No More Mistakes with Zantac For Dogs

Zantac for dogs is one of the trade names for the drug called Ranitidine. This medication is also called an h2 blocker (histamine-2), which works by reducing the acid production that occurs in the stomach as well as preventing the formation of new lesions. It is often used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease and peptide ulcers. 

Zantac is considered a human and veterinary medication. For this write-up, the focus will be on its use on animals; specifically dogs. It is used in the prevention and treatment of ulcers and acid reflux that occurs in the small intestine and stomach of dogs.

If you own animals, it is recommended you read about them extensively. This helps you understand a lot about them a lot better, making it easier for you to identify challenges they may be having by simply taking note of their behavior among other things.

Medical Uses of Ranitidine

Ranitidine, as with most medications, can be used effectively alone or when combined with other medication to bring about relief for certain ailments. It’s always good to know the extent of use a particular medication can be put to. Some the other conditions it can be used for include:

• Upper GI bleeding
• Heartburn reduction
• Ulcer (recurrent post-operative)
• Gastric and duodenal ulcers (maintenance and short-term therapy)
• Erosive esophagitis

They can also be used to:

• Suppress stress-induced ulcers in seriously ill people
• Act as a support drug with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to decrease the risk of ulceration.

There are many more but this is just to mention a few. It’s also quite interesting what you can learn by being willing to know and search out the information.

Dosage for Dogs

This medication comes in different forms. Like most medications, they come in capsule, tablet, syrup, and injectable forms. For regular or dissolvable tablets, they are available in strengths of 75mg, 150mg, or 300mg.

It is recommended that it be given before food as it works better on an empty stomach. Please take note that the dosages differ for people and dogs. Typically, a dog will take a smaller dosage but ultimately, it depends on the weight of the dog and how large it is. Generally, like 0.25 to 1 mg per pound every 8 to 12 hours should do. It can be given either orally or in the form of an injection. Even when symptoms stop still continue the dosage until the veterinarian says otherwise. This is to prevent a reoccurrence.

Frequently Asked Questions about Animal Drugs

Anyone who asks questions opens themselves up to learn more. To help you learn a bit more about administering medication to your dog, some questions have been curated below, but if you think you might have other questions about animal medication, you can check here to search and probably get your question answered by the appropriate authorities.

Can drugs for people be used legally for animals?

Yes. That is why people are advised to seek professional help (veterinarians) when needed. 

What does off-label or extra-label mean?

This means using a drug that’s approved for humans or animals in a way that isn’t spelled out on the drug’s label. Hence the name “off-label”.

What is a recommended animal drug?

It is a drug that has gone through the FDA’s scrutiny and passed the test. The approval process is such that the drug is judged safe, effective, produced hygienically, consistent from batch to batch, truthful to components, etc. 

Why can’t I find information about a particular animal drug at FDA?

This might be due to several reasons.

• The drug hasn’t been approved.
• The name of the drug was misspelled.
• It’s probably a drug for humans and not animals.

How to Administer Zantac to Dogs

Administering drugs to dogs can be as tricky as when you have to give it to a child or even an adult who doesn’t like medication. There isn’t a set way just try different ones till you find what works.

For example, the mode to be employed will differ based on the medication form. There are times when they can be mixed into their food and times when they will be given alone. For a step by step analysis with pictorial representation on how to do this, you can read this article here: . 

In conclusion

Pregnant animals or those with any health issue might be at risk of a possible side effect. Sometimes, the dog is perfectly fine you just need to reduce food portions, and observe.

With Zantac medication for dogs, overdoses and allergic reactions are not too common. However, one thing is strongly advised; a vet should give a diagnosis and prescription before you go ahead to administer this or any medication to your pet.