Not only humans, but also dogs can suffer from a stomach ulcer. This is a defect in the animal’s stomach lining that allows stomach acid to attack and damage the muscular layer of the stomach wall.
In the following, we will explain the causes of gastric ulcers in dogs, the symptoms that make themselves felt and what treatment options there are.
Causes of gastric ulcer in dogs
Normally, the dog’s stomach wall is covered with a continuous mucous membrane as a protective layer. However, if the dog’s body produces too much stomach acid, this can damage this protective layer. This is also the case, among other things, when taking certain medications, an infestation with parasites as well as in the case of stuck foreign bodies and food intolerances.
As a result, your dog initially develops an inflammation of the gastric mucosa (gastritis). Over time, stomach acid then attacks the underlying layers of the stomach wall, eventually leading to an ulcer.
Stomach ulcer in dogs: possible symptoms
A stomach ulcer is very painful for your dog and usually results in a significant loss of appetite and a corresponding loss of body weight due to the abdominal pain. In addition, your dog will vomit frequently due to the stomach ulcer. In many cases, there is also bleeding from the ulcer, which then turns the dog’s vomit conspicuously red or dark brown.
Risks of untreated gastric ulcer in dogs
The blood loss that the peptic ulcer causes in your dog can even go so far as to lead to anemia (low blood count). In addition, the ulcer can also rupture outwards, which means that the contents of the stomach get into the abdominal cavity of the four-legged friend. At this point at the latest, your dog’s stomach ulcer is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate treatment.
Diagnosis of gastric ulcer in dogs
If you notice signs of a stomach ulcer in your dog, a timely visit to the veterinarian is essential. With the help of X-rays, a blood test and an endoscopy, they can check whether your suspicion is correct and how far the disease has progressed in your dog.
Stomach ulcer in dogs: treatment options
Based on the test results, the veterinarian will decide how to treat your dog’s stomach ulcer. In some cases, a combination of antibiotics, agents that reduce acid production, and a temporary diet is sufficient.
In the case of complications such as heavy bleeding, however, it is also quite possible that your dog will need surgery for his stomach ulcer. The bleeding can be stopped or the ulcer can be completely removed.
Prognosis for dogs with a gastric ulcer
The prognosis for dogs with a stomach ulcer largely depends on when it is recognized and treated, and whether it causes complications. For this reason, it is important that you make an appointment with the veterinarian as soon as possible if you develop symptoms.
Stomach ulcers in dogs: ways to prevent them
Ideally, of course, you don’t let it get to the point where your dog develops a stomach ulcer. To this end, in addition to a balanced diet with a high-quality food that your dog tolerates well, you should also take care to avoid excessive stress.
Because the saying “stress hits your stomach.” The same goes for your dog. This is also the reason why sporting and working dogs develop gastritis more often than average and then eventually develop a stomach ulcer.
Treating a peptic ulcer in dogs is expensive
You often have to reckon with high veterinary costs for the treatment of stomach ulcers in your dog. For the necessary blood test alone, more than 100 euros are usually due. If an endoscopy (gastroscopy) is also carried out, the invoice amount increases even further.
Then there are the medications your dog needs to take for his stomach ulcer. At the latest when an operation is required, the treatment costs are in a range that is likely to cause serious difficulties for most average earners.
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It is best to send us the application for your dog insurance today and in this way prevent the necessary treatments for your dog from failing in the future, not only in the case of a stomach ulcer due to a lack of financial means.