# Chronic tummy aches



## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

My friend has a rat terrier mix who is 8.5 years old and I guess he's been having tummy aches since he was a puppy. My friend says she always just gave him pepto bismol with rice and his tummy ache would go away and they would only happen every once in a while. Now in the last year, they've gotten considerably worse and more frequent. In fact, they're like a constant thing for him now :frown:

She has taken him to the vet for it and even got a nice Care Credit account to help pay for it, they've done x-rays and run bloodwork and still can't figure out what is wrong with him. They gave him some steroids and something else to help him out which has made him less painful and more active, but now he's started having seizures!!! Poor little guy. 

She currently feeds him Nutro Ultra. I know, I know! but she is a Nutro rep and gets it for free and claims that he does fantastically on it aside (aside from exacerbating his tummy aches, of course ). She also says that because he's had this problem his whole life, she doubts it's the Nutro. I pointed out that he's also been on kibble (mostly Purina I think, menadione sodium bisulfite ftw) his whole life but she didn't think that was relevant and maybe it isn't. I did convince her to put him on a chicken and rice diet for a week before she took him to the vet but she said that didn't help (though I reminded her that a week is not really enough time to tell). 

Anyway, I thought maybe I'd ask you guys if you've ever gone through anything like this before or have any advice for other things she could try.


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## SuZQuzie (Nov 26, 2009)

Has he been scoped? I suspect ulcers.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Not sure, I'll ask her, thanks!


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

Have her try giving her dog some peppermint or chamomile herbal teas. These are known to calm the intestinal tract/settle tummy aches. Also, try some ginger, which also calms the stomach. Sounds like she might have Irritable Bowel syndrome or something. Good luck!:smile:


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