tylenol

Question
hey my 4 year old pbp has hurt her right front leg getting up out of bed. not sure if it is sprained of cracked. i called her vet and he says to give her 320 mg of tylenol for the pain. is this right. i couldnt remember if it was tylenol or ibuprofen they could have. he raised prized pigs growing up, but she is potbelly and i didnt know if it was the same way. i gave her two of the bubble gum melt aways for kids. just want to make sure it is ok before i got any further. thanks.

Answer
I am not a veterinarian and can not make a medical diagnosis or prescribe medication over the internet.

Baby aspirin is the over the counter drug usually used for pot-bellied pig aches and pains. It's easy to administer and treated to help protect the stomach lining. The normal does is 325 mg per 75 lb of pig.

If you can not actually weigh your pig, use the Find-Weight-By-Measurement formula on www.farec.org to find your pig's weight. You'll need an accurate weight to determine the correct dosage.

Veterinarians usually prescribe Rimadyl, a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) similar to ibuprofen. NSAIDs can cause heartburn and ulcers, so are always given with food, and often with a preventive acid reducer like Pepcid.

Tylenol is a different kind of drug. Many people think it's not as effective as aspirin and NSAIDs for relieving pain. It does not help with inflammation. It can cause stomach upset.

But, the children's version, like most childrens pain medicines, are treated to help prevent stomach irritation. The dosage in each unit is low, and pigs are pretty resilient animals. I'm sure the dose you gave her will not hurt her. Don't worry (unless she starts to show obvious signs of distress), just switch to baby aspirin for her next dose, to treat the muscle inflammation as well as the pain. If she doesn't improve quickly, she may have a fracture and need to see the vet in person.