Omeprazole long term usage

[pkt89]

Hi,
My Bee has CM and PSOM on both ears. He is on omeprazole 5mg one daily. Recently Dr. Cole from Ohio state university said I can put him on NAC supplement. I saw some articles about long term effect of Omeprazole and a bit worries.
Has anyone using omeprazole for a long time? Please share your experience.
Thanks
Kitty

[Karlin]

There can be side effects -- but if it works for his CM I'd probably continue to use it if you are not having problems. There are tests to do if giving various meds; these are listed on Clare Rusbridge's treatment protocol. For some dogs frusemide or cimetidine works as well as omeprazole; sometimes better. They all respond differently. Mine are on cimetidine not omeprazole. There is a known risk of stomach cancer with long term use in humans but it is quite long term and dogs do not live as long as it took cases to show in humans.

I am interested that DR Cole recommended NAC -- is that with or without having had the ear flushing surgery? How much is she recommending? I followed her advice for the post surgical period but have wondered about whether she recommends this for ongoing care to try and loosen the gunk in their ears, and would be interested in what you were advised as she is the ex[pert in the field for PSOM.

[pkt89]

There can be side effects -- but if it works for his CM I'd probably continue to use it if you are not having problems. There are tests to do if giving various meds; these are listed on Clare Rusbridge's treatment protocol. For some dogs frusemide or cimetidine works as well as omeprazole; sometimes better. They all respond differently. Mine are on cimetidine not omeprazole. There is a known risk of stomach cancer with long term use in humans but it is quite long term and dogs do not live as long as it took cases to show in humans.

I am interested that DR Cole recommended NAC -- is that with or without having had the ear flushing surgery? How much is she recommending? I followed her advice for the post surgical period but have wondered about whether she recommends this for ongoing care to try and loosen the gunk in their ears, and would be interested in what you were advised as she is the ex[pert in the field for PSOM.

Both his ears were flushed. She told me to use 600mg one daily. She said I can find it at whole foods market. It is for ongoing care to try loosen the gunk. My Bee is 19lbs but Dr. Cole said it does not matter about the weight, dog can take 600mg daily. She did say there is no research to see if it helps but it is no harm to give NAC.

[Karlin]

Thanks for that -- Jaspar had the procedure too; still had gunk remaining in one ear. I tried NAC for a while but will go back to it. There has been research that shows improvement in kids who have a similar procedure and then take NAC. Interesting that it is the whole 600mg in a go as well. I think before she might have been suggesting 300mg twice daily to someone on the board.