Can You Use Ibuprofen For Dogs?
Is Ibuprofen For Dogs Safe?
The short answer to whether Ibuprofen for dogs is safe, is no. Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol are not safe for dogs and should be excluded from any dog pain relief measures you take. This post is brief as the message is clear. Although a lot of pet owners remark that they give their pets these drugs for arthritis and general pain relief the fact is they are dangerous.
I have seen for myself how deadly just two Advil were on a Bull Terrier owned by a neighbor. The dog died within 48 hours of being given them for – ironically – pain relief for his injure paw. If you have a need for brief pain control for your dog then remember there are basically three types of aspirin that can be employed.
Coated, buffered and regular…
Coated or enteric aspirin is not absorbed very well by the dog’s shorter digestive tract. Give your dogs regular aspirin, not enteric coated aspirin. Buffered aspirin is gentler on the digestive tract of canines and therefore the preferred option. Regular aspirin is fine occasionally as well as baby aspirin (around one quarter the dose of regular).
To understand the right aspirin dosage for dogs, follow the prior link in this sentence to the article on this site. It is very important of course to consult your vet regarding a professional diagnosis prior to administering any drugs to your dog. Aspirin is recommended rather than ibuprofen for dogs as it is just plain safer! That being said, aspirin is still a drug and the dosage per pound of body weight needs to be observed.
Avoid Ibuprofen For Dogs
So the bottom line is this. Just because it is cheap, convenient and readily available (OTC) and millions of humans consume it on a daily basis, does not mean Ibuprofen should be given to your dog. The statistics on how many animals, dogs included, that become ill from being given inappropriate drugs designed for human physiology, is scary.
I know it is expensive but I am sure you care enough about your dog to confirm the right pain medication is safe and appropriate.The very suggestion of using Ibuprofen for dogs pain relief has come about based on pet owners not wanting to consult a vet prior to treating their dogs.
