Pepcid AC For a Pet Dog? Tips For Safe Use! (Including Dosing Info)

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Does your dog have some sort of tummy discomfort? Is that why you’re wondering if Pepcid AC can be given to canines?

Can I Give My Dog Pepcid AC?Here’s the deal:

Vets do prescribe Pepcid for upset stomach and gastric reflux, but using Famotidine (the active ingredient) is the wrong approach for any dog with an undiagnosed medical condition.

Medicating your animal is serious business. Let’s talk dosage and other key considerations…

Dogs Can Take Pepcid AC (short-term use only)

This histamine blocker can be used on animals.

It is actually considered fairly safe for reducing stomach acid levels, and even assisting with tummy ulcers by enabling more effective healing.

What Our Vet Has To Say

We asked Dr. Sara Redding Ochoa (DVM) from Whitehouse Veterinary Hospital for her thoughts regarding this topic and she offered the following…

“I commonly use Pepcid as a temporary gastric acid reliver. Some veterinarians prescribe it for pets taking NSAIDs on a daily basis as a way to prevent gastric ulcers. But, for serious gastric problems that do not get better after a few days of taking Pepcid, it is best to see your vet to figure out what’s going on.”  

We would add that it’s also difficult to know if Pepcid is truly the right treatment for your dog’s particular situation.

Get a proper diagnosis rather than taking a risky hit or miss approach. In other words: Do not go it alone!

A Safe Dose For Dogs?

It is true that lots of owners give Pepcid AC without a prescription. That, however, doesn’t mean it cannot be misused.

Play it safe! At the very least, be conservative and only provide the drug on an empty stomach.

The following is for reference only:

Never exceed half a milligram (0.5mg) per pound of the dog’s body weight. Consensus Pepcid AC dosing is 0.25mg to 0.5mg (1 half) for each pound, once or twice daily.

Closely follow your vet’s directions. Their expertise is necessary, especially if your dog has been dealing with stomach issues for a long time.

Warning: Pepcid is not for pregnant or nursing dogs or those with heart disease or liver/kidney conditions. This typically applies to similar antacids as well. Too risky!

Diagnosis Difficulty

There are numerous reasons why dogs get Esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), acid reflux, upset stomach or GERD.

Overeating is perhaps the most common culprit.

An irregular stomach is inevitable for dogs that go through trash. Any abrupt diet changes tend to upset a delicate gastrointestinal balance.

Continued vomiting, combined with stomach troubles, are signs of something more serious.

Rule out worms! Parvovirus is deadly.

One thing is for sure:

Pepcid is not a cure-all. It’s a temporary fix at best! Although this dog seems to receive it all the time.

Dehydration Danger

Dehydration is a worrying, yet common complication. You must keep an eye out for this whenever your dog is taking Pepcid.

Make no mistake:

Dehydration can be deadly for an already sick animal. After a certain point an intravenous hydration procedure may be necessary.

Pepcid AC does not hydrate!

Alternative Solutions

Is your dog vomiting?

Instead of Pepcid, Pedialyte often makes more sense — it is great for rehydrating a hound!

For nausea relief you can prepare ice chips or partially melted ice cubes.

Fast your furry friend if you suspect that food is the cause of their upset stomach. Doing so will allow the digestive tract time to recover. A bland diet is great for this purpose.

The Bottom Line

Pepcid AC can help to normalize your dog’s upset stomach, but it’s not intended for frequent use.

Involving a veterinarian is a better and smarter approach for treating recurring or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms.

Whatever you do never use a leftover Pepcid supply on your dog. And hydration must be closely monitored once this antacid is being given.

What Do You Think? Have Your Say Below…

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65 thoughts on “Pepcid AC For a Pet Dog? Tips For Safe Use! (Including Dosing Info)”

  1. I have a 3 year old Maltase Shitzu mix. He has been throwing up yellow bile for three weeks now just to once per day. I have had him to the vet twice for blood work and x-rays but nothing alarming was detected.

    I’ve been giving him 1 teaspoonful of Pepto Bismol a day and 3/4 teaspoon of Gut sooth probiotic powder. Should I keep this going or stop it and try Pepcid AC? It’s been rough three weeks and the vet is getting expensive.

  2. I have a one year old 25 pound French Bulldog. She never had and problems until after her second surgery. There was a growth on her hip which the removed with surgery. It turned out to be nothing. Now she vomits which appears to be like reflux.

    I have taken her to the vet several times and was prescribed Cerenia, but it’s getting expensive. I just gave her 10 of Famotidine. She wouldn’t take Pepto Bismol. I am hoping this works. Is 10mg enough?

  3. I give my 3 year old miniature Poodle 1/4th of a 20mg white pill of Pepcid daily with peanut butter. He then eats his first of 4 smaller meals 30 minutes later. Since my Pepcid daily dose, he has not thrown up green bile. My vet did a blood work up a year ago and stool samples all came back negative. My dog doesn’t throw up bile, and Pepcid works!

  4. Cayde's Mom says:

    We have a 2 year old, 15 pound Doxiepoo. He has been throwing up bile almost everyday for the last 3 months. He has gone to the vet multiple times, had blood work, x-rays and ultrasounds done with no definitive answer as to why this is happening.

    He was on Pepcid for for awhile and it sometimes worked. Any advice? Also, how much should we give him?

  5. Weezerweeks says:

    My 10 year old, 7 pound Yorkie takes Pepcid about 30 minutes before I feed him. I’m thinking about giving it to him before bedtime because it works better on an empty stomach. My vet said he could stay on it for life. After reading this, I might try not giving it to him unless he vomits and then for 3 to 5 days. Cerenia works real well, but it’s so expensive.

  6. My Chihuahua, in the evenings after she eats, yawns and starts licking her mouth. I am wondering if it’s acid reflux. She doesn’t throw up. I’ve tried changing her food and nothing stops it.

    1. My dog used to do this too. I spent a lot on a specialist, but what fixed him was a powder CBD that I got at my local holistic pet store. I just add it to his food once a day. It got rid of his gurgling stomach issues and his constant licking. Now I just give it to him once in a while for maintenance. It’s definitely a miracle.

      1. Hi Lili. What is the CBD powder you use? I want to get some for my dog. Thanks!

      2. Where do you get your powdered CBD? I need to get some for my dog!

      3. Can you tell me the name of the CBD powder? I’ve been having similar issues for a while with my Pomeranian. I sure would appreciate your suggestion!

    2. Have you checked her teeth? Chihuahua’s are prone to having bad teeth. Licking is one of the signs of a tooth problem.

  7. Dex's Mom says:

    My 12 and a half year old Bichon was throwing up lots of bile every morning. I took him to three different vets because this was going on for months. Not one of them told me about Pepcid, but instead sold me bottles of pills. I heard about Pepcid and gave it. My dog hasn’t thrown up for days now.

    His appetite and body weight is down. He was 19 pounds before, now 16 pounds. I have lost faith in vets. It seems all they want is to experiment and make money doing so. It was the same when he had a problem with his anal glands. Preperation-H and a baby bottom rash cream mixed with the contents of a Hydrocortizone (5mg capsule) was the fix.

    I’m not advocating you be your own veterinarian but sometimes the stories of people that have gone through 5 and 10 thousand dollars for their beloved pets, especially seniors who need to eat, is becoming the norm.

  8. I give my 7 year generic 20mg of Pepcid every day for IBD. Should I just try every other day?

  9. Charlotte says:

    I have 10 week old puppy that vomited before bed. A little came up a couple times during night, but this morning is was just foamy. Is this a sign of improvement?

    1. No. Your puppy needs to see a veterinarian sooner rather than later.

  10. Our 10 year old Yorkie-Poo, Andy, suffered through two nasty episodes of pancreatitis. Each time, it was Pepcid that eventually calmed the inflammation. We still use it on an “as needed” basis.

    Now our 3 year old Boston Terrier, Belle, is having episodes of acid reflux after eating – sometimes just a little bit of food. Pepcid to the rescue here, too.

    I’ve taken it for years, as did my late husband for his ulcer, and I recommend it to anyone for themselves and their furry children.

  11. I have two 7 year old Dachshunds that a friend gave to us because his schedule doesn’t allow him to care for them as he should. They are great dogs, active and well. However, I noticed that one of them tends to vomit once every day before their dinner time. Sometimes it’s once every two days.

    Last night he woke up in the middle of the night to throw up (yellow fluid as usual) and later was fine and went back to bed. I don’t see anything else unusual. He eats, is active and drinks water. Should I try the Pepcid AC?

    1. Have you considered having lab work done? I wonder if yellow bile on a regular basis could be an indication of liver issues. Personally I would make an appointment with a trusted veterinarian as soon as possible to make sure something serious isn’t developing.

      I request that pancreatic enzymes be checked whenever one of my dogs vomits regularly. It could just be nerves or stress, or even just an empty stomach. If finances allow, I would take him to the vet.

    2. Try feeding him small amounts three times a day.

    3. My Yorkiepoo suffered with a bile issue also. He had to have a cookie before bed as he couldn’t go for long periods without food. On an empty stomach he would get bile. The food that I was buying had too high of fat content. It was also causing issues.

      He ended up with pancreatitis to the point he bled a lot from his bum. Make sure to feed low fat soft food. I also give him Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food. I give him half of each in his bowl twice daily. Now it’s very rare for him to throw up bile.

    4. Your dog needs to have a complete blood work up. Bile can be from liver issues but can also be a sign of pancreatitis (which can be life threatening).

      Please don’t guess at treatment or give anything until you get a professional diagnosis. You could do more harm than good. While Pepcid works for some conditions, it may also cause other issues with some serious problems.

    5. You should have your vet run a full blood panel and check him For kidney disease. My 8 year old Cairn Terrier was diagnosed with CKD.

  12. I have a 128 pound Bernese Mountain Dog who has gagging issues. You never know when he will start this, but when he does we must get him out to eat grass or he starts to eat curtains, rugs, towels, etc.

    He is 6 years old and I have talked to vets, friends and anyone else who would listen. We have done all that we can with different foods including a raw diet. We’ve come to the conclusion that he just needs Pepcid AC. Does anyone know how much to give him based on his weight?

    1. Use 0.25mg per pound of body weight and give without food. Don’t let him run for 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating. 2 doses worked well for my Greyhound. Consider seeing a vet because there can be other issues.

  13. Just got home from the vet who said we could give our dog Pepcid if the upset stomach continued. However, I forgot how to give it to her. Do you dissolve the tablet in water or give it to them as a tablet/part of a tablet?

    1. My little dog, 10 pounds, was prescribed Pepcid or famotidine by the vet. He just ate the pill with no problem at all. It does work. I hope this helps.

      1. Call your vet but the usual dosage is .025 mg per pound (a large dose given your dog’s weight). And it works better on an empty stomach. It’s hard to believe your vet didn’t write down instructions. In any case, it would be much quicker and safer to call that clinic rather than ask on a forum or website.

    2. If your dog will not take the pill by itself, put the pill in a spoonful of baby food. She may take it that way. That’s how I get my little dog to take it.

      1. I put pills on my finger with peanut butter and they love it. This is my fourth dog and it works every time.

    3. I give my Morkie a half tablet 10mg Pepcid AC with American cheese and she eats it with no problem.

  14. My 2 year old dog goes through periods of eating grass like crazy. Sometimes she vomits it up and other times not. Just out of the blue, she’ll act like she doesn’t feel well and won’t eat at all. Then she’ll want to eat everything in sight. I have caught her with plastic spoons, she’s eaten the stuffing out of her bed, you name it.

    She went through a period of mucous covered stools and I took her to the vet for a checkup. They said she was fine. She’s been on Hill’s Ideal Balance Chicken and Rice dog food for a long time. I sometimes put a little plain yogurt on her dry food or gravy from the canned food I give my Chihuahuas which is IAM’s Beef Stew.

    Last night she had a ton of energy and ran for a straight 30 minutes at the dog park. This morning, not so much. She didn’t even bark when I came back from the doctor’s office which isn’t normal. Then she threw up her dinner from last night.

    I had a Doberman that had issues like this and he was on Pepcid twice a month. So I just gave her 10mg of Pepcid since she’s 39 pounds. If this continues I’m going to insist on an ultrasound. Her stool looks fine. She does have loose stools occasionally. This dog is literally my best friend.

    I’m a single senior that travels full time and I’m so careful with her, I even give her bottled water because the water quality changes as I move from place to place. It’s driving me crazy worrying about her so much.

    1. You might want to check her sugar levels. It sounds like it could be diabetes. I would do blood work and get an ultrasound but also have them checked for diabetes. That tends to make them really hungry and not feel well. Try to give her bland diet of chicken and rice.

  15. Since giving our dog Pepcid, as per the vet because suddenly he can’t digest his dry dog food, he’s been unable to hold his urine. He’s peeing all over the place. He lets us know he has to go out but, before we can get him out the door, he loses his urine.

    Could this be related to the Pepcid? It’s the only thing that’s different since this problem surfaced. He was drinking a lot more than usual, when on a thyroid medication, but that was months ago.

    1. Not to diagnose, but your dog may have a UTI or diabetes. Follow up with your vet.

      1. Thanks. Since I posted this, the dog has had multiple trips to the vet. They’re ruling things out and it’s down to either Cushing’s syndrome or diabetes, the non-insulin kind. He had an ultrasound yesterday and we’re waiting on those results before proceeding to the next step.

        1. My dog has diabetes with the same symptoms. I have to give him insulin 2 times daily. It’s easy though. How is your dog?

          1. We’re waiting for the next round of tests, but the symptoms have all but resolved themselves. With the Pepcid, he’s able to eat his dry food again. With our limiting his water, he hasn’t peed in the house again. He actually seems pretty normal. We did one more urine test recently, and then the vet said they may have him come in to do some tests with and without food.

          2. Please do not limit water without a diagnosis. The only reason to limit the very thing that keeps them going is congestive heart failure and a few other things. It’s better to test for diabetes than to limit water at this point. Extreme thirst is maddening to someone already suffering.

        2. All dogs with diabetes need insulin.

          1. Dawn, there is a disease called Diabetes Insipidus which does not require insulin. It’s not due to sugar levels but rather the kidneys cannot concentrate urine properly. The medicine is Desmopressin. It is hormonal disease and not related to sugar related diabetes.

        3. Dawne, please do not withhold or limit water. If your pup has Diabetes Insipidus he/she could literally die from water deprivation if not on medication. Your vet can test for it, but please do not let them test by withholding water. It is cruel.

  16. 1 mil per pound of body weight how frequently? Per day? The article left out this important information.

    1. My little Yorkie just came back from Pancreatitis and severe dehydration. He experienced vomiting and bloody discharge and is now on Pepcid. He suffered a lot, not eating for 5 days. It’s a good thing he was in solid health for a 10 year old prior to this episode. Anyhow, he’s been on Pepcid for 5 days since this was a severe case. I would say 3 days maximum unless told otherwise by a vet. I asked about possible ulcers, perhaps that’s why they prescribed it for 5 days. Otherwise, for just upset stomach, I’d say 1 to 2 days or maybe 3 at the most.

      I noticed a possible allergy as his skin gets red and he seems like he might be hyperventilating because of it. So definitely don’t over do it. Just consider, as humans, we don’t normally take anymore than maybe 1 to 3 doses. So smaller dogs shouldn’t need much unless, as mentioned, it’s treatment for possible ulcers.

  17. My dog has inoperable cancer and his cancer medicine started causing a lot of stomach problems after around 40 days. My vet prescribed Famotidine. It’s like Pepcid, may even be the same. If my dog’s upset tummy doesn’t get better, the vet can adjust his meds. I would always ask for a veterinarian’s opinion before giving any OTC medicine to my dog. He’s like one of the family.

  18. We believe our 2 year old 80 pound Labradoodle has bilious. We already feed him three times a day with Costco Grain-free Turkey Diamond Dry dog food and Costco canned turkey and vegetable wet dog food. We also give him one capsule of fish oil in the morning. We feed him at when I get up, about 6-8am, again at 6:00pm and when Donna retires around 11:00pm. He has been getting up between the last night and morning feeding.

    Should we try Pepcid AC? Does one milligram per pound of his weight makes sense? Should we administer it at night? Is there anything else we could do? Do H2 blockers or antiemetics make sense? What dosage? Do we need prescriptions or should we get them over the web?

    1. We began feeding our dogs the same brand you do. It sounded like a good food until recently I discovered many people were having all kinds of issues with their dogs on that food. Mine did also. I got them off of it immediately and they are fine now. I love Costco but not their pet food which is all made by Diamond. In fact, a couple pet stores in my area won’t even sell any pet foods made by Diamond.

    2. Bruce, I’m not sure why you are feeding at 6pm and then again at 11pm when he has gone 10 – 12 hours between first 2 feeds? He is probably too full. Do you make sure he has a bowel movement after the 11pm feed? Adult dogs only need to eat twice a day. I would eliminate that 11pm feed and see if his behavior improves.

      1. My vet has me doing the same thing as Bruce. To alleviate the reflux, they want you to feed smaller meals more frequently. We can’t split the daytime meal as we work.

        We find if we feed her immediately upon walking into the house around 5 (even before we put her out) she doesn’t throw up. Then I feed her around 10 before I go to bed. That had been working until recently.

        She throws up more in the morning than the evening even with splitting her meals.

        I had forgotten about Pepcid and started her on it on Monday and I will give it to her through Friday. So far, no issues (although you never know when she is going to have one).

        Some days were fine and others not so good. Fingers crossed, when we stop the Pepcid, she continues to do okay!

    3. I was reading a while back that a man had the same problem with his furbaby and found out fish oil tablets cause all kinds of trouble. When he stopped the fish oil pill, no more problems. I hope this helps. I really just read it, I don’t know.

  19. My dog recently had surgery to have a mast tumor removed in his hind leg. The vet put him on Rimadyl but he got very sick with diarrhea and vomiting. She’s now put him on 12 Benadryl a day, 2 Pepcid AC and also Metronidazole once a day. It this safe?

    1. Sorry about your baby and the recent surgery. My Schnauzer had an allergic reaction to Rimadyl. He has a very sensitive stomach to Benadryl, Pepcid, Metronidazole and Tramadol for pain. Tramadol has proven to help his aches and pains. I always give him half the dose of what the vet suggests because he is so sensitive. Good Luck.

    2. Do not keep your dog on Metronidazole for very long. It can cause neurological issues. I would definitely call a vet and ask for an alternative. They put my dog on that for 2 weeks and all of the sudden he lost all control of his motor skills. It was very scary.

  20. We have 4 year old Chiweenie that’s had vomiting issues. Our vet prescribed 10mg of Pepcid twice a day. She also put him on the Prescription Diet GI restore food. It has helped but he still has flare ups. I’ve never known Pepcid to cause any problems and would recommend it for those with concerns.

  21. My 2 year old black lab ate between 10-20 Pepcid AC out of my briefcase. Is this an emergency situation or can I ask about her using net vet care?

    1. Hi John. I would say you should visit a real vet, not a net vet, and as soon as possible unless her symptoms have subsided already. That is quite a high dose for a canine especially if your dog is on the smaller side. Hopefully she’s OK!

  22. My 30 pound mini Bull Terrier has acid reflux and takes Omeprazole 10mg twice daily, a 1/2 hour before meals. I have since switched to 10mg of Pepcid. Now there is no more throwing up undigested food 12 hours later.

    1. My 15 year old 26 pound female Herding-mix has gallbladder disease and 2 nodules in her liver which may or may not be cancerous. So far she is quite well for the most part on Ursodiol, a gallbladder med, taken 2 times daily. She also takes Denamarin, a liver med, 1 hour before dinner and Pepcid 10mg twice daily to help prevent nausea.

      She’s had a couple of bad bouts since diagnosed and the second time she was given Cerenia for a few days. Now she’s back to chasing me, playfully mouthing on my hands and she loves her walks.

  23. I have an 11 week old puppy (for 2 weeks now), that vomits after drinking any amount of water. He weighs 13 pounds. I’ve tried Ranitidine (Zantac) for the past 3 days, twice a day. He hasn’t vomited during the night on it, but is still vomiting throughout the day. I would like to try Pepcid AC to see if it might stop the vomiting altogether. Does this sound like a good idea? And how much shall I give the little guy?

    1. Take him to the vet! That is not normal!

  24. I have a 12 pound Terrier/Poodle mix. How much Pepcid could I give him, being how small he is?

    1. Buy 10 milligram Pepcid AC and cut each tab into quarters. Give one quarter (12 hours apart).

  25. I have a 13 pound Bichon in acute renal failure. I feed him 4 times a day and was also using Tagamet divided in the meals. It did not help. I switched to Pepcid AC, 1/2 of a 10mg tablet in his last meal at night. I was trying to find out online if I could give him 1/2 in the morning. Pepcid works a lot better for my dog than Tagamet.

  26. My 12 year old yellow Lab has a malignant tumor on his side. We have decided not to surgically remove it, partly because of his age (among other reasons). He is probably in his last days, however, we have been saying that for more than six months.

    He feels poorly in the mornings in particular and if he does eat his breakfast (Iams lamb, chicken and rice) he usually throws it up. His stomach seems to feel better in the evening. We are no longer going to the vet because of the trauma it causes.

    So we would like to make him as comfortable as we can and it seems like Pepcid or Pepcid AC might give him some stomach relief. Andy weighs 105 pounds (last time at the vet) and we would appreciate your advice for dosage.

    1. My wiener dog was getting 10mg per day and he was 20 pounds. However, our vet gave us a prescription that we got filled by a lab where they compound the medicine into a liquid.

    2. I have a 11 year old Lab who just had 4 mass cell tumors removed. Along with discharge medications, they recommended I give her Pepcid AC 10mg twice daily. They said this could help with inflammation and help prevent tumors from returning.

      She weighs 68 pounds so I’ll give her one 10mg tablet twice a day for life. I hope this helps you. Twice a day meaning every 12 hours. I stick it in her food and she eats it right up. Good Luck with Andy.

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