Aspirin

Question
Can you give a dog asprin?  I was once advised by my vet that baby asprin is ok.

Answer
Hi Kelly,

Yes, it's safe to give aspirin to dogs. You don't want to give a dog Tylenol, or Ibuprofen as a substitute for real aspirin.

Depending on your dog's size, giving all or part of an adult buffered aspirin might be easier than several baby aspirins. The dosage of adult buffered aspirin for dogs is 5-10 mg/lb, given every 12 hours.

8 lb dog - 1/2 baby aspirin or less
16 lbs - 1 baby aspirin
32 lbs - 1/2 adult or 2 baby
48 lbs - 3/4 adult or 3 baby
64 lbs - 1 adult or 4 baby
80 lbs - 1 1/4 adult or 5 baby
96 lbs - 1 1/2 adult or 6 baby

It is extremely important to pay attention to your dog's eating habits when administering aspirin. Dogs have no way to tell you their stomach is upset so you must watch for signs of this. If your dog stops eating while you are giving aspirin it is important to stop giving the aspirin. To minimize the possiblity of stomach problems, always give food with the aspirin.

It is good to check with a vet before giving any medication to your dog.

Best of luck,
Patti