Imodium for Dogs: Should You Do It?
It’s inevitable. Dogs will experience an upset stomach from time to time. This can cause nausea and/or diarrhea. Often, dog owners wonder if an upset stomach yields a trip to the veterinarian or if it can be treated at home with something like Imodium. We will give you the breakdown – determine when it is safe and unsafe to administer Imodium to dogs.
Foremost, Imodium (also known as loperamide) is a synthetic opioid. The bad thing about opioids is that they have the reputation of causing constipation. On the other hand, Imodium is not the best at relieving pain which is why it is not normally used for this reason. So, is Imodium safe for our four-legged friends? Some dogs with certain types of diarrhea can take Imodium. However, giving your dog Imodium can potentially lead to serious side effects like constipation, sedation, bloat, and even pancreatitis.
Below are some cases when you should not give your dog Imodium:
- Your dog is a herding breed. These dogs may carry certain genes which may limit the ability to break down the Imodium in the system.
- Infection has caused the diarrhea. Sometimes diarrhea is a way for the body to flush out toxins.
- There could be another health condition and Imodium could make symptoms worse.
As always, we suggest that you speak to your veterinarian to determine the best way to resolve the issues. Your veterinarian may give you the go ahead to administer the Imodium to your dog at home. However, it is important to confirm the correct dosage amount which will help prevent serious side effects.
