It is not advisable for dogs to eat Tums.
Tums is an over-the-counter drug that treats human heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, and upset stomach. The chewable tablets come in different colours and flavours such as berry, orange, and peppermint. Sucrose and calcium carbonate are its main ingredients, although some may include xylitol.
When your dog has an upset stomach, it might be tempting to give him Tums to relieve his pain. But not knowing the actual cause of his ailment may do him more harm than good. In addition, his body does not work the same way as humans do, so the effectiveness of the antacid may only work momentarily.
Unless your veterinarian gives you the go signal and the prescribed Tums dosage to give to your dog, both PetMD and Emergency Vets USA do not recommend giving any type of over-the-counter medication to your canine pet.
What to do if your dog accidentally eats Tums: Check the drug label information. See if the Tums variant contains xylitol. This ingredient is extremely harmful to dogs. Xylitol poisoning symptoms include vomiting and a sudden drop in your dog’s blood sugar. The latter manifests as weakness, staggering, incoordination, decrease in activity, collapse, and seizures. Take him to the emergency animal clinic immediately for treatment. Do not wait for his symptoms to worsen.
In some cases, Emergency Vet USA reports that Tums may help with eclampsia and kidney failure. On the other hand, it can also cause serious damage when given to dogs on a regular basis. Excessive calcium in the bloodstream may occur, while some artificial dyes may cause allergies.
In summary: Tums help neutralize the acid in a person’s esophagus or stomach, but they may not work effectively for your canine pets. If you really need to give your pooch over-the-counter antacid, the safest ones include Prilosec, Pepcid, and Protonix. But remember, these should be approved by your vet.
Browse through our “can dogs eat” category and learn which human foods you can safely give him.
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