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Pain Medication for Dogs, How to Administer Safely

Posted on July 13, 2016

Your dog could have hurt its paw or got injured while playing. It is therefore not a surprise that, pet owners will ask themselves, “What can I give my canine friend for pain? It can be puzzling to know what to give your dogs to relieve pain and even more confusing is which drugs would be safe to use.

Whether your dog seems to have a limp, a sore back, an upset stomach or a painful ear, before  administering any pain medication always speak to your veterinarian first. This could save you a costly mistake that results in a gravely ill dog and a large vet’s bill.

Here are a few pain relief drugs you can administer to help your pet keep the pain at bay until you get the vet’s appointment.

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Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

These include common drugs like aspirin which can be administered at low doses to relieve pain. However, it is only safe to administer to healthy adults that are not on other medication. The safety margin for NSAIDs is high but caution should still be applied.  When mixed with other drugs they are known to cause gastric ulcers and if ingested on an empty tummy, they damage the stomach lining.

Human over the Counter Drugs

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It is important to keep in mind that the metabolisms of dogs differ from humans, and so medications that are safe for people may actually be dangerous to dogs. In other words, dogs are not small people.

Drugs commonly used by humans for pain management can sometimes be administered in lower doses to dogs. This is because dogs are more sensitive to their effects. Drugs such as codeine could cause constipation, sedation, and breathing difficulties. While drugs such as ibuprofen are toxic to dogs and can cause liver failure within one week of ingestion, thus a no go for all dogs. Acetaminophen based drugs cause liver failure in dogs and thus should be avoided.

Before you give your dog any pain medication, first, get your vet’s advice. Give in lower doses and watch out for behaviour changes, loss of appetite, scabs, vomiting or diarrhoea. If you notice any unusual changes stop the drug and call the vet immediately.