Codeine is generally safe to administer to dogs; however, there are several things to consider before giving your dog codeine. Codeine can cause serious health problems in dogs. Most of these issues stem from overdosing, complications due to chronic diseases, and interactions with other drugs.
When your dog is unwell or has a painful injury, you may be tempted to give them human painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin, codeine or ibuprofen. However, it is imperative dog owners do not try to administer pain relief to their pet without first consulting a vet.
Dosing Information of Codeine for Dogs and Cats
In dogs, codeine is dosed at 0.55 mg to 1.1 mg per pound (1.1 to 2.2 mg/kg) orally every 6 to 8 hours to alleviate irritating cough. For pain relief, codeine is dosed at 0.25 to 1 mg per pound (0.5 to 2 mg/kg) orally every 6 to 8 hours.
The most common side effects are sleepiness and constipation. Other possible side effects include lack of appetite or vomiting. Serious side effects include collapse, severely decreased breathing rate, or decreased muscle movement.
Codeine is generally safe to administer to dogs; however, there are several things to consider before giving your dog codeine. Codeine can cause serious health problems in dogs. Most of these issues stem from overdosing, complications due to chronic diseases, and interactions with other drugs.
Codeine is a prescription medication used to treat mild to moderate pain, it is also used as a cough-suppressant and to treat diarrhoea. Why has my pet been prescribed codeine? Your pet has been prescribed codeine as a treatment for chronic pain or for coughing.
Paracetamol is a very popular painkiller in humans, however it can be toxic or fatal in small animals. Dogs are less sensitive to paracetamol than cats. A 20kg dog would need to ingest over seven 500mg tablets in order to suffer toxic effects.
The correct dosage of Tylenol is around 10 mg per kg of body weight every 12 hours. Some sources claim that you can give your dog up to 30 mg per kg for a short period. Recommended dosages are different for every dog, so you're best off checking with your veterinarian before giving your dog Tylenol.
Tramadol is a medication veterinarians commonly dispense to manage pain in dogs. Physicians also frequently prescribe tramadol for human aches and pains, and it is one of the few human painkillers that is safe to give to dogs under the guidance of a veterinarian.
Should your vet prescribe paracetamol for your dog, it's likely that it will be a dosage of 10mg per kilogram, and should only be given once a day for one or two days.
FDA-approved nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs offer pain relief for many dogs with osteoarthritis. These drugs also help veterinarians effectively manage pain after surgery in both dogs and cats.
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.
Paracetamol can be given to dogs, however it requires a different dose. It can be toxic to your dog if you give them too much. This must always be approved by a vet. "Many vets do prescribe paracetamol for dogs, as it can be an effective pain relief in some circumstances.
Signs of toxicity (particularly gastrointestinal symptoms) can be seen 2-6 hours after ingestion. However, serious complications may not be seen for 4-5 days post-ingestion. Toxic consumption: Ibuprofen: Signs of toxicity may be seen at doses of 50 mg/kg (22 mg/lb) in dogs and 25 mg/kg (11 mg/lb) in cats.
Two opioids are approved and marketed for use in animals, butorphanol and buprenorphine. Another, droperidol fentanyl citrate, is approved but is not currently marketed. Thiafentanil oxalate is a marketed veterinary opioid listed in FDA's Index of Legally-Marketed Unapproved New Animal Drugs for Minor Species.
Pain Relief for Dogs
The best of a bad lot is paracetamol, sold as Panadol, Calpol or Tylenol (called acetaminophen in the US). It is sometimes used by vets at a dose of 10 mg/kg twice daily.
What NSAIDs are safe for dogs? NSAID options that are approved for use in dogs include carprofen (e.g. Rimadyl), deracoxib (e.g. Deramaxx), etodolac (e.g. Etogesic), firocoxib (e.g. Previcox), meloxicam (e.g. Metacam), robenacoxib (e.g. Onsior), and mavacoxib (e.g. Trocoxil).
of codeine to dogs gave the following results: The biologic half-life of free codeine is about two and one-half hours, and that of conjugated codeine about four hours.
Yes, Benadryl is an anti-inflammatory for dogs. It can be used to treat a number of conditions, including allergies, anxiety, and motion sickness.
For dogs, ibuprofen can easily exceed toxic levels. Ibuprofen has a narrow margin of safety in dogs. Signs of toxicosis can occur when as little as half a 200 mg pill is given to a 25 pound dog. The most common cause of ibuprofen toxicity is a well-meaning owner trying to alleviate pain in his dog.
A mild case of paracetamol poisoning can give your dog an upset stomach, and they may appear to be tired. Other symptoms can include laboured breathing, swelling on the face, neck or limbs, gums turning brownish-grey and jaundice. More serious cases can include signs of staggering, vomiting and restlessness.