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Imodium For Dogs- Is It Safe? Find Out
Have you considered having Imodium for dogs? Imodium is a drug or medication that can be given to dogs to treat their diarrhea conditions. Imodium is not a drug, it is the brand name for a medication named loperamide. How does Imodium for dogs work?
Imodium slows down the movement of food and wastes going on your dog’s stomach and allows the wall of the intestine to absorb different electrolytes and water present in it so that it can prevent the food from going through the intestine quickly.
Although you can easily get these medicines over the counter, it does not mean you will give them directly to your dog without having consulting your vet. These drugs or medication do have some side effects that you should know before having Imodium for dogs.
Some dogs have a really hard time breaking this drug down inside the stomach and certain medical conditions that they have prior to taking the drug might worsen. This makes it crucial for a vet’s appointment as there are other means of stopping diarrhea. let’s see how Imodium for dogs works and what are the possible side effects so you can find out if you can serve it to your friend or not.
Uses Of Imodium For Dogs
The primary use of Imodium in dogs is to treat diarrhea. Sometimes people also give Imodium to their dogs in order to treat conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, acute colitis, and maldigestion or malabsorption.
It is advised by vets that dogs should take Imodium or you should bring Imodium for dogs if they have diarrhea that is caused due by infection or ingestion by some sort of toxins for example poisonous mushrooms in their food. Diarrhea is usually the body’s natural way of removing any harmful substances that had entered. Therefore, stopping your dog from getting diarrhea might not seem like a great solution for treating their condition.
This is the reason that before getting Imodium for dogs, you should always consult a vet and ask what to do next.
Dosage To Give
Following are some guidelines on how much dosage of Imodium for dogs should be given. This is a piece of general information for all dogs, if you have consulted your vet and they have the dosage prescribed, do not change it. The usual Imodium for dogs dosage depends on the form of medication given.
If you are having a liquid form of Imodium A-D, you may give anywhere between 0.3 to 0.6 ml per pound of measuring weight at least 2 to 3 times a day. You can easily pour it on the food you feed your dogs and easily help them.
If you wish to give it in form of chew or caplets, for Imodium A-D chews, you can give them 2 mg of caplets or chew each day every 25 to 50 pounds of weight around 2 to 3 times daily.
Imodium for dogs having multi-relief has 2 milligrams of loperamide along with simethicone. Usually, this drug can be used as it is safe for dogs. Your dog should get one pill of this drug for every 25 to 30 pounds of their body weight.
This is a general description of the dosage to give. Once you visit your vet, they will check the previous history of your dog’s healthcare conditions or prevailing diseases to find out how many doses should be given exactly. All dogs have different body types and weights and therefore require different doses.
Side Effects Of Having Imodium For Dogs
One of the most common and possible side effects of giving Imodium to dogs is sedation. This is especially seen when it comes to having Imodium for dogs belonging to herding breeds for example collies, german shepherd, sheepdogs, Silken Windhounds, Skye terriers, Australian shepherd, and longhaired whippets.
These dogs belong to the same breed or family which makes them more likely to have certain mutations named MDR1 mutation. This mutation makes it difficult for their bodies to digest and remove such toxins from their brain once accumulated. You may ask yourself to test your herding dog for any such mutation.
Some other possible side effects that can be seen include soft stools, constipation, gas, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and weight loss. By this, you can easily figure out that this drug might worsen the condition in some dogs. It is always a better idea to get them tested by a vet and then proceed with any sort of medication.
If you have already started giving your dog Imodium and have noticed that these symptoms are not stopping even after two days of the drug, you must call the vet immediately. It shouldn’t be given to any dog for more than 5 days time period.
Inform your vet about all other medical conditions and medications you have given earlier as they might interact poorly once combined. This drug might not be the best choice for young dogs or very old dogs. Also, make sure you are not giving them to pregnant dogs or nursing dogs.
Even if the medications are over-the-counter, it is best to consult your vet before proving them to your dogs.
Alternatives To Imodium For Dogs
If your pet is suffering from extreme diarrhea like bloody diarrhea or having diarrhea that has not improved even after giving them some medication for more than 24 hours, it is high time to call a vet and ask them what to do next.
However, having mild diarrhea does have some chances of getting cured automatically once the digestive system and intestines become stable after removing unwanted food and toxins. It is good to fast for dogs in mild diarrhea until the digestive system runs in course. Then you must reintroduce the food in smaller amounts after every few hours. You may also switch to a diet that is easier to digest for them.
You can also introduce certain food elements like pureed pumpkin in their diet as it helps to form the dog’s stools and improve their digestion. Some veterinarians also advise taking other supplements and probiotics to treat the issue.
Also, if your dog faces diarrhea problems very frequently, then you have to alter their diet and introduce some changes to see what was the issue and if it has been fixed or not. It might be a symptom or sign of some greater medical conditions that need to be treated.
If you are searching for some diet ideas for your dog, try using these low-protein dog food ideas.
