You may already know that Ibuprofen is often prescribed to us humans as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication. Ibuprofen helps people experiencing dental pain, headache, muscle aches, menstrual cramps, and arthritis. Your dog probably suffers from any of these ailments and something inside you asks, can I give my dog ibuprofen? Can it be effective for my dog as much as it is for me?

In this post, we will tackle all things about Ibuprofen and whether you can safely administer it to your pet or not.

What is ibuprofen?

This is an NSAID considered to be analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic medication – intended for human consumption. Ibuprofen is an over-the-counter medication which a lot of people thought is safe for dogs too. Since they are readily available in drugstores, people can easily get their hands on this medication, consequently increasing the numbers of pet poisoning due to unintentional ingestion.

Can I give my dog ibuprofen for pain?

Going straight to the point, no. You can’t give your dog ibuprofen for the simple fact that it can be toxic for your canine companion.

When taken orally, it will just take half an hour for your dog to fully absorb ibuprofen – and that’s pretty fast. You’re lucky if your dog has eaten his meal beforehand because it can possibly delay the absorption but not that much.

1. Why you should not give ibuprofen to your dog

Ibuprofen toxicity can happen to your dog when you administer an ibuprofen to him. While it is safe for people, it has only a narrow margin of safety when it comes to dogs.

2. How much ibuprofen can I give my dog

As stated just above, there is still a thin line of safety, which technically allows you to administer ibuprofen to a dog BUT only within a little dosage. Know that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. This narrow margin of safety is most likely just a means of hope should your dog accidentally ingests an ibuprofen.

Be reminded that ibuprofen can really poison your dog. So if you want to give him this medication for a certain illness, you might want to opt for another treatment and refrain from administering ibuprofen as much as possible. For instance, if you want to help your dog with arthritis, why not just go for another treatment where you can be sure it’s safe?

Ibuprofen poisoning

1. Causes of ibuprofen poisoning

According to PetMD most cases of ibuprofen poisoning are accidental ingestion. For example, a dog can unintentionally eat an Advil lying around in your home. Other medication in tablet form can also make dogs think they are dry dog food.

2. Keep it away from your dog

The instructions behind your medication bottle are not just for compliance. They really mean it. Keep any ibuprofen or any medication for that matter away from your dog’s reach.

3. Don’t believe it’s safe

Because it’s not. There are still some pet-parents who believe in the myth that ibuprofen can serve as a treatment for their dog. Don’t be one of them. There are instances of ibuprofen poisoning that happened as a result of pet owners deliberately administering the said medication to their dog.

What happens if my dog ingests ibuprofen?

As an NSAID, Ibuprofen works just like any other medication in that category – except that it’s toxic to dogs as repetitively stated in this post. So what happens if you give your dog ibuprofen.

Ibuprofen inhibits this enzyme – called cyclooxygenase - that produces prostaglandins that cause inflammation, fever, and pain. While it sounds like a good thing for ibuprofen to inhibit these prostaglandins, there is a big downside to that.

Prostaglandins actually help your dog by maintaining this mucus layer in the gastrointestinal tract, consequently protecting it from stomach acid.

Going back, if your dog takes in ibuprofen, the prostaglandins are significantly decreased, which results in negative bodily functions including:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Vomiting with blood
• Feces with blood
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Stomach (gastric) ulcers
• Loss of weight
• Noticeably increased urination (but lack of urine)
• Increased thirst
• Seizures
• Coma
• Incoordination
• In worse cases, death

What to do if my dog gets poisoned with ibuprofen

Let’s say your dog accidentally ingested an ibuprofen from an Advil he thought was food. Here are some points to learn:

• The best thing to do is to contact your vet right after you are able to observe symptoms of potential poisoning.
• You can induce vomiting. You can do so by utilizing ipecac, hydrogen peroxide or apomorphine.
• Pumping the stomach or gastric lavage can also be done to make your dog vomit the toxic substances.
• Activated charcoal can also be used. This is an effective substance in absorbing the poison inside the stomach
• Anti-emetic medications can be used to control the vomiting. Additionally, gastrointestinal protectants may be necessary.
• Blood/plasma transfusions and fluid therapy may be needed when your dog’s kidney(s) has become damaged due to the said poisoning.
• For seizures, anticonvulsant medications may be needed.
• Surgical correction may be required in cases of gastric perforation.

An important note about our posts

While we can assure that everything in this article is harnessed from thorough research, the team highly recommends every reader to visit a vet first – and actually make it a priority. No online advice beats professional diagnosis.

While time is of the essence when your dog accidentally ingests ibuprofen, it doesn’t really mean that everything is in your hands now. Any inappropriate action can worsen the situation. It would be safer if you call your vet first or rush to the nearest pet clinic to save your dog.

Summary

Ibuprofen is indeed an appealing medication which a lot of people thought to be equally effective in dogs as much as they are a big help for humans. But we hope this post clears things out.

So the next time you ask – can I give my dog ibuprofen – you already know the answer. Also, don’t forget to share this information to your family and friends. You might save an innocent dog.

So your dog is suffering from arthritis.

You’re not alone. It’s sad as a pet-parent to see your beloved pooch transform from an energetic canine companion to a dog that can only make a stiff walk. What makes it even worse is seeing your beloved dog lie down while groaning in pain and not being able to jump to his favorite couch. This leaves you with the question, what can I give my dog for arthritis?

In this article, we will tackle the medications your dog can take to treat arthritis. Get to know these remedies right here.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

NSAIDs are known to give your pet relief and reviving their spirits with properties that battle pain and inflammation. Here we’ll introduce three (3) analgesic medications for your pooch suffering from arthritis.

NSAID-medication work by reducing prostaglandins and hormones that causes the pain in your dog’s body. Once it takes effect, you can expect your pooch to finally be able to move easily and even exercise. NSAIDs are known meds to give to your dog when in pain.

You can take this opportunity to introduce exercise activities to preserve the normal function of their digestive tracts, lungs, and heart. An arthritic pet can also improve their muscle strength. By exercising, you’re helping your dog by potentially correcting their joint alignment. When the joints align, pain is significantly reduced.

1. Rimadyl

Generic name: Carprofen

A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Rimadyl can be used to treat inflammation and pain caused by arthritis as well as hip dysplasia and other joint diseases. Rimadyl does its magic by reducing the hormones that cause the said inflammation and pain in your dog’s body. Further, Rimadyl can also be used to alleviate pain associated by fever and also ideal when your dog has recently gone through a dental procedure or surgery.

Ideal for:

Dogs aged at least six (6) weeks

Benefits of rimadyl:

• Recommended as a daily dose
• Most dogs can easily tolerate
• Easy to give; available as a chewable tablet

How to give rimadyl

Most medications come with instructions for you to follow. As for Rimadyl, it must be given with food. Along with that, make sure your dog has access to a lot of water as he will be needing it. If you don’t trust your comprehension to the instructions, you are always free to talk with your vet or ask the pharmacist to explain it to you.

Note: While Rimadyl is ideally effective, you can only purchase such when prescribed by your veterinarian. Moreover, it is NOT advisable to give Rimadyl to dogs used for breeding as well as lactating and pregnant dogs. Ultimately, you can’t give this medication to a cat.

2. Deramaxx

Generic name: Deracoxib (der-ah-cox'-ib)

Another NSAID used to control inflammation and pain is Deramaxx. It is used particularly to battle against degenerative diseases affecting dog joints – namely osteoarthritis. It works by reducing the substances causing fever, inflammation, and pain.

Deramaxx comes as a chewable, scored, beef-flavored tablet. Just like Rimadyl, you can also give Deramaxx to a dog that has recently gone through a dental or surgical procedure.

Ideal for:

Dogs in general

Benefits of deramaxx:

• Ideal for canine arthritis
• Controls chronic osteoarthritis
• Reduces pain and inflammation
• Tasty for dogs; beef-flavored and chewable
• Easy to give
• Nonsteroidal

How to give deramaxx

This medication’s most common dosage is to give 0.45 - 0.91 mg/lb ONCE per day for a dog suffering from osteoarthritis pain. For treating a dog with post-operative inflammation and pain, you can give 1.4 – 1.8 mg/lb ONCE per day.

The beauty of Deramaxx is they contain a beef flavor and completely chewable. This means you won’t have a hard time administering it to your dog. Further, it’s up to you whether you’ll mix it with your furball’s food or not.

Just like the previous NSAID, you must prepare a lot of water for your dog.

Note: Deramaxx also needs a vet prescription. Also, do NOT give this medication to your cat.

3. Novox

This one is basically like the generic equivalent of Rimadyl. Novox is also a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used to treat inflammation and pain caused by joint diseases namely arthritis. Novox can also be given to dogs suffering from hip dysplasia and fever. Just like other NSAIDs, you can also give Novox to a pet who recently had an operation (especially orthopedic-related).

Novox makes itself appealing to dogs by having a liver flavor. It does its job by decreasing the hormones behind the inflammation and pain endured by your dog.

Ideal for:

Dogs aged at least six (6) weeks and above

Benefits of novox:

• Effective medication
• Needed only once per day
• Available in both caplet or chewable
• Easy to give/administer

How to give novox:

Novox is designed to taste good for your pets. That said, never store this medication in a place where your dogs can have an easy access – otherwise, you can potentially trigger an overdose.

The most common way of giving Novox is ½ tablets for 30 days. To be safe, give Novox exactly as explained by your vet. As always, you are free to ask the pharmacist to explain everything about this product.

As for storage, remember the following:

• Controlled room temperature of 20-25C (68-77F) for 100mg Novox Carprofen Chewable Tablets
• 15-30C (59-86F) for 25mg and 75mg Novox Carprofen Chewable Tablets

Note:

Novox is vet-prescribed. A caution to remember includes not giving this medication to lactating and pregnant dogs as well as those dogs used for breeding. Further, do not give this medication to other animals like cats. More importantly, this should never be ingested by any human.

Corticosteroids

Before everything, know that ALL warm-blooded animals naturally produce corticosteroids inside their bodies. Yes, it includes us humans, and our pets. PetMD recommends steroids including corticosteroids as a remedy for arthritis in dogs.

If you’re asking, what can I give my dog for arthritis pain, corticosteroids is yet another option for you. Of course, you can’t just force your dog to produce corticosteroids. Thankfully, pharmaceutical versions can be purchased and given to your dog.

Pharmaceutical corticosteroids are just like the natural steroid, but they come at a higher concentration. Apart from arthritis, you can give this medication to a dog suffering from other chronic pains.

The top-selling corticosteroids include Triamcinolone, Prednisolone, and Prednisone.

1. Triamcinolone

Generic name: Triamcinolone tablets

This corticosteroid is formulated to deal with various skin conditions including dryness, redness, scaling, crusting, and most importantly, inflammation. It does its job by reducing swelling which makes it also ideal for allergic disorders.

Ideal for:

Dogs and cats in general

Benefits of triamcinolone:

• Treats multiple conditions
• Decreases inflammation
• Battles skin irritations

How to give triamcinolone:

This medication must be given with food. Otherwise, you can trigger an upset stomach. You should also give your dog plenty of water to drink. For the instructions, you must refer to the directions given by your vet himself. Moreover, feel free to ask the pharmacist for an explanation.

Note: Triamcinolone is sold per tablet and it requires a vet prescription. One important thing to remember is to never stop this medication suddenly. The dosage you give must be gradually reduced before your dog can finally stop the medication.

2. Prednisolone

Generic name: Prednisolone

Another corticosteroid, Prednisolone treats various diseases including allergy and inflammatory conditions. It decreases inflammation and swelling which results in a reduced pain. Chronic inflammation due to joint damage can also be treated with Prednisolone. This makes it ideal for dogs suffering from arthritis too.

Ideal for:

Dogs and cats in general

Benefits of prednisolone:

• Ideal treatment for allergies
• Treats a wide array of inflammatory conditions like arthritis
• Also treats other auto-immune conditions
• Decreases skin itching and redness

How to give prednisolone:

Store Prednisolone at a room temperature where it’s safe against heat and moisture. Prednisolone must be administered with food. Specific instructions on how to give are done by the vet. You can also ask a pharmacist to explain things to you.

Note: While giving Prednisolone, do NOT give other prescription medication or any over-the-counter meds. It may be possible but you need to talk to your vet first. Importantly, ask the vet first if your pooch has a heart disease, liver disease, or any other medical conditions. Potential side effects may include nausea, insomnia, upset stomach, and vomiting.

Before giving your dog any med

While we can assure that everything in this article is harnessed from thorough research, the team highly recommends every reader to visit a vet first – and actually make it a priority.

You can also talk with a pharmacist if a vet is not available at the moment. Always do this before giving your dog over-the-counter medications and any prescription drugs.

Summary

What can I give my dog for arthritis? The question that a lot of pet parents ask. If you find yourself asking the same question, you can simply reread everything and try to ask your vet what medication is best for your beloved canine companion.

So your dog is in pain.

One day you came home from work and noticed something different in your beloved canine companion. You then realized he’s in pain but your favorite vet is out of town. And now you start panicking and found yourself asking, what can I give my dog for pain?

While you may not be able to give your dog a complete relief, you can at least make him feel better. In this article, we have compiled ways of giving relief to a dog in pain.

NSAIDs

This is short for Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. NSAIDs are formulated to reduce joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and pain in humans. The beauty of NSAIDs is they can do the same for a dog.

If your dog just had a surgery recently or if he’s suffering from arthritis, NSAIDs can be the first thing you can give him.

1. List of NSAIDs

Take note that you should not give your furball something straight out of your medicine cabinet. There are NSAIDs designed just for dogs. Here’s a list from WebMD:

• Deracoxib (Deramaxx)
• Carprofen (Novox or Rimadyl)
• Meloxicam (Metacam )
• Firocoxib (Previcox)

2. Aspirin

This is a popular choice if you’re looking for an over-the-counter medication you can give your dog to relieve pain. You can give him the aspirin pills together with his food. Coated aspirin, for instance, is ideal for the stomach.

However, your vet will only give you a go signal only if the pain roots from short-term conditions such as injuries.

Do NOT give your pet aspirin if you want something for long-term use. The reason behind is the potential side effects your dog might suffer from. This may include potential bleeding – which could put your lovely pooch in danger.

3. Are NSAIDs safe for dogs

Good question, but you shouldn’t be surprised by the answer. Just like virtually all medication even for humans, NSAIDs also have some side effects. The worst things you can expect are digestive, liver, or kidney problems.

4. How to tell my dog is suffering from side effects

It’s pretty simple. Your dog is most-likely having a bad reaction to an NSAID you gave him if he’s showing any of the signs below. If you spot these symptoms, the best thing you can do is to immediately stop giving him the drug and call your vet right away.

• Noticeable loss of appetite; eating less than normal
• If he’s not acting like normal; behavioral changes
• Physical changes like scabs and skin redness
• Vomiting; diarrhea; producing a tarry stool
• Possible weight loss; see how to get a dog to gain weight here

Tramadol

You’ve probably heard this term before. Vets give Tramadol to dogs who suffer from constant discomfort, especially those who are aging. Tramadol is a painkiller that functions ‘partly’ like a typical opioid medication.

Side effects of Tramadol

You should watch out for dizziness, vomiting, and an upset stomach. Side effects are the reason why you should talk to your vet.

Gabapentin

This has a similar purpose both for humans and dogs – treating pain caused by damaged nerves. Your vet will sometimes give this along with other medication.

Side effects of Gabapentin

This one doesn’t have any serious effect you can be concerned about but it can make your dog sleepy for a few days. It will go away eventually.

Amantadine

This is a medication that takes away the “feeling” of pain by blocking certain neural transmitters. Amantadine is given to dogs with cancer, disk disease, and arthritis.

Supplements as an alternative treatment

Popular alternative treatments are chondroitin and glucosamine which are a form of supplements. There’s really not much of an evidence that they can directly help with pain relief. However, research has found results about how these supplements aid the cartilage by repairing itself. Further, these alternative treatments can also help the swelling go down. As a result, you can rely on them to lubricate and protect your pooch’s cartilage.

1. Glucosamine

A common joint supplement that can also be used by humans, glucosamine can promote a faster cartilage repair. Glucosamine may not directly get rid of the pain, but it’s effective in alleviating its symptoms. This can also be bought over-the-counter making it convenient for you to access.

2. Where can I buy these supplements?

It’s not hard to find them. You can purchase them directly from your vet, a pet supply store, or at your local grocery. Just remember they are ideal specifically for joint ailments, arthritis, and related conditions.

Motion sickness in traveling

Dramamine for dogs

An antiemetic and antihistamine drug, Dramamine is that familiar med that eases motion sickness. You can give this to your dog – with approval from your vet – whenever your furball suffers from motion sickness symptoms. Sometimes pain can be caused by traveling and you can make it easier for your dog with the help of Dramamine.

Natural remedies

You can’t always rely on medicines. Sometimes all your dog needs is a natural touch. They won’t guarantee a complete pain treatment but they sure can give positive results. Here are some popular natural remedies you can give your dog. Not only can they potentially heal your dog, but they can also give a sense of remedy beyond conventional veterinary care.

1. Acupuncture

This one’s ideal for dogs who have recently gone through a surgery or trauma. Acupuncture can relieve your dog of muscle and joint pain. Further, this can also treat the symptoms of cancer and diabetes. Important note: you must always seek the service of a licensed and trained acupuncturist.

2. Aromatherapy

Not only can your dog benefit, but you can also enjoy this. Inhaling a good scent from an aromatherapy session can effectively reduce stress which, in turn, can encourage healing and ultimately relieving you and your dog from any pain.

3. Massage

Who wouldn’t want a nice, soothing massage? Massaging your dog can relieve him from stress and relax his muscles. Additionally, a good massage can stimulate his nerves and improve blood flow. As a result, you can expect the massage to encourage healing.

You can opt for this option though because you don’t need an expert massage therapist to massage your dog. You can do it on your own, right at the comforts of your home! This book introduces a proven massage program which you can follow.

Medications you should NOT give to your dog

It’s surprising actually but not all people know a simple fact: that you can’t always give your dog the same medication that, we, humans take.

Here are some over-the-counter pain medications that are not safe for your dogs. Hence, you should never give them to your pooch.

• Naproxen (found in Aleve)
• Acetaminophen (found in many decongestants and Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen (found in Nuprin, Motrin, Advil)

The importance of veterinary care

When it comes to animal medical care, no online information can completely replace veterinary care. While we can assure everything in this page is written with proper education and thorough research, we still highly advise that you should ALWAYS talk to your vet BEFORE giving any types of medication. And this goes for supplements too.

Your vet can give you a treatment plan and you can ask a written copy for it. This should include proper instructions on how to give your pet the said medicine. Moreover, your vet can give a demonstration too.

Now that you have a list of medication for your pet prescribed by your vet, you won’t have to panic anymore when you find your pet in pain in the middle of the night without any access to the vet.

Summary

No matter what kind of pain your dog is going through, there is always a medication that can make him feel better. You can start by giving a veterinarian-prescribed pain medication and a dose of joint supplements.

Then you can try for natural remedies such as a soothing massage for your dog. Like hitting two birds with a single stone, you can also relax while deepening the bond between you and your pooch. Further, you can try a regular moderate exercise to maintain the good shape of your dog especially when he gets older.

So the next time you’ll ask yourself, what can I give my dog for pain, you wouldn’t be panicking anymore. Ultimately, consult your vet about pain management options catered for your specific dog.