Pain Reliever?

[LMITOUT]

I recently saw on a TV show where they had a first aid kid for dogs and one of the items in it was aspirin. Has anyone given their dog aspirin? I'm leary of it causing some other side effect or maybe even worse if the dog is allergic to it. Seizures can be caused by some strange things, and who knows if an aspirin would stir that up in a dog, but I'd hate to find out.

The reason I ask is that my GSP is wore out after the past four days of hunting and thought it may help. She's sore and is pretty tender on the fronts of her legs as well as her flanks from running through the rough grasses all weekend. She did a great job though. I didn't think I'd ever out hunt a GSP, but we put some time in the fields this weekend! (believe me, I took my share of Alieve too!)

[Johnny_Namakan]

I gave my dog an Asprin last night. We had just returned on Sunday from a 3 day pheasant hunt in SW Minnesota. She must have easily put on 20 miles over those 3 days. She didn't get a break and never tired out. On Saturday when it was over 70 Degrees she did get to the point where she pretty much was just walking the easiest path to the end of the field. But all the dogs had gotten to that point. We went through several gallons of water for the dogs. Anyway, Asprin is OK for a dog. Myself and my buddy from Wisconsin both carry Asprin with us on hunting trips for the dogs. It's been 4 days since our trip and my dog is still exhausted. She barely wakes up to say hi when I get home from work. last night I gave her an asprin and she went back upstairs to bed. 30 minutes later she came down and brought me her toy to play with. then she wanted to wrestle a little bit. then she even went into the kitchen and ate her food. So I'm a firm believer in it. Just don't give them anymore than 1 325 mg pill per day. Whatever you do DON'T give them Ibuprofen. that is bad for the dog. Asprin only!

[Curly]

One of my labs had to have a toe amputated a year ago this past August, she still limps on it a little, more so after a day in the field. I give her aspirin and it definatley takes the edge off for her, she will go from limping on it to not limping on it. I only give it to her on the days we hunt or maybe a day or two after. I'll give her one in the morning and one at the end of the day.

[Kallista]

Dogs are most commonly given aspirin for treatment of arthritis and associated joint pain. There may be other situations where your dog is in pain, where aspirin may give relief.

Aspirin has good anti-inflammatory effects that reduces swelling. It can also reduce pain and fever. These effects will help make your dog more comfortable.

Note that a dog is not a human. Just because your dog "does not feel good" is not a reason to give it an aspirin. Usually, aspirin is given to relieve extreme conditions of discomfort. Also note that most vets prescribe Rimadyl as a better pain-killer and anti-inflammatory than aspirin.

Use caution

You should use caution In administering any medication to a pet, because too much may be toxic, the medicine may not be tolerated, or it can cause an upset stomach or ulcers in the animal.

Can be toxic

It can be toxic if given in high doses of about 30 mg per pound of the dog. This means that even baby aspirin could be poisonous for dogs weighing two pounds or less. An adult aspirin which is 320 mg. would be toxic for a 10-pound dog. To be sure that you are using the aspirin for the right reason and at the right dose, you should consult your veterinarian first.

Not for young dogs or cats

Aspirin is poorly tolerated by young dogs, since they lack the enzymes necessary to process the aspirin. The same is true for most cats.

Upset stomach

Aspirin can cause gastrointestinal upsets and ulcers in dogs, just as in humans. You should pay attention to your dog's eating habits when administering aspirin to watch for signs of an upset stomach. If there are any signs of ulcers, such as blood-tinged vomiting, it is important to stop the aspirin.

Giving the aspirin with food and using buffered aspirin is the best to prevent stomach problems.

I prefer to grind up the aspirin and put it in some food to make sure it does not irritate the stomach lining.

No Tylenol

You should not give your dog such products as Tylenol as a substitute for real aspirin. Some people say their vet prescribed Tylenol, but most sources say it should not be given to animals.

Recommended dosage

Most veterinarians recommend between 5 mg and 10 mg per pound of the dog's weight every 12 hours. Going on the safe side, a recommended dosage of aspirin of about 5 mg/lb seems to work well for most dogs. If you are going to give more, it is a good idea to check with your vet. Also, note that a small dog should take less per pound.

Enteric coated aspirin is not recommended in dogs because about half the time the coating isn't digested and the aspirin is excreted whole in the stool.

Start small

It is better to start off small and work your way up to the maximum. If the dog has relief with a smaller dosage, that is great.

A standard aspirin is 320 mg. A baby aspirin is typically 80 mg. That means that 5 mg/lb works out to be one baby aspirin per 16 pounds of body weight twice a day.

Chart

The following chart can be used as a guide. Note that this is not medical advice.

Weight of dog in pounds Number of tablets each 12 hours mg

8 1/2 baby aspirin or less 40 mg

16 1 baby aspirin 80 mg

32 1/2 adult or 2 baby 160 mg

48 3/4 adult or 3 baby 240 mg

64 1 adult or 4 baby 320 mg

80 1 1/4 adult or 5 baby 400 mg

96 1 1/2 adult or 6 baby 480 mg

In conclusion

The proper dosage of aspiring can give your dog relief from pain and inflammation. You should be aware of possible problems and know the proper dosage. It is good to check with a vet before giving any medication, and remember that dogs are not humans and don't need an aspirin for minor pains.

But what works for one dog may not work for another, many dogs are allergic to it and will get very sick

Hope this helps

[LMITOUT]

Thanks for everyone's advice. I'll think about it and maybe call the vet tomorrow to see what they say.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Dude, I give my GSP asprin on a fairly regular basis. No, I'm not a vet, no I'm not an expert, yes I've been doing this for many years with many dogs.

Most of the guys I hunt with give their hunting dogs either asprin or Alive.

[Kallista]

I thought my post was very good!!! and informative

[BLACKJACK]

I've been giving my 11 year old lab Rimadal (sp?). Shes got a bad shoulder and a bad rear leg joint and the rimadal seems to help, she gimped around all summer but now when I started giving it to her on a regular basis she doesn't limp as much. You have to get it from a vet, it costs me about a $1 a pill, but I figure its a small expense compared to all my other hunting expenses, and its made for dogs. Nice thing is that you don't have to give it all the time, just give it twice a day when you're hunting hard.

[BLACKJACK]

kallista, it looks like this was copied from another HSOforum, what was the source? As in how reliable is it? I hate to switch from Rimadal (see my other post) to aspirn and then find other side affects.

[311Hemi]

I think NSAIDS for dogs such as Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Metacam are probably the better choice for dogs. You may ask your vet if they can prescribe you Rimadyl for occasional use while hunting. I know I was able to get it for my dog because of soreness.

Buffered Aspirin is probably the better choice of the OTC drugs.

Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is actually tolerated in dogs per the following book:

Quote:

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From 5-Minute Consult Drug Formulary by Mark Papich:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol and many generic brands)

Well tolerated in dogs at dosages listed. High dosages have caused liver toxicity.

Dog: 15 mg/kg q8h PO

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You may also try to manage pain/inflammation with a supplement call Boswellia Serrata, which has not shown any adverse affects in dogs. The Dr. I get my supplements from has mentioned that many of his customers have had good results with this supplement. Probably worth a shot before resorting to NSAIDS.

[ccarlson]

I've had this discussion with my vet for use with my old setter who has a steel plate in his hip.

Aspirin is great for general pain and inflamation. The post by kallista was very good.

But, rimadyl is the next step and much more effective when needed for more serious cases.

One important step overlooked though is that you must discontinue the use of aspirin at least 6 days prior to using rimadyl.

ccarlson

[Kallista]

Quote:

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kallista, it looks like this was copied from another

HSOforum

, what was the source? As in how reliable is it? I hate to switch from Rimadal (see my other post) to aspirn and then find other side affects.

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BlackJack..

I have so many notes that i have collected over the last 25 years of dog care, from vet schools, books and vets, i have made my own data base, with key words that i can have them at hand when i need them..

But of course your vet is the best person to ask for anything medical with your dog... And if one pill works for your dog i wouldn't change it at all.. Everyone has their own ideas, what works and even vets wont agree always on the same drug. Just like Tylenol, many will say it's bad like me and others here say it wont hurt your dog.. Don't forget pills made for your dog is better for them then pills made for humans..