Acid Reflux in dogs

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#1
My collie, Faith, has acid reflux.

For the past two years, I have tried everything I could think of to help her. She throws up stomach acid daily. My vet gave me acid reducer pills and she gets 20mg a night. That helps, but we were still having trouble trying to stop it. So, recently, I switched her over to Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato formula and she has only thrown up once or twice since! Anyone else know of this problem in dogs?
 

Amstaffer

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Ask you Vet if your dog can take Prilosec (sp?) I have bad acid reflux and I took it until Nexium came out and it worked real well for me, not sure if it is safe for dogs though.
 

showpug

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#3
ColliesCorsos said:
My collie, Faith, has acid reflux.

For the past two years, I have tried everything I could think of to help her. She throws up stomach acid daily. My vet gave me acid reducer pills and she gets 20mg a night. That helps, but we were still having trouble trying to stop it. So, recently, I switched her over to Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato formula and she has only thrown up once or twice since! Anyone else know of this problem in dogs?
How often is your dog fed? You may want to feed 4 small meals throughout the day. Excess stomach acid accumulates in an EMPTY stomach, so if you feed more frequently it may help your problem a lot. I had a dog with the same problem. I found that the above solved the problem and I never had to give her medication. I think some dogs have over-active digestive systems so they are left with an empty stomach faster. Then the stomach acid really pools and irritates it so they vomit or spit up. I have also found improvement with certain diets.
 

Athebeau

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This condition may be a sign that you may be over feeding your dog...and possibly choosing the wrong kinds of foods. I read somewhere that Acid Reflux can lead to a precancerous conditon, also Acid reflux is often related to respiratory problems like as asthma.

As show pug mentioned feed smaller meals more often throughout the day. The proper amount for the "desired" weight of your dog:) staggered throughout the day.

Some suggestions:

Try a bland homemade diet for a little while and read up on allergy diets. You could switch to a bland dog food such as California Natural...keep a journal of how your dog responds to each diet. For example, chicken and turkey based kibbles make my Rottweiler bloat (cause excess gas), I can feed these raw or cooked though. You have already found fish and potato forumla's seem to work for your dog.

Don’t let your dog eat right before bedtime, exercise etc. basically follow the same rules for bloat. If you want to try a natural homeopathic treatment, I found Nux Vomica to be wonderful for treating gas and stomach problems.

Stress and anxiety can make symptoms worse.

Some foods that weaken the esophagel and make symptoms worse are tomatoes, garlic, dairy products and high-fat meals. Wheat and other grains containing gluten (oats, barley and rye) are problems for some

Try adding more fiber, I add ground flax seeds to my dogs meals. You can also try fruits and vegetables.

Make sure your dog is getting regular exercise.

Feed small meals. Large meals increase the upward pressure in the stomach and can cause problems even in Dogs without GERD.

Consider marshmallow root, which soothes inflamed intestines.

Consider slippery elm. It can heal irritated digestive tract tissues.

Avoid antacids, which only mask the symptoms. If you must use antacids, avoid those containing aluminum.

Consider giving probiotics with meals. These products contain "friendly" bacteria that can stabilize the digestive tract.

Make sure to discuss supplements with your Vet to ensure they won't interact with any thing your dog may currently be taking.

I didn't read this article, but usually the Great Dane lady has some great advise. Here is a link and view the whole site for some great ideas.
http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/feed_program_for_program_for_sensitive_stomachs.htm
 

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