The short answer is no. While your vet may prescribe aspirin to help your dog when they're in pain, you should not give them the same medication you have in your cabinet. Medicines like ibuprofen and naproxen can be toxic to dogs, even in small doses.
The Merck Veterinary Manual recommends administering a dosage of 10-40mg/kg, however, this dose can vary depending on your dog's condition. You should always talk to your veterinarian before starting your dog on a drug like aspirin, as overdoses of aspirin can be fatal.
Never give your dog aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen or any other anti-inflammatory medications meant for humans without first consulting your veterinarian.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, help reduce swelling, stiffness, and joint pain in humans, and they can do the same for your dog. They can bring relief to a dog with arthritis or one who's just had surgery. But don't give your pooch something from your medicine cabinet.
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.
While it may be tempting to give your pooch some paracetamol to save on vet fees, the truth is, it's potentially dangerous and could end up costing you more in the long run.
The short answer is no. While your vet may prescribe aspirin to help your dog when they're in pain, you should not give them the same medication you have in your cabinet. Medicines like ibuprofen and naproxen can be toxic to dogs, even in small doses.
The most common side effect of aspirin/salicylate exposure is gastrointestinal irritation and ulceration (bleeding into the stomach/intestines). Additional signs related to the gastrointestinal tract such as a decreased appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting (possibly with blood), diarrhea, and dark tarry stools can occur.
Aspirin is the most common drug used after people have a heart attack, stroke, or bypass surgery, but until now doctors have not had clear evidence whether it's best to give patients a low dose—the 81-mg “baby aspirin”—or a regular 325-mg dose.
How is aspirin given? Aspirin is given by mouth in the form of a tablet, preferably an enteric-coated tablet. Give with food. This medication should take effect within 1 to 2 hours; however, effects may not be visibly obvious and therefore laboratory tests may need to be done to evaluate if this medication is working.
Recovery of Aspirin Poisoning in Dogs
With normal use, aspirin is eliminated from the body in approximately seven hours. With an acute toxicity, a hospital stay of two to several days may be required to monitor your pet's recovery.
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.
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.
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.
The listed dose in most vet formularies is 10mg/kg twice to three times daily," Nick explains. "For a 10kg French Bulldog, for example, this would be 330mg three times daily at the top end of the dose range, down to 100mg two or three times a day."
Voltaren: Helps Keep You Comfortable, but Toxic for Pets.
Glucosamine (For Arthritis Relief)
A good choice for over-the-counter arthritis medicine for dogs is glucosamine (and glucosamine in combination with chondroitin sulfate). Glucosamine, which supports joint health and reduces inflammation, is a long-term treatment option for joint pain associated with arthritis.
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.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to control pain and inflammation in dogs. NSAIDs help many dogs lead more comfortable lives, but these drugs should be used carefully because they all can cause side effects, some of which can be serious.
We most commonly use Rimadyl (carprofen) or miloxicam (Metacam) as our first choice and try something different if side effects or problems occur. The most common side effects are nausea and diarrhea. Most dogs will tolerate at least one drug in this class of medications without these problems.