Stomach Ulcers

Natural treatments for cats and dogs with ulcers to prevent canine and feline stomach ulcerations.

treatments for stomach ulcerations in cats and dogs to prevent ulcers

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  1. What are Stomach Ulcers?
  2. Diagnosing Stomach Ulcers
  3. Help for Stomach Ulcers
  4. More Information on Stomach Ulcers

What are Stomach Ulcers?

If your pet is showing signs of listlessness, is vomiting blood or if there is blood in its stool, a trip to the veterinarian is definitely in order. Your pet may have a stomach ulcer. A stomach ulcer is a lesion that develops in the soft tissue lining of the stomach.

This occurs when the mucous lining of the stomach is compromised and harsh stomach acids start to corrode the actual stomach tissue. While stomach ulcers can develop in cats, the condition is far more commonly seen in dogs. One of the leading causes of stomach ulcers in pets is the use of pharmaceutical medications, particularly anti-inflammatory drugs, making stomach ulcers a common condition in pets suffering from chronic arthritis.

Symptoms to look out for include:

  • vomiting
  • blood in vomit
  • blood in stool (usually recognized by black tar-like stools)
  • loss of appetite
  • anemia
  • pale gums
  • weakness and lack of energy
  • abdominal pain – your pet may resist being touched around the stomach region

Diagnosing Stomach Ulcers

Your veterinarian will give your pet a thorough physical examination and run some additional tests in order to make an accurate diagnosis. Blood tests, urine analysis, an ultra-sound or an x-ray will all help to determine if the symptoms are caused by an ulcer or some other gastro intestinal complication. The most accurate method of diagnosing an ulcer is an endoscopy which allows your vet to take a look inside your pet’s stomach.

Help for Stomach Ulcers

The first step in treatment is to determine what caused the ulcer in the first place and try eliminating or treating the underlying problem. In addition, your veterinarian will probably prescribe medication aimed at reducing stomach acid and promoting the healing of the stomach tissue. This anti-ulcer medication will probably be prescribed for a course of 6-8 weeks.

Natural Remedies

While stomach ulcers always require veterinary treatment, there are herbal and homeopathic remedies that will assist in natural healing and help prevent recurrence. Glycyrrhiza glabra, more commonly known as licorice is an excellent natural ingredient for the treatment of stomach ulcers.

Licorice has both pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties which will help soothe the stomach, while its ability to promote cell growth assists in the rebuilding and strengthening of the stomach wall. Slippery Elm is also recommended as it helps to soothe and lubricate the digestive tract, including the stomach, and works on improving over-all digestive health. Lastly, Marshmallow helps by soothing painful and inflamed mucus membranes of the digestive system.

More Information on Stomach Ulcers

Tips for stomach ulcers
  • Try feeding your pet smaller meals more frequently. This helps to balance out digestive juices and reduce the chances of acid build up.
  • Avoid repeated use of harsh pharmaceutical medications. While anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids and pain killers may provide great symptomatic relief, they also have a number of unwanted side-effects including stomach ulcers and a negative impact on your pet’s immune system. Rather treat your pet naturally and holistically and address the root cause of the problem rather than just treating the symptoms.
  • If your pet does require prescription medications that are harsh on the stomach, then make sure you give it some food at the same time. The food in the stomach will act as a buffer to the harsh chemicals.
  • Help reduce the stress in your pet’s life. While stomach ulcers are more commonly triggered by stress in humans than in pets, stress can be a problem for an overly anxious pet, especially during times of change or upheaval.
  • If your pet has a stomach ulcer, then regular grooming is recommended. This will reduce the discomfort of fur in the stomach and potential fur balls.
  • Provide you dog with play toys. Some ulcers are caused by injury when your dog swallows something it’s been playfully chewing on. Keep potentially dangerous objects away for your pets and keep them entertained with a collection of safe chewy toys instead.
  • Do not give into those soulful puppy-dog eyes at the dinner table. The spices and seasoning in many human foods can irritate the lining of your pet’s stomach. Many pets beg because they feel they are missing out while the rest of the family is eating. Give your pet a healthy pet treat at meal times if this is the case.

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