When your dog doesn't feel well, sometimes over-the-counter drugs made for humans can give the little guy some relief.
But there's a warning circulating on Facebook that says you should avoid Pepto Bismol because the manufacturer has changed the ingredients to include an artificial sweetener known to make dogs sick.
So is this true? We're putting this to the verify test.
More: VERIFY on 10News
Here's a look at the post that's making the rounds on social media.
The post claims the formula changed to contain xylitol, which is very toxic to dogs. The post also says veterinarians are saying we should no longer give this to our dogs.
To fact check this, we reached out to a couple of sources: Procter and Gamble -- which makes Pepto Bismol -- and a veterinarian at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Tampa.
When checking the list of active ingredients on a bottle of Pepto, Xylitol is not on the list.
We checked with Procter and Gamble, and it said there haven't been any changes to the list of ingredients.
As for why Xylitol is bad for dogs, BluePearl tells 10News, “Xylitol has a wide margin of safety in people but is extremely toxic to dogs. Compared to humans, dogs experience a rapid and severe increase in blood insulin resulting in profound hypoglycemia which can last up to 24 hours. It can be lethal.”
They also say,” We always urge people to talk to a veterinarian before giving their pets any medicine that was designed for humans. Sometimes you can just make a phone call and ask "is it safe if I give Fido this?" Many normal-sounding medicines for humans are toxic for pets, like Tylenol. “
So, we can verify: Pepto Bismol has not changed its ingredients. That means this social media claim is false.
But before you try to soothe your dog's upset tummy, call your vet and make sure what you're giving him is safe.
If you have a claim that you want our verify team to check out, send it to tips@wtsp.com.
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