As a pet parent, one tends to act hastily if their dear dogs fall sick or experience pain. The protective mama bear mode is turned on immediately, and most of the parents provide their pet dogs medicines from their medicine cabinets as first aid. It is crucial to know that most medicines prescribed for humans are highly toxic to pets. One must contact their vet right away before feeding them those immediate reliefs specially designed for human needs. Here is all about how much ibuprofen can i give my dog
What is Ibuprofen?
Among the cure-all medicines of humans, one that is highly threatening to our pet dogs is ibuprofen. Ibuprofen, a common Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drug (often known as NSAID), is a popular over-the-counter medicine used to reduce swelling, stiffness, and joint pains. It can also help the pets, but the toxicity can put our dogs’ lives in great peril.
What Can I Give My Dog for Pain?
- Advil (Whitehall-Robins)
- Motrin (McNeil)
- Midol (Bayer)
- Haltran (Lee Pharmaceutical)
- Menadol (Rugby)
- PediCare (Pharmacia & Upjohn)
Is Ibuprofen Safe for Dogs?
Can dogs take ibuprofen? The answer is a strict No. Ibuprofens are considered toxic to our canines. Hence, one must never give Ibuprofens or any forms of ibuprofens designed for humans. The ingestion of human ibuprofens can cause some severe side effects, especially in their gastrointestinal tract. Some side effects of ibuprofen symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, loss of appetite, liver damage, and severe toxicity that may cause our poor dogs bloody vomits and black stools. Ibuprofens will affect the stomach lining of our dogs and can cause gastrointestinal ulcers.
Over-dose of this medicine will eventually cause kidney failure. The risk of feeding ibuprofens to dogs is that it may affect the central nervous system and cause depression and seizures. Dogs that already suffer from gastrointestinal problems are at more risk.
Breeds prone to GI problems will have serious side effects if they ingest ibuprofen. Some popular breeds are huskies, German shepherds, poodles, and some terriers. Also, dogs showing the symptom of sensitivity to foods are at risk of ibuprofen toxicity.
How Much Ibuprofen Can I Give My Dog?
Sometimes, very rarely, a vet may prescribe ibuprofen for dogs. If so, you would have carefully considered the how much is too much ibuprofen for your pet. The vets will alter the doses according to the weight and the body type of that specific dog. One must follow the prescription very carefully. If the pet is experiencing any pain, one must consult the veterinarian and get to know the type of pain and provide them with medicines according to it. Now let’s check out ibuprofen dosage for dogs of different breeds and its size.
Dog Ibuprofen Dosage Chart
| Size | Extra Small | Small | Medium | Large | X-Large | XX-Large |
| Breeds | Pomeranian, Chihuahua | Boston Terrier, Pug, Poodle | Beagle, Scottish Bulldog, | Boxer, Maturation, Cocker Spaniel | Retriever, German Shepherd | Great Dane, St. Bernard |
| Weight | 1 – 10 lbs. (0.45 – 4.6 kg) | 11 – 25 lbs. (5 – 11.4 kg) | 26 – 40 lbs. (11.8 – 18.2 kg) | 41 – 70 lbs. (18.6 – 31.8 kg) | 71 – 90 lbs. (32.3 – 40.9 kg) | 91 – 110 lbs. (41.4 – 50 kg) |
| Ibuprofen | Less than 22 mg | Less than 249 mg | Nor more than 589 mg | Less than 929 mg | Not more than 1614 mg | Less than 2069 mg |
Ibuprofen Toxicity
Ibuprofen has the potential to alter the toxic levels in the blood. Most of the time, ibuprofen toxicosis happens because of the pet parents trying to ease the pain in their dogs. Even a little of 250 mg can increase the toxic levels in dogs. The toxic substances directly affect the kidney or the liver. Even a minimal amount is considered life-threatening in canines.
Treatment for Ibuprofen Toxicity
Treatment for ibuprofen toxicosis entirely depends on the dog type and the amount of ibuprofen ingested. Sometimes the dog may require veterinary care, and chances of it being hospitalized are high. Most of the doctors provide intravenous fluids regularly for two to three days. Doctors induce vomiting to remove the ingested pain killers.
Sometimes activated charcoals are prescribed for the dogs who have ingested ibuprofen within two to three hours. These are provided for the dogs to absorb the toxins and prevent them from entering into the dog’s blood system.
Alternatives to Ibuprofen
Aspirin or Baby Aspirin is one of the best short-term alternatives pain medicine for dogs. Doctors usually prescribe these to treat mild injuries. But it is strictly prohibited for long-term uses. They are known to cause gastrointestinal bleedings in dogs consuming aspirin for a more extended period. Often the aspirin is mixed with the dog’s food since it should not affect the stomach.
If the pet dogs suffer from illness or experience any pain, one must not provide them ibuprofen, Tylenol, or acetaminophen from their medicine cabinet. Those are purely unhealthy. Some NSAIDs for dogs are available in the market designed to treat dogs’ pain. Here is the list of what can you give dogs for pain, it includes.
- Carprofen (Novox or Rimadyl)
- Firocoxib (Previcox)
- Deracoxib (Deramaxx)
- Meloxicam (Metacam)
Most of the research studies state that Carprofen is one of the best alternatives that are considered much safer for dogs who have come out of surgery or if they experience any pain. Rimadyl and Meloxicam are prescribed to dogs with orthopedic pain. The dosage differs according to the dogs and the severity of pain. The study states that most doctors prescribe
These are some of the popular medicines available on the market. As their label mentions, these are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs approved by the FDA. One must never use these medicines without a doctor’s consultation.
Other Pain-Relief Measures for Canines
Treatments always include drugs. However, most pet parents also opt for other options to ease the pain in their dogs. That include
- Physical therapy
- Laser treatments
- Acupunctures
- Bandaging, Ice pack treatment, and Physical therapy
- Herbal supplements
- Soft tissue manipulation
- Massages
Parents also use these methods to alleviate the pain. Some of the chronic inflammatory diseases can be helped by certain modifications in the diet of that dog.
For example, to treat a dog suffering from osteoarthritis, one must concentrate on weight control and exercise. Acupuncture and physical therapy are best to treat osteoarthritis. It is mandatory to consult with the respective veterinarians to know the type of treatments and the required results.
Conclusion
Though ibuprofen ingestion is quite common, it has the potential to cause a life-threatening problem in canines. Treatment depends on the dog and the ingested amount. One must immediately contact the vet and concentrate on decontaminating the dog’s blood. Pain relief treatments include drugs and various natural methods and therapies.