Anti-Nausea Medication

[tonyb286]

When dogs in chronic kidney failure stop eating, it's devastating for dog owners. The refusal to eat is often both physical (the build up of toxins) and psychological (the association of food with feeling sick). The answer to this is to provide anti-nausea medication, which will help encourage a dog to start eating again - and in turn, start having enough energy to enjoy life a little more.

But, there are so many different anti-nausea medicines, which makes it very confusing to know which one is the best in treating this symptom. In most cases, a vet will advise, and a good vet will take the circumstances and any other symptoms into consideration, before choosing the right thing to prescribe.

I wonder if User Group members had a particular favorite anti-nausea medication, that had worked well with their own dog? If we could formulate a list, I think it may be beneficial as a reference source.

Tony

[DarbiesMom]

Hi Kay!

I remember Darbie burping and "groaning" ( sadly, as I gradually introduced the change in her diet to CKD, she still suffered gas pain & burping ) The famotadine worked well for her, but the Tums has been the staple.She gets one ( berry flavored, extra strength 750) after each meal. She looks forward to this like an "after dinner mint". Tony has Darbie pegged...She's got a sweet tooth!

This is truly trial and error, especially considering Mandy's size. The diary helps a lot as your experimenting with different foods, too. You'll unlock the puzzle when you find the combination...Frustrating? Absolutely!! But, you will find it...Mandy will let you know and we're here with you every step of the way...


Fondly,
Lynne & Darbie:)

[tonyb286]

Hi. There is an element of trial and error with ant-acids. Every dog is different and sometimes there are secondary causes (not just the toxic build-up), so it's worth going through your vet on a two weekly trial regime until the right one is found. Kidney disease also goes through various stages and has ups and downs, as you know, and each step can present new issues with a medication that previously worked well. It's certainly worth keeping a diary, just in case you aren't, as you can then refer back to what worked well and what didn't - good for you and your vet over time.

Tony

[Kaymbsc]

Thank you, Charlene. I'll ask the vet about adding tums to Mandy's regimen. We previously tried famotadine and then switched to Zantac. I'm expecting a call from the vet today, so I'll ask ask again about famotadine vs Zantac +/- Tums. I really appreciate your response.

Kay

[Kaymbsc]

Thank you, Tony. Mandy was on Carafate for ulcers which as of Tuesday the vet thinks have cleared up, so now she's off Carafate. We do small teaspoons of cooked cabbage in her food as well as the Zantac 2x daily. I'll ask the vet about sodium bicarbonate and/or adding famotidine.

[DogBlog]

Hi Kay:

Sammie took 1/4 of a famotadine twice a day and 1/2 a tums twice a day.  Her appetite was good until the end and we luckily didn't have the vomiting.  

Regards,
Charlene

[tonyb286]

Talk to your vet first, because different antacids can interact with different medications. It may be worth trying sodium bicarbonate (strictly according to a weight to dose formulae), or famotidine, or Carafate. If you see any blood in the vomit (may look like tiny black specs), then it's highly likely there are ulcers. The cooked chopped cabbage will help in this situation, but also mention this to the vet as a more powerful and specific anti-ulcer formulation may be required.

Let us know how you get on.

Tony

[Kaymbsc]

I wonder if anyone has any suggestions to reduce acid in my 12-pound dog Mandy.

Currently she's on Ranitidine (Zantac). She gets 1/4 of a 75mg tablet twice a day.

Last night, for the first time in a long time, she enthusiastically ate her food. Then, within about 20 minutes of eating, she vomited.

So I'm wondering if I can supplement the Ranitidine with anything else without threatening more damage to her kidneys.

Lynne, you mentioned you give Darbie a Tums after she eats. I wonder if that's something I can/should do in addition to the Ranitidine.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Kay

[tonyb286]

Hi. Yes, you can overfeed cabbage, so be cautious. My recommendation is a desert spoon full of chopped cabbage only per meal, otherwise it can cause diarrhoea. It's great she likes it - strangely, most dogs do, and it's good for them too. It's a win-win. Tony

[Kaymbsc]

Tony, I posted this on another thread, but wanted to be sure you saw this.

Per your suggestion, tonight I added chopped, cooked cabbage to Mandy's food, and I swear, she liked the food better with the cabbage than without. I started out with chicken baby food (no sugar in there, just chicken and water). I stirred in a spoonful of cabbage, and she liked it!

When we got to the part where there was no cabbage, she didn't want the baby food. So I added more cabbage, and voila, she ate it. I wonder if she instinctively knows that the cabbage will make her feel better.  

Tonight was the first time in five days that she showed any interest in eating -- and that was only because of the cabbage. Can one overfeed cabbage?

[tonyb286]

Hi. There are many canine probiotics available. Just Google it. It is best to question the manufacturer about any additives (the fewer the better) and to absolutely ensure there are no fruit seeds or artificial sweeteners in them (such as are ordinarily in flavored forms). One that has been recommended to me is Purina Veterinary Diets Fortiflora, which is apparently available through Amazon.

Yeah, I know MedHelp's Watch List isn't always working properly. You might send them a message about it, as I have done several times. I'm not sure about email alerts. It would be useful though, so maybe ask them about that too. Tony

[Kaymbsc]

Thanks for the heads-up about chopped cooked cabbage. I'll try it. She's not eating willingly right now, so I'll have to get creative to get it in her.

You wrote, "Probiotics are always beneficial to CKF dogs and it is also nice tasting (usually), so it can also help encourage CKF dogs to eat..."

What probiotics are you aware of that are good tasting?

P.S. Is there a way for me to get email alerts when comments have been posted? I've checked, "Add to watch list" but I'm not getting alerts.

[tonyb286]

Hi. This may sound strange, but it would also help if you can add some chopped cooked cabbage (about a desert spoon full) to her daily meals. This is a natural cure for canine stomach ulceration (common in CKF dogs) and can also help ease acidity. Probiotics are always beneficial to CKF dogs and it is also nice tasting (usually), so it can also help encourage CKF dogs to eat if mixed with their meals. Tony

[Kaymbsc]

Thank you, Tony. Good to know.
I was giving Mandy 1/4 10mg Famotidine pill, but two of her vets said it's hard on her kidneys. So now she's on Dr. Carol's Stomach-Eaze (Mastic, 500 mg, twice daily). Also she gets get probiotic (Klaire Labs, Ther-Biotic) (http://goo.gl/vNME2M), 1/4 to 1/2 tsp twice daily.

[tonyb286]

Hi. Internal use of aloe vera for dogs, however, is frowned upon by some experts. They claim that this plant contains chemical compounds known as saponins, which are used in some detergents as sudsing agents. These compounds may make some dogs ill, especially in large quantities. My opinion on aloe vera products is it's fairly safe for external use (as in shampoos, creams, etc.) but I would not use it as an internal remedy for anything in dogs or cats. I should also add that it is best to be wary of homeopathic remedies from countries that do not have a good reputation for extensive health testing of their products.

If you need an anti-nausea medication for your dog, please refer to those mentioned in prior posts, which are approved by the FDA and veterinary science.

Tony

[Kaymbsc]

Anybody tried George's Aloe Vera (distilled liquid)?

At this site:
http://www.earthclinic.com/pets/chronic_renal_failure.html

many people have said it's helped their cats overcome nausea from CRF. I wonder if it also works for dogs.

Kay

[Kaymbsc]

Re. Famotidine aka Pepcid A/C

There's a super website put together by a woman named Helen with a wealth of info on feline CKD (http://www.felinecrf.org/). I imagine much of what's on there also applies to dogs.

There Helen writes, "Famotidine is excreted by the kidneys, and cats with CKD cannot process it as efficiently..."
http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#famotidine

Because my dog's kidneys are already over-taxed, I worry about giving her Famotidine, and I wonder if there's something else I can give her that's not so hard on her kidneys.

[Kaymbsc]

I just joined this group in the last hour, so I'm just now reading threads. Tony, you mentioned you're devising a blood-panel analysis reference because most of what's on the internet is so complex, and you are right!

I don't know if you've finished the reference work, but this is something I found last week that might be of help: http://www.2ndchance.info/dxme.htm

[Dkomoro]

Ahhh.  Got it!  Thanks.

[tonyb286]

It's just a way of BUMPING the thread to the top of the forum list, so more people will see it and hopefully respond.

[Dkomoro]

Ok.  I'll ask.  What's "bump" mean?

[tonyb286]

Bump!

[tonyb286]

Hi Doris. It's always good to know when something worked and your info will give others alternatives when those bad days take their toll. Tony x

[Dkomoro]

My vet had Teagan on Cerenia when Pepcid Ac wasn't effective.  It certainly relieved the nausea.  But, as she was in late stage 4, no real improvement in appetite.

[DarbiesMom]

Thank you for giving me peace of mind! The blood panel analysis reference is a great idea. In the course of reading thru what seems like hundreds of posts and articles, many pets' values vary so differently...It does strike fear in the heart! But, it's important to be educated. Great luck with this endeavor. I thank you in advance for caring to do so. God knows, the information on these pages ( since 2008 ) offer so much insight. I hope more continues to be done in future years.