Can you give dogs painkillers

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The short answer is NO! Unfortunately, it is common for people to make an assumption that a medication which is safe for people will also be safe for pets.

As a result, a number of animals are poisoned every year when their owners attempt to give them treatment for pain without consulting their vet. Dogs and cats are also often exposed to human painkillers accidentally. Every species is different and what is safe for humans can be fatal to a dog or cat. Never administer human medications to your pet unless instructed to do so by your veterinary surgeon.

In addition, even painkillers used in animals are not necessarily safe for all species of animal, and you should not attempt to use a painkiller in one species, such as a cat, because you know you can use it in another e. Ibuprofen Nurofen and naproxen are common and effective medications used to treat inflammation and pain in humans, but they should not be given to pets.

These drugs can be toxic poisonous to dogs and cats, although cats are much more susceptible to this toxicity than dogs. A single milligram ibuprofen tablet can be toxic to a cat or a small dog. Toxic effects can occur rapidly and damage the kidneys and stomach. Signs of a toxic reaction include:. Giving too large a dose of aspirin may be toxic to your pet.

While joint supplements take weeks to achieve adequate levels in the dog's body, dog parents may note a positive response and report improved pep in their dog's step when adding these supplements into their daily regimen. With most dog-safe specific medications requiring a prescription, what can you give a dog for pain relief yourself? It turns out a multimodal treatment plan is the best way to help relieve stress on your dog's joints, instead of one single magic pill.

What can you give a dog for pain relief if you aren't sure what will help them? The answer is don't give painkillers for dogs without talking to your veterinarian first.

The most effective way to relieve your dog's pain is to first figure out what's causing it. Bringing your dog to the vet for a professional exam is the best place to start. Remember, pain can be caused by many different conditions.

Many dog parents believe that their dog isn't necessarily in pain if they're limping, because carrying the limb off the ground prevents the painful step, but this is false. Dogs limp because they're in pain. Lyme disease is one condition that can cause limping and joint pain, and it's an infection that requires antibiotics.

It is one that cannot be treated by you at home and requires a veterinarian to diagnose and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Bone cancer can also cause pain, and requires a veterinarian for diagnosis. If your dog is in pain, it's important to get an accurate diagnosis to address the underlying issue and determine the appropriate action to help treat the pain. Paying attention to signs that your dog is in pain , and acting on them promptly rather than waiting to see if the problem resolves on its own, is always the best option.

Not only does taking action decrease additional pain and suffering, but it can help keep smaller aches and pains from developing into larger ones.

Laci Schaible is a small animal veterinarian committed to advancing the use of technology for the independent veterinarian. Select Your Region. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube. As used herein, denotes registered trademark status in the U. Your use of this site is subject to the terms of our Legal Statement. About our Ads. Dogs may die without appropriate treatment. It is not safe to give your dog any amount of aspirin, ibuprofen Advil , naproxen or other anti-inflammatory meant for humans without first talking to your veterinarian.

Cats are especially sensitive to the adverse effects of NSAIDs , but because more dogs are exposed to these medications, a greater number of NSAID toxicity cases are reported in dogs in comparison to cats. Sometimes an owner will give or a dog will get into an inappropriately high dose of one or more of these drugs.

Certain dogs are especially sensitive to NSAIDs formulated for humans and can develop dangerous side effects even when a correct dose is given. No one is exactly sure how it works to reduce pain and fever; it has no effect on inflammation.

But when dogs ingest toxic amounts of acetaminophen, it destroys their liver cells, damages the kidneys and converts hemoglobin—the oxygen-carrying molecule in blood—to methemoglobin, resulting in poor oxygen delivery throughout the body and widespread tissue damage.

If you have a multi-pet household, you should also know that cats are so sensitive to the adverse effects of acetaminophen that ingesting just one regular-strength tablet can result in severe toxicosis, and two tablets can be fatal. For all of the above reasons, you should not give NSAIDs, like aspirin and ibuprofen, or other pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, to dogs or other pets without the supervision of a veterinarian.