Finding a suitable dog pain medication can be an important task for most dog owners at some point over the course of their pet's lives. Whether your dog has developed a chronic condition or a disorder that causes him stress and pain, or if your pet has been injured and requires relief on a more temporary basis, you'll find that certain over the counter dog pain medications are very helpful in providing that relief to him. However, keep in mind that over the counter medicines which are safe for use in humans may not be entirely safe for use in dogs. This is why it's very important to consult with your veterinarian before you consider giving your pet any over the counter medication whatsoever. Read on for some general guidelines about over the counter pain medicines and dogs.
Ibuprofen Is Poisonous
The single most important thing to take away from this discussion is that human formulations of ibuprofen are lethally poisonous to dogs. Do not provide them to your pet, and if your dog should happen to get into ibuprofen and ingest some, take him to a veterinary hospital as quickly as you can.
Limit Tylenol
Tylenol can be effective at reducing pain in some dogs. However, it's important to note that while Tylenol is not typically fatal to dogs, it can bring about some devastating side effects, the most serious of which include permanent organ damage to the liver and kidneys. For this reason, it's wise to limit the treatment of your dog's pain with Tylenol to a few short doses. Generally, you should only use Tylenol for acute pain or for one time only issues like injuries.
The maximum dosage of Tylenol that you should give to your dog is 5 milligrams per pound of your dog's weight, given three times per day. However,many dogs will require less than this maximum allotted dosage in order to experience some relief from their pain, so it's wise to check in with your vet if you have any questions.
Limit Aspirin
Aspirin can be a good choice for another temporary pain reliever for your dog. The limit of aspirin that you can safely provide to your dog is usually about 10 milligrams per pound of weight, delivered twice per day. This should probably not exceed one 500 milligram tablet at a single dosage, even if your pet is larger than 50 pounds.
Aspirin is quite effective at reducing your pet's pain, but it also comes with inherent risks. Because of the way that it acts as a blood declotter, it can cause internal bleeding and other organ damage. This means that you must watch out for signs of internal bleeding and discontinue treatment with aspirin at the first sign of any of these symptoms. Aspirin shouldn't be given for more than 3 or 4 days at a time.