Dog Pain Relief | What’s Safe to Use?
Finding the most effective pain reliever for your dog can be hard, in this blog we will aid you with all the dos and don’ts for helping your dog get effective relief.
Seeing your dog in pain can be difficult to deal with. Whether their paw is sore, they were just stung by a bee, or even just dog leg pain.
We do not want to see them struggling in any manner.
Your dogs vet will usually perform an evaluation to look for any problems they are able to diagnose. They may even prescribe something to help ease the pain.
However, there may be times you may not be able to visit a vet, such as financial limitations and other issues that can delay their care.
Knowing what over the counter medications to give to your dog is critical
First, it is important that you are able to identify that your dog is in pain.
Signs your Dog is in Pain
Many symptoms may be indicators of other health problems or conditions such as viral, bacterial or parasitic infections.
You should eliminate other likely factors behind your dog’s symptoms in an effort to reach the bottom part of your dog’s discomfort.
Work closely with your dogs veterinarian if you believe your dog is in pain. Contact the vet if you notice any of the following SIGNS:
- Limping
- Moaning
- Whining
- Trouble walking or standing
- Swelling
- Trimbling or Shaking
- Persistent restlessness
- Excessive biting, chewing, or licking
Your dog may have been diagnosed with a condition already, but their pain is still there, and at times can be worse than others.
What is safe to purchase over the counter to give to your dog? Lets jump right into it!
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Use in Dogs
Acetaminophen. more commonly known as Tylenol, is a typical over-the-counter medication used by humans to relieve fever and pain.
It can be tempting to give the dog acetaminophen for pain since it is easily available over-the-counter.
Nevertheless, this drug could be poisonous to dogs when used improperly. You should certainly not give the dog acetaminophen unless your vet specifically recommends it.
Just what does Acetaminophen Do?
Acetaminophen is a nonprescription medicine which relieves mild to moderate pain and also lowers fever. The actual mechanism of activity in the body is more complex and we will leave that information for people studying pharmacology.
The medication is a favorite and highly effective pain reliever, as well as the most common used fever reducer for humans use since the 1950s.
Can Dogs Have Acetaminophen?
Acetaminophen can be extremely poisonous to dogs if they ingest an excessive amount. Even with prescribed doses, it doesn’t provide that much pain relief as other safer options available.
There might be cases where your dogs veterinarian recommends giving acetaminophen to your dog. In that case, it is crucial you stick to your vet’s suggestion for administration as well as dosage.
Use care when offering dogs children’s acetaminophen; powder, chewable, and liquid formulas might include harmful artificial sweeteners as xylitol.
Calculating Correct Dosage of Acetaminophen for your Dog
Generally, dosage is calculated by your dogs weight. The most commonly prescribed dose is 10-15mg per kilogram (about 4-6mg every pound of body weight) given by mouth every twelve hours.
For instance, a ten pound dog will exclusively get about 50mg of acetaminophen & a 50 pound dog would receive 200mg of acetaminophen.
Remember that these doses are drastically lower compared to the humane dosage, therefore it is crucial that you pay attention to the sturdiness of the medication.
Side Effects
Dogs receiving safe doses of acetaminophen may only encounter a few negative effects such as gastrointestinal upset, liver or kidney problems
There’s little info about the unwanted side effects of therapeutic acetaminophen use of dogs since it’s not really a preferred type of pain control.
Acetaminophen Toxicity Dogs
This medication is poisonous to dogs at doses of about 100-150mg every kilogram (45-68mg every pound).
However, some dogs tend to be more sensitive and can encounter poisonous effects at lower doses.
Regular ingestion of acetaminophen might make dogs much more vulnerable to toxicity.
Acetaminophen toxicity causes harm on the liver. It might harm the kidneys also. This damage creates numerous serious complications within the body and may result in death.
Signs of acetaminophen toxicity usually appear around one to 4 hours after ingestion and will progressively get worse if not treated. Nausea
- Sluggishness
- Nausea
- Excessive Salivation
- Rapid Breathing
- Vomiting
Pet Poison Hotline: 855-764-7661
CALL IMMEDIATELY to receive life saving advice and treatment for your dog
NSAIDS (Ibuprofen/Motrin/Advil/Aleve) Use in Dogs?
What are NSAIDs?
NSAIDs (pronounced with the letter n then said) is an over the counter favorite and highly effective and available medication for humans to treat both swelling and pain and joint stiffness
What Medications are NSAIDS?
NSAIDs Prescribed for Dogs
- Metacam (meloxicam)
- Deramaxx (deracoxib)
- Rimadyl (carprofen)
- Previcox (firocoxib)
NSAIDs NOT Safe for Dogs
- Ibuprofen
- Aleve
- Motrin
- Advil
- Midol
- Upjohn
- Menadol
NSAID TOXICITY?
For dogs, NSAIDS could easily exceed poisonous levels. Ibuprofen has a narrow margin of safety of dogs.
Symptoms of toxicosis is able to happen when even half of a 200 mg pill is given to a twenty five pound dog.Toxicity in dogs commonly happens from trying to treat your dogs pain with over the counter medication.
Most dog owners do not realize how harmful this medication is for dogs. This medication can cause deadly effects to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver or even kidneys.
Pet Poison Hotline: 855-764-7661
CALL IMMEDIATELY if you believe your dog has ingested NSAIDS
Natural Remedies for Pain in Dogs
CBD Oil and Hemp Seed Oil
Recently, supplements, cannabis-derived treats, along with oils have grown to be increasingly more well known for dogs.
CBD comes from the stalks, leaves, and the flowers of the hemp plant and also has high amounts of cannabinoids, the primary substance present in cannabis.
Hemp seed oil, on the other hand, is obtained from the seeds of the hemp plant and has low amounts of CBD.
Both these products might have the ability to help your dog feel much more relaxed. And do not worry – both CBD as well as hemp seed oil products do not contain THC (the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana)
To date, there’s not extensive research obtained regarding CBD or hemp seed oil products, but the medicinal benefits are found to be very effective causing these products to become legal in many states.
Most dog owners have great experiences using CBD products, therefore it might be a good choice for your dog if they are experiencing pain.
Alternative Treatments
There’s an alternative side to natural pain relief for dogs which does not involve supplementation or medicine.
Different therapies available may enhance your dog’s quality of life and enable them to feel much less pain.
Alternatives Include:
- Acupuncture. The strategic placement of acupuncture needles is believed to give off natural anti inflammatories within the body and also improve blood flow.
- Massage treatment. Massage is not simply for humans. Dogs could gain from massage therapy, causing calm muscles, better blood circulation, minimizing levels of stress.
- Aromatherapy. It is feasible that essential oils along with other scent resources are able to help inspire healing and alleviate stress.
- Heat or Ice treatment. Adding an ice pack or maybe a warm gel pack to the dog’s aching joints for dog leg pain. It may just help ease any discomfort. Ask the vet of yours whether a cold or hot pack would be ideal for the dog’s situation.
If you are keen on having the dog of yours try alternative therapies such as these, ensure to talk to the veterinarian of yours or maybe an alternative veterinarian near you.
Alternate procedures must be performed by an authorized professional, such as a veterinary acupuncturist or maybe veterinary massage therapist.
Do not overlook the basics
Good dog parenting includes paying attention to all the signs in your dog and jumping on treatment right away, as well as a healthy diet and lifestyle.
This includes providing your dog with a high quality diet that is appropriate for their age, and ensuring they get frequent exercise to stay fit.
All things considered, a pet with excessive weight puts more pressure on the joints which can lead to pain and inflammation.
My Dog is in Pain | In Conclusion
As canine owners, we cannot stand to see our loved ones in pain, & they do not need to be.
No matter whether it is by medication given by a veterinarian, natural remedies at home, or maybe a mix of the two. It is important for your dog to have a high quality life.
Do not give your dog any pain killers created for humans
Give pain medications in the correct dosage prescribed by your dogs vet. Consider giving your dog natural supplements or maybe trying out the natural therapies.
Make sure to initially consult with your dogs veterinarian.
With your vet’s approval, you are able to began treating your dog with your plan of choice.
Remember to do your part to avoid soreness in the very first place if it is something that can be prevented
Give your pet that high quality dog food they deserve and exercise them every day.
For much more excellent tips on your dog’s overall health as well as health needs, check out all of our Health Articles at PrideforPaws
