Anti Inflammatory For Dogs - What Is Safe?

 

Our pets are living far longer than they ever have due to great diet and vetenary care. Joint and tissue inflammation may become a problem as your pet gets older and existing injuries or disease affects them. Cast your eye over the following list of symptoms and be aware of any your dog may be displaying:

Constant licking of particular joints
Not able to keep up with you during walks
A noticeable lessening of muscle size
Not willing to jump on your lap
Swelling, redness/heat in the joints
Problems with getting comfortable when laying down

Analgesics Versus Anti Inflammatories

Let's just clear up any confusion here.Inflammation is a characterized by swelling, redness and pain in a specific location. Anti Inflammatory drugs counter act the swelling and redness symptoms present in these conditions. Pain killers do exactly that - they stop the pain without necessarily reducing the inflammatory symptoms.

Can I Give My Dog Human Drugs?

Certain drugs formulated for humans, such as buffered aspirin, are generally safe for dogs. Some formulations, like enteric-coated aspirin, are not as effective when used for dogs (as opposed to humans) because of the differences in human and canine physiology. It is much safer for your dog to be medicated with canine anti inflammatories than the human specific dugs readily available OTC .

The Cost Differences

The cost differences between human and canine drugs is significant. Take this into account when shopping around as it may help you avoid "sticker shock". Look to large pet product warhehouses or vets for dog specific treatments.You may be shocked by the price differences, but it is safer for you pet than using drugs designed for humans.

Unsafe Human Over-the-Counter Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

The ASPCA cites NSAIDS as the most prevalent cause of poisoning of pets. Even small doses are dangerous!.Some of these types of drug can include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), Tylenol and ketoprofen (Orudis).Long term use or overdosing can cause irrepairable liver damage in dogs.

Ibuprofen, even though consumed and viewed as safe for us, is not appropriate for use with dogs as it is the number one cause of accidental poisoning in cats and dogs. Dogs given ibuprofen have experienced kidney failure, internal bleeding and ulcers and in some cases death.

Symptoms To Watch Out For

Even very low doses of ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers in dogs. A dog should never ingest more than 50 mg of ibuprofen per pound of body weight.If you are administering ibuprofen to your dog beware of the following symptoms:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Staggering
Lethargy
Pain in the stomach region

If your dog displays any of the above symptoms call your vet straight away.

Natural Anti Inflammatories

There are many herbal, homeopathic and home grown remedies for inflammation in dogs and some time spent researching these will be of great benefit to you and your pet. Solutions containing Rhus toxicodendron are very effective at reducing inflammation, paralysis and rheumatic complaints. Rhus Tox, as it is known, is prized for its anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties.