What painkiller can i give a dog

Acupuncture originated in China, but Western medical research has now discovered exactly how it works, leading to it becoming widely accepted by most vets.

It also improves blood flow, leading to increased healing. Veterinary acupuncture can legally only be performed by a vet.

Hydrotherapy is not commonly thought of as a pain relief modality, but sessions improve fitness and mobility, without aggravating joints. Hydrotherapy sessions include shower massages and therapeutic warm water, which provides pain relief for dogs too. Hydrotherapy is usually performed by a canine hydrotherapist or veterinary physiotherapist. Not all pain meds for dogs are suitable for your pup. Medications must be metabolized by the liver and excreted by the kidneys.

As a result, if your dog has underlying conditions which affect these organs, the use of medications could compound the problem. This is one of the main reasons it is important that you only give your dog medications that have been approved by your veterinarian. There are many medications that cannot be given to your dog at the same time. For example, NSAIDs and corticosteroids cannot be given to your dog concurrently, as they can lead to life-threatening gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding.

This is one of the main causes of ibuprofen toxicity in dogs. You might mean well, but you can do more harm than good. It will not cost you anything to phone the emergency vet on call to ask over the phone what you can give your dog.

She graduated with an honors degree in Veterinary Medicine from the prestigious Royal Veterinary College in London in To date, she has published ten books and hundreds of pet and veterinary articles, many of which can be viewed from her writing social media page.

She is also a regular contributor to Veterinary Practice Today. Her clinical interests include pain management, rehabilitation, and global disease management. Thanks for everything you do to support our mission, Dr. When a cell is damaged, an enzyme called cyclooxygenase COX is activated. An enzyme is a protein made by the body that speeds up a chemical reaction. The enzyme itself remains unchanged during the reaction.

Essential to all body functions, enzymes are very specific—each enzyme stimulates a specific reaction that causes a specific result. In the case of the enzyme COX, it stimulates cells to produce several substances, including prostaglandins, after the cells are damaged.

COX is present in most body tissues, including the digestive tract stomach and intestines and kidneys. Prostaglandins are present throughout the body and have several important functions.

These substances:. But because these drugs also interfere with the other positive functions of prostaglandins, they can cause side effects, some of which are serious. Other reported side effects in animals include stomach and intestinal ulcers, stomach and intestinal perforations holes in the wall of the stomach or intestines , kidney failure, liver failure, and death. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause side effects in the digestive tract both directly and indirectly.

Many NSAIDs become trapped in the stomach and are slightly acidic, so they directly irritate the stomach lining. The indirect effects are due to NSAIDs either preventing the body from making prostaglandins or blocking the protective activity of these substances. Remember, besides contributing to pain, inflammation, and fever, prostaglandins also protect the lining of the stomach and intestines.

Knowing that your dog is in pain is upsetting. It's understandable to want to do something—anything—to provide pain relief as soon as possible.

But stop yourself if you are tempted to reach for a human pain reliever to give to your dog. Over-the-counter OTC pain meds and other human medications can be very dangerous and even fatal for dogs.

Dogs should not be given ibuprofen Advil , acetaminophen Tylenol , aspirin or any other pain reliever made for human consumption except under the direction of a veterinarian. Common examples include aspirin, baby aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.

They all work by inhibiting an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, which produces hormone-like substances called prostaglandins that promote inflammation, fever and pain. But prostaglandins also play many other roles in the body, like maintaining adequate blood flow to the kidneys, producing a layer of mucus that protects the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract, and allowing blood to clot normally.

Dogs may die without appropriate treatment. There are other drugs that have similar beneficial effects but which are safe for your pet and licensed for use in animals. It is important to seek the advice of your Vet if you think your pet is in pain and to follow their instructions carefully.

Always keep all medications in a secure place, out of reach of your pet. Print This Page. Anaesthesia and Analgesia — Find Out More. To assist owners in understanding more about Anaesthesia and Analgesia, we have put together a range of information sheets to talk you through the some of the main areas of pain management at Willows.

General Anaesthesia Sedation Is my pet in pain? Monday to Friday 8am — 7pm. Monday to Friday 7. Site by ThinkCreative.