receive 40 mg orally twice daily. If the clinical signs persist beyond a day or so after trying the Prilosec, I recommend that he be seen by your veterinarian again, as a more serious problem could be present. I hope this is helpful!

Hello. I am so sorry about Chhotu. It is possible that he is uncomfortable, but it is difficult to say without an exam to see what else may be happening to him. Renal failure is a terribly progressive disease & we really do not have many good methods to treat it. One thing that can help is daily subcutaneous ( or several times weekly ) fluids to help lower the nitrogenous waste products that will buildup in the blood stream with kidney failure. This alone may make him feel better. We have to be very careful with pain medicines because many of them are metabolized through the kidneys, which are already compromised. The Ketosteril is just amino acids, so it has no real medicinal value, but probably cannot hurt. I would visit with the veterinarian who did the intravenous fluids about take home subcutaneous fluids & ask about potential pain medications. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You can give Roscoe one dose (10mg) of famotidine just once. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-Original-Strength-Acid-Reducer-Famotidine-Tablets-10-mg-90-Ct/10325061 I would give that and then no food until tomorrow morning. Having water available is fine. He is really adorable and I can tell you love him so if he doesn't seem better by tomorrow morning then you should get him to your vet for an exam. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

In the past in the UK we used to prescribe Antepsin syrup or tablets for gastric ulcers, in addition to analgesic medications (no antinflammatories !) and antiacids. It used to be a human medication so needed informed consent from the owners and compliance to the cascade (it could be used in cases where no other authorised animal medication was available). Unfortunately then there was a shortage in his availability and other medications had to be used on their own.. Antepsin, or sulcralfate, created a barrier between the ulcer and the acid content of the stomach. The antiacids now are still used, and their active drug is either omeprazole and/or ranitidine.

Tums is not likely to help with the diarrhea. His problem is not the stomach, it is the colon (large intestines). I suggest you use Pepto Bismol instead but please refer to these guidelines: ( https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/pepto-bismol/ )\ A 70 pound dog would need 7ml - a teaspoon is 5ml - so I would give 1.5 teaspoons. If the diarrhea persists for more than 24 hours (despite the Pepto) then you need to get him to a vet for an exam. Also, if is not eating or feeling otherwise unwell he should see a vet.

Poor appetite is common in dogs with renal disease. Appetite stimulants, antacids, and/or anti-nausea medications will often help quite a bit. I would recommend discussing them when your vet is available. There are also several brand options for kidney foods that may taste better to Tucker. Congestion isn't necessarily common with kidney disease, but it could be related to the high rate of fluids that Tucker received in the hospital. His body should take care of it in a day or two. If he is still congested then, x-rays and re-evaluation by his vet would be warranted.