The short answer to the question ‘can you give a dog Pepto Bismol’ is that it is not recommended to give medicine and drugs that are formulated for humans to your canine companions. Do people do it? Yes, unfortunately, all the time.
When considering giving a human over the counter medication to dogs, you need to weigh the risks with the convenience. First of all, you should never give a dog Pepto Bismol without consulting your veterinarian first. There is a danger of certain drug interactions and only your vet will know what other medications your dog is taking will react negatively with Pepto Bismol.
If your dog has certain allergies or has a blood disorder, then Pepto Bismol is not advised. Again, your veterinarian will know if these conditions are present in your dog. The medication also has as an active ingredient aspirin. Giving aspirin to dogs in high doses or too frequently can result in ulcers in your pet.
Other considerations are the discoloration of stools after doses of Pepto Bismol which may mask a more serious underlying condition other than the diarrhea you are trying to control.
If your vet recommends Pepto Bismol, he or she will probably have strict dosage guidelines for you to follow. More is not always better and may cause more problems than your dog deserves.
There are other alternatives that are safe to give your dog whenever diarrhea occurs. We recommend DiarRice as it is formulated by a vet for dogs and is very effective in controlling diarrhea symptoms safely and effectively.
