Can You Give Dogs Tums?

Learn what’s safe to do when they have tummy troubles.

October 24, 2024

In This Article:

Does My Dog Have an Upset Stomach? Are Tums Safe for Dogs? Do Tums Have Xylitol? Home Remedies for a Dog’s Upset Stomach When to Seek Vet Advice Frequently Asked Questions

While Tums are generally considered safe for dogs in small quantities, they are not specifically designed for canine digestive systems and should only be used under veterinary guidance. Learn about Tums for dogs and other home remedy options for upset stomachs in dogs.

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Does my dog have an upset stomach?

An upset stomach can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but everyone can agree that having an upset stomach sucks. “Upset stomach” is a broad term that doesn’t just apply to the stomach itself, but any organ involved in digestion. This may include the stomach, intestines, pancreas, gallbladder, esophagus, or colon.

Dogs can develop stomach upset for many reasons. It’s often self-inflicted — eating garbage, carcasses, or even poop. It can also be from too much of a good thing, like overeating dog food or getting too many treats. Sometimes, a new food or treat simply doesn’t agree with their digestive system; this is often the case in dogs with underlying food intolerance. Dogs can also develop an upset stomach from infection, intestinal parasites, gastrointestinal obstruction, inflammatory disease, or tumors.

When there is no obvious cause for an upset stomach in dogs, the symptoms are often grouped together under the condition “gastroenteritis,” which simply refers to inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Symptoms of an upset stomach, or gastroenteritis, in dogs include:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Poor appetite or anorexia
Abdominal pain
“Praying dog” position (often a sign of abdominal discomfort)
Drooling
Lip smacking
Flatulence
Straining to defecate
Lethargy

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Are Tums safe for dogs?

Dogs with gastroenteritis can either remain spry or seem pretty miserable, leaving dog parents searching for a remedy for their dog’s upset stomach. Dog parents may want to reach for Tums to alleviate their dog’s symptoms, but are Tums safe for dogs to eat? Can you give a dog Tums for gas or other GI symptoms? The answer is: maybe.

Tums are non-toxic and generally safe for dogs, but may not be the best medication for your dog depending on their symptoms and medical history. The active ingredient in Tums is calcium carbonate, a calcium salt that is naturally found in natural stone, egg shells, oyster shells, leafy green veggies, and other natural sources.

Calcium carbonate (Tums) has many medical, dietary, and industrial uses. Medically, calcium carbonate is often recommended for:

Stomach acid reduction (antacid)
Heartburn
Flatulence
Calcium supplementation
Reducing phosphate absorption

Are Tums recommended for dogs?

Tums are typically not the first choice of medication for dogs with an upset stomach. Some dogs may benefit from a short course of Tums, but usually there are alternative or veterinary-specific drugs that are more effective. Only give your dog Tums if your veterinarian advises you to do so. Conditions where calcium carbonate (Tums) may be recommended for dogs include:

Low blood calcium: Eclampsia is a condition in which a dog’s blood calcium levels drop due to the post-partum demands of nursing. Dogs that are nursing large litters or are not fed an appropriate diet to support the demands of nursing are at risk of developing eclampsia. Dogs can also develop low blood calcium levels due to disease of the parathyroid gland, which helps regulate blood calcium levels.
Kidney disease: Phosphate is absorbed in the intestines, and excess phosphate is removed by the kidneys. Kidney disease in dogs can lead to high blood phosphate levels due the kidneys decreased ability to remove it. Calcium carbonate can be used as a “phosphate binder,” capturing phosphate in the intestines and preventing the body from absorbing it.

Possible side effects of Tums in dogs

Dogs can get too much calcium carbonate, either in one large dose or through unnecessary long-term supplementation. Possible side effects of Tums in healthy dogs include diarrhea or constipation. Tums can be harmful to dogs with high blood calcium levels (hypercalcemia). It can also interfere with the absorption of other medications.

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Do Tums have xylitol?

Tums varieties likely to be given to dogs: Regular, Extra-strength, Ultra-strength, and Sugar-Free Tums — do not have xylitol. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener commonly used in sugar-free candy, baked goods, toothpaste, medications, and supplements. Xylitol is toxic to dogs and can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and liver damage when ingested. While Tums are not known to contain xylitol, you should always double-check the label before giving any human medications or supplements to your dog.

The sugar-free version of Tums does have sorbitol, a plant-based sugar alcohol that can have laxative effects when ingested in large amounts. A single dose of sugar-free Tums is unlikely to cause issues, but large doses can result in diarrhea or loose stool.

Home remedies for a dog’s upset stomach

Dogs can get over a bout of stomach upset in a matter of several hours to several days, depending on the cause. Here are some things you can do at home to help your pup’s upset stomach:

Offer a bland diet

Dogs that have recently had multiple bouts of vomiting or diarrhea can benefit from a bland diet — either prescription or homemade. You can make a bland diet at home by offering boiled chicken breast (no salt or seasoning) and white rice. Remember that this is a temporary diet and should not be fed long term.

Probiotics

Dysbiosis occurs when there is a drastic change in the microbe population in the gut and is a common cause of diarrhea in dogs. Dogs with diarrhea often benefit from probiotics to help support healthy gut flora. Probiotics can be provided with dog-specific supplements or plain, unsweetened yogurt.

Fiber

Canned pumpkin is an easy and tasty source of fiber. Fiber helps dogs have regular bowel movements with well-formed stool. It also helps support the “good” bacteria in the gut. Be sure to offer actual canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filler, which is full of sugar and flavoring.

Fasting

Sometimes the best way to support a dog’s upset stomach is to just let it rest. Withholding food for four to 12 hours can give your dog’s gut some time to let the inflammation go down. Once you’re ready to introduce food, offer small, frequent meals and monitor your dog to make sure they’re tolerating it well before offering more.

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When to seek vet advice

The occasional bout of loose stool should not ring major alarm bells, but persistent GI upset can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. This is when you should seek veterinary care for your dog’s upset stomach:

Multiple episodes of vomiting
Frequent, large volumes of diarrhea
Blood in the stool or vomit
Abdominal pain
Loss of appetite
Distended or “bloated” abdomen
Excessive lethargy
Weakness
Known toxin ingestion
Known foreign body ingestion

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FAQs (People also ask):

Can I give my dog Pepto Bismol?

Dogs should not be given Pepto Bismol because of the risk of harmful side effects of salicylic acid and possible interference with other medications. Only give a dog Pepto Bismol if specifically instructed to do so by your veterinarian.

What can I give my dog for an upset stomach?

If your dog has an upset stomach, you can offer a bland diet, feed probiotics (dog supplements or plain yogurt), or give canned pumpkin for additional dietary fiber. You can also withhold food for several hours to give your dog GI tract time to rest.

References:

Dr. Alycia Washington, DVM, MS

Alycia Washington, DVM, is a small animal emergency veterinarian based in North Carolina. She works as a relief veterinarian and provides services to numerous emergency and specialty hospitals. Dr. Washington is also a children’s book author and freelance writer with a focus on veterinary medicine. She has a special fondness for turtles, honey bees, and penguins — none of which she treats. In her free time, Dr. Washington enjoys travel, good food, and good enough coffee.

Can You Give Dogs Tums?

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