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Because we have all been there ourselves, no pet owner wants their dog to be in physical pain. Not being able to communicate verbally, as we can with each other, only compounds our stress thinking our pet might be in pain.
Signs of Pain in Dogs
The first consideration for an owner is to be aware of what behavioural signs dogs typically demonstrate in response to pain. There are a variety of common clues:
- Vocalization (crying or whimpering)
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Pacing
- Acute lameness
- Increased breathing or panting
- Increased heart rate
- Poor or no appetite
- Depression
- Unwillingness to move or vocalization when they are moved
In some cases, such as chronic, advancing arthritis, there can be a radical temperament change – a normally loving, docile dog can become quite aggressive.
When reviewing these signs, though, it is also important to remember that just because a dog demonstrates one or two of them does not necessarily mean pain is present. Additionally, our pets are far more patient than we are and some of these signs can be pretty subtle. There is also, like in us humans, a significant difference in pain threshold from one individual to another. However, when assessing the overall situation, most cases of pain become quite apparent. For example, dogs whimper for many reasons. Yet, a softly whimpering dog, who won’t move or eat and yelps when his head is lifted, is clearly in acute pain.
With few exceptions, when an owner is clearly confident that their dog is in pain, consulting with their veterinarian would be the first, prudent thing to do. However, this might not always be immediately possible or practical and if it isn’t, what options are available to an owner until they can contact or visit their veterinarian?
Are Human Pain Medications Safe for Dogs?
Human nature being what it is, if we see our dog in pain, we would instinctively reach for a painkiller that we would use for ourselves or any other member of our family. However good-intentioned this might be, this is a very bad idea. Drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen (Aleve) can be very helpful for humans with few or no side effects. All of these drugs, though, can cause serious, life-threatening issues with dogs – far more serious than the pain they were hopefully going to treat.
Symptoms of Poisoning in Dogs
The expected clinical response to using human pain drugs in a dog would be vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and internal damage to the liver and kidneys. If treated early enough after clinical signs appear with aggressive veterinary care, most dogs with gastrointestinal ulceration and organ failure can survive. However, not all dogs will survive depending on how much drug an individual dog received. Hence, the solution is clearly to never administer these drugs under any circumstances.
What to Do If Your Dog Accidentally Takes Ibuprofen
Regardless of whether or not your dog ingested a human NSAID (e.g. ibuprofen, acetaminophen, celecoxib or naproxen) by a well-intentioned member of your family or by accident, it constitutes a medical emergency. If you are close to a veterinary emergency hospital, that would be your best choice, if it is after hours, otherwise, go straight to your regular veterinarian. In remote areas, one can call the Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680) which can advise you on an interim step depending on how much of which drug your dog ingested.
NSAIDS and Dogs
Ibuprofen and naproxen are members of a drug class called Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). Although Tylenol is not strictly an NSAID, it is thought to work in a similar pharmacological way to NSAIDs when it comes to dealing with pain. NSAIDs control pain and inflammation by inhibiting an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, which in turn inhibits the production of a hormone called prostaglandin. However, this enzyme also inhibits beneficial prostaglandins that are responsible for protecting the kidneys and gastrointestinal lining. Hence, it is a balancing act between inhibiting prostaglandins that lead to pain and inflammation vs. inhibiting beneficial, protective prostaglandins.
So, what is an owner to do with the risks being so high in using a human NSAID product that sits on the bathroom shelf?
Medications Usually Prescribed by Vets for Pain
One option is to use a veterinary-specific NSAID that has been developed to inhibit primarily the prostaglandins that lead to pain and inflammation in dogs. If your veterinarian had dispensed such a product for a previous problem and there was some leftover (and it wasn’t stale-dated) an owner could administer the same product.
If that isn’t possible, another option is to administer human aspirin with food at a dose between 10-40 mg/kg/day. Aspirin is a first-generation NSAID and is relatively safe in the recommended dose range. Enterically coated aspirin is not a good idea and a buffered aspirin would be the best choice (Bufferin that only contains aspirin and not Tylenol). However, even aspirin can interact with other drugs, such as prednisone and digoxin, as well as some homeopathic products like willow bark. If you give your dog any other medicines or supplements, aspirin may well not be a good idea either. It’s recommended you consult with your veterinarian before treating the underlying problem until the problem is correctly identified and the dosing is correct.
What You Can Do to Help Your Dog with Pain
If an owner is confident that their dog’s discomfort is the result of a joint or muscle sprain in one of its four limbs, then they could also consider cold compressing, gentle massage, and rest as an initial treatment option. If the pain appears to be more generalized or involves the neck or lower spine, then this approach would be neither practical nor appropriate.
Summary of Pain in Dogs
To summarize, a pet owner should never give their dog a human product to treat pain. If they know or strongly suspect that their dog accidentally ingested ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen, then that scenario would constitute a medical emergency and they need to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. If your dog is in pain, taking them to your veterinarian as soon as possible is the best solution. If that is not possible or practical, then for a temporary time period (1-2 days) administering ASA (aspirin, preferably buffered) with food should afford some temporary relief for the pain until you can get them in to see your veterinarian. Veterinarians consider pain prevention and control a very high priority. Dogs are tougher than we are and they aren’t always the best communicators, so if you suspect your dog might be in pain, it is always best to have them checked out as soon as possible.
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