Tums is a common medication that is used primarily for treating the symptoms created due to an excessive amount of stomach acid. It is used for treating problems such as heartburn, indigestion, or an upset stomach. The medicine is primarily known as an antacid that does its job by reducing the amount of acid in your stomach.

Tums can be taken orally as directed on the box. There are chewable pills available in the market that you need to chew properly before swallowing. You can also find the liquid variant. Regardless of the kind of medicine, many people are confused if giving Tums to your dog is actually a safe idea.

Treating Stomach Problems in Your Dog with Tums

You might not realize this, but dogs often suffer from relatively similar problems to humans. For instance, dogs usually get pains and aches in their bodies, and they can even get heartburn if they eat too much. You need to understand that heartburn isn’t a disease; it’s just a symptom of excess acid.

Can you give a dog Tums? To answer this simple question, you can actually give Tums to your dog, provided your vet actually approves. It’s important that you first go to your vet before you decide to give a few Tums to your dog. It’s always better to go for a thorough examination to determine the source of the discomfort before you decide to treat it.

The Effect of Tums

Tums can be used to treat mild discomfort in the animal, including diarrhea, heartburn, as well as other kinds of stomach problems. The active ingredient in every pill is calcium carbonate, which automatically brings down the amount of stomach acid in human beings.

But, you should know that dogs usually digest things at a much quicker pace than humans, and in many cases, the medication usually passes through their system rapidly.

In fact, it’s too fast to have an effect at times. However, that’s not to say that dogs don’t feel any effect; they often feel temporary relief after taking the medicine.

Many vets often prescribe Tums to bring down the levels of phosphorus in the dog’s blood, primarily because the medicine binds phosphate. However, this should only be done under the care of a veterinarian. They can be a great remedy for treating simple problems.

What About Giving Tums for Gas?

Many dogs suffer from gaseous buildup inside their stomachs, and it often serves as a great source of discomfort for the animal. Gaseous problems are quite common, especially if your dog likes to eat a bit too liberally. More importantly, if the animal doesn’t get enough exercise throughout the course of the day, it is likely to suffer from such stomach problems.

But, you should know that considering the mineral compounds found in the Tums, there are likely to be a few side effects as well. But, if you were wondering whether you could give Tums to your dog for treating gas, you absolutely can!

The magnesium compound found in these chalky tablets can create loose stools. On the other hand, aluminum and calcium compounds can often cause constipation, which is usually the prime opposite for which you gave the dog the medicine in the first place. More importantly, this can also result in a considerable lack of appetite for your animal.

What About the Calcium?

Many people are under the impression that calcium is quite good for their dogs, primarily nursing or pregnant dogs. However, you should know that excess calcium is actually quite harmful for the animal and can effectively cause their kidneys to fail. There have been plenty of cases where dogs have ended up suffering from renal failure simply because they were consuming large amounts of calcium.

Excessive consumption of calcium can lead to the development of urinary stones and can cause the dog’s kidneys to fail. What’s worse is that the kidney disease is not curable in dogs; it’s just something that your dog will have to live with for the rest of its life.

Secondly, excessive calcium in the puppies is going to disrupt the development of bone and cartilage, and could result in orthopedic anomalies, such as causing the bones to grow at a rapid pace.

Ultimately, this could result in lifelong arthritic pain, and can also damage the joints. That is one of the main reasons why you shouldn’t give Tums readily to your dog, especially without consulting with a vet.

How Is Tums Bad for the Animal?

We have already established that Tums can provide temporary relief to the animal. But, you should know that Tums can also prove to be quite harmful. While the chances of this happening are remote, the ingredients in the Tums can create negative reactions, which is why you should always consult with your vet before giving the medicine to your dog. Here are just a few situations where the Tums might be harmful for your dog:

Toxicity: You need to first check the label on the box and identify any ingredients that might be toxic for your dog. For instance, the use of artificial sweeteners, especially ones like xylitol, are quite harmful, and your dog should not consume them.

Allergies: If your dog has an allergic reaction the first time you give them Tums, you should know that this could be caused by one of the ingredients found in the tablet. You need to avoid giving them the tablet.

Excessive use: A common problem that many dog owners go through is that they start giving Tums quite often to their pet. As mentioned, repeated exposure could lead to a myriad of kidney problems.

So, it’s perfectly safe to give them Tums a few times, just don’t overdo it!