Mary Allen
What pain relievers are there for dogs? When should I use them and what should I watch out for? Are there any alternatives? You can find that and much more in this article!
Painkillers should only be given if you have informed yourself about them beforehand.
When are painkillers useful?
After a torn claw, a sprain, or a sore muscle, it is quite possible that your protégé will suffer pain.
It is important to note that painkillers for humans are not necessarily suitable for your protégé. They are either too high a dose for him or poisonous. If you don’t pay attention to this, you can even kill your faithful friend with it!
However, there are exceptions: some painkillers are approved for humans and dogs, but you should be very careful with them!
Ideally, try not to let it get so far that your furry friend has to suffer pain. As soon as you spot something unusual about him, it can often be the first symptom of illness or pain.
Most four-legged friends hide their pain because, in the wild, sick animals are always eaten first. This is how they try to appear in the best of health.
What hints your protégé still makes depends on his personality.
Aggressiveness, restlessness, apathy, or listlessness can be signs. Only those who know their four-legged friend well will discover discrepancies immediately.
In the case of minor injuries, it is not a problem to give your darling a painkiller. However, the choice should always fall on an easily tolerated active ingredient.
Therefore, before administering medication, you should always consult your veterinarian.
Dosage important
The correct dosage must be strictly adhered to. It should be dosed according to the weight of your four-legged friend as prescribed. If you don’t do this, you run the risk of damaging your organs.
In addition to the type of medication and pain, and the correct dosage, there is another component to consider: the period of time. Even light painkillers can cause severe side effects over a longer period of time.
For this reason, these drugs should not be administered in an inflationary manner, but always with open eyes.
If your darling remains pain-free for a long time only with painkillers, it is essential to find the cause of the pain.
In this case, examine your hairy companion for ailments yourself. Find out what parts or areas of his body he has pain in. Then inform your vet and ask what to do next.
Side effects of painkillers?
Pharmaceutical Painkillers
Whether for humans or animals – medicines also have side effects. Painkillers are no exception.
For this reason, none of the pain medications mentioned in this article should be administered without your vet’s blessing!
Specific side effects of pain-relieving medication may include the following:
- Vomit;
- Diarrhea;
- Gastrointestinal bleeding;
- Liver and kidney damage;
- Death.
For this reason, you should be very careful with medicines.
Herbal Painkillers
In addition to the chemical painkillers, there are also herbal variants.
However, you should be careful with these as well. There are also plants that are very poisonous to your four-legged friend.
Many herbal remedies contain, for example, nettle, rose hips, and extracts from anica, calendula, fenugreek, or comfrey. Peppermint oil and St. John’s wort oil are also commonly used.
These oils are normally easily tolerated. Please note that the essential oils of some plants can still have an irritating effect.
You can determine which of these natural remedies is best for your darling with your veterinarian or naturopath.
Which painkiller is suitable for what?
There are different medications for different pain areas. The production and effect is also different in each case. Here you will find the most important and most common painkillers:
TRAUMEEL
The active ingredients of Traumeel come from a mixture of composite plants. So it is a homeopathic pain reliever.
This non-prescription medication is used for pain from sprains and bruises. It is available in tablet, ointment, or drop form and is also used to treat arthritis symptoms.
You can get Traumeel easily in the pharmacy since it comes from human medicine. Nevertheless, a consultation with the veterinarian is also worthwhile with this remedy.
ARNICA D6 GLOBULI
This product is of plant origin and contains active ingredients from the Arnica rhizome.
It is mainly used to relieve pain after surgery. But it can also work wonders for mental illnesses.
BUSCOPAN
Buscopan contains the active substance butylscopolaminium bromide. It is used for abdominal pain and cramps.
This drug does not require a prescription and is therefore freely available everywhere. However, if you don’t know beforehand what’s causing the loyal companion’s pain, you shouldn’t give it to them.
Although veterinarians like to prescribe Buscopan for abdominal pain and cramps, only a specialist knows how to deal with it. The reason is that this type of pain can be a symptom of a harmless upset stomach.
But they can also indicate serious poisoning. Especially with such pain, you should not shy away from going to a trusted veterinarian.
NOVALGIN
The pain reliever Novalgin has the active ingredient metamizole.
This is suitable for colic and urinary tract diseases. In addition to the pain-relieving effect, it is antispasmodic and reduces fever.
It requires a prescription and is therefore not freely available. The reason for this is the relatively strong effect. Therefore, Novalgin may only be administered by a veterinarian.
Basically, you should not leave your darling unattended after administering this painkiller. Although it is generally well tolerated, side effects can always occur.
METACAM, MELOXICAM, ROBENACOXIB AND CARPOFRENE
While these drugs are non-steroidal pain relievers, they require a prescription.
These are used for arthritis and inflammatory pain.
Here you have to be extremely meticulous about the dosage. For this reason, a veterinarian should be consulted for the administration of these painkillers.
Painkillers from these groups of active ingredients are often prescribed, but they can be very harmful to the stomach if used incorrectly.
You should not administer these painkillers on your own initiative!
In addition to the pain relievers mentioned above, there are also medications that you should never give without your vet’s express permission. These include, among others:
- Ibuprofen;
- Paracetamol;
- Diclofenac;
- Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin).
Although these active ingredients can do real good for us humans, even small doses can be toxic for your dog!
The salicylate in aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding in your dog. This also applies to diclofenac, although this active ingredient, like ibuprofen, puts a strain on the stomach and kidneys. Also, like acetaminophen, it hits your dog’s liver.
Half an Ibuprofen 400 tablet can be very toxic for a dog weighing around 20 kg. This also applies to the other medicines. The result is severe organ damage and even fatal poisoning.
Ibuprofen poisoning becomes visible through apathy, vomiting, increased urge to urinate, and unsteady movements. Bleeding and increased thirst are also symptoms.
Paracetamol poisoning is indicated by yellowish skin and mucous membrane discoloration. These are very clear symptoms of liver damage.
What to do if my dog has taken toxic medication?
It can happen that your fur nose accidentally takes toxic medication.
But what should you do in such a case?
As soon as you are aware that your fur nose has eaten medicine or the symptoms mentioned above appear, red alert applies! From then on, you should contact your veterinarian immediately and make your way to him.
Timely detoxification can be achieved through targeted vomiting or medicinal charcoal and Glauber’s salts. Your protégé urgently needs infusions to compensate for the loss of nutrients and fluids.
IMPORTANT: Be sure to lock away everything that is poisonous to the dog!
In order not to give your darling this additional pain and illness in the first place, you have to know what is harmful to him. But that alone is not enough. Play it safe and lock away all medicines out of reach.
Puppies in particular can look in a drawer when hunting for a small snack. Furthermore, you should never leave medicine boxes lying around.
This applies not only to pharmaceuticals but also to herbal or homeopathic remedies.
Acupuncture for pain
Some veterinarians or naturopaths swear by acupuncture for chronic pain.
The method comes from Chinese medicine. Like humans, fine needles are attached to the so-called meridians on your loved one’s body.
Pain management typically lasts about four weeks, with two visits per week. A session lasts about 30 minutes.
The duration of the therapy and the number of visits may vary depending on the condition of your protégé. As long as acupuncture is performed correctly, it is usually painless.
If you are considering acupuncture, make sure that the practicing veterinarian or naturopath can provide a reputable certificate.
FAQs: What Can I Give My Dog for Pain?
What can you give a dog for pain relief?
- Novalgin contains the active substance metamizole sodium, which has an analgesic and antipyretic effect.
- Onsior contains the active ingredient robenacoxib, which has both an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
- Metacam contains the active ingredient meloxicam.
What home remedies can I give my dog for pain?
Apple cider vinegar in particular has an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and detoxifying effect. Apple cider vinegar shows its analgesic and itching-relieving effect, especially in small wounds. It also helps with insect bites or minor burns. Mind you, always as support for veterinary treatment.
Can I give my dog paracetamol?
“Paracetamol is highly toxic for dogs and especially for cats, even in small doses,” warns Dr. Tina Hölscher, a veterinarian from Aktion tier e.V. Animal owners urgently. What helps people can have a completely different effect on animals.
How does ibuprofen work in dogs?
Ibuprofen, for example, triggers gastrointestinal bleeding in our four-legged friends and damages the kidneys. Typical symptoms of ibuprofen poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloody feces, increased thirst and urination through to neurological disorders, and seizures.
How much ibuprofen for dogs?
The first signs of poisoning appear with small amounts of 8 mg ibuprofen per kilogram of body weight. A dose of around 25 mg or more of the painkiller is considered fatal for dogs. This means that even a single tablet can be dangerous for the dog.
Is Ibuprofen Harmful to Dogs?
Your dog’s organism is not designed to process painkillers such as ibuprofen. Dogs who have taken ibuprofen often suffer from internal bleeding and kidney failure.
Can you buy painkillers for dogs in the pharmacy?
Some painkillers are also available from your pharmacy without a prescription. Over-the-counter pain relievers for dogs are mostly herbal or homeopathic medicines such as Arnica, coconut oil and Traumeel.
Can I give my dog pain medication?
Yes, if you know the cause of your dog’s pain and have the right pain medication available. However, if you are unsure, you should consult your veterinarian.
What painkillers can I give my dog?
Over-the-counter pain relievers for your dog include Traumeel, Arnica D6 Globules, and Buscopan. Prescription pain relievers are Novalgin or Metacam. You should always administer these in consultation with your veterinarian.
Can I give my dog human painkillers?
You should never give your dog human painkillers. They are either toxic to dogs or overdosed. In both cases, the side effects can be fatal.
How do I know if my dog is in pain?
Dogs often hide the fact that they are in pain out of instinct. Watch for unusual behavior. Small deviations from the normal state could already be an indication of pain.
When should I give my dog painkillers?
Only give your dog painkillers for minor bruises, small cuts, or other minor causes. Contact your veterinarian if your dog is seriously ill, injured, or the cause of the pain is unclear.