Dogs and tylenol [Archive]

rubyjoe

08-14-2008, 07:56 PM

can you give a large dog over the counter tylenol? Ruby pulled a muscle in her leg and seems to be babying it.

amabsher

08-14-2008, 11:15 PM

I found this answer on a veterinarian site but, it was one of those things where you have to click in the right place and then find the answer... so I will just copy paste the info and post the link so no one will think I am trying to claim this as my own info....
http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dogmed.html#Acetaminophen%20(Tylenol™)%20safety%20 in%20dogs%20and%20cats
and this is what that site says about Tylenol... if your dog is a small breed... I would recommend not experimenting... just call your vet and ask for advice....
Acetaminophen (Tylenol™) safety in dogs and cats
Question: Hi Dr Mike:
                 I have a question about Acetaminophen (Tylenol™).  The  Receptionist at our local veterinarian told us that in case of fever, it was ok to give our dogs a Tylenol™ and NOT to give them ASPIRIN, or IBUPROFEN.
http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/poisgde.asp#yew
         According to the AVMA Pet Poison Guide ratings scale, it appears  to me that the Acetaminophen (Tylenol™) is more dangerous then the ASPIRIN, or IBUPROFEN.  Is this true or am I misunderstanding what I am reading or was this by chance a misprint?
         What would you recommend be given to a dog in case of a fever  ASPIRIN, IBUPROFEN, Acetaminophen (Tylenol™) or something else?
Thank you for your time.  I hope to hear from you soon,   David
Answer: David-  
Based on reactions in our canine patients, this is the ranking I would give these medications:  safest = acetaminophen (Tylenol tm),  also safe = aspirin,  less safe = ibuprofen (Advil tm, Motrin Rx).  However, this is the ranking that I would give them based on the reports in the literature and factoring in the likelihood of a bad reaction causing death:  safest = aspirin, also safe but less so = acetaminophen and less safe = ibuprofen.
The reason for these rankings include these things. Aspirin is reasonably likely to cause gastric ulcers, which can be life threatening if ignored but which respond to withdrawal of the medication. Acetaminophen doesn't seem to cause ulcers but there are uncommon reactions to it in which liver failure occurs and this may not respond to therapy, so death is a possibility. Ibuprofen is very likely to cause ulcers, with 100% of dogs developing ulcers with the use of ibuprofen in at least one study. On the other hand, lots of my clients come in and tell me "I gave my dog an ibuprofen last night" and I have only had to treat one or two cases of ulcers and I can't recall a dog dying from this medication, yet.
My personal preference for pain and fever in dogs is aspirin but we do warn our clients to discontinue the medication if the dog stops eating and to call us or come in for a recheck if that happens.
In cats the situation is different. Acetaminophen is very toxic to cats and this medication should simply never be used to treat a cat. Aspirin has a long half life in cats, at least 24 to 48 hours, so it will reach toxic levels pretty quickly if it is given more frequently than once every 48 hours and the dosage is 10mg/lb so a baby aspirin (81mg) is a much more appropriate dosage for a cat than an adult aspirin. I have not seen much information on ibuprofen and cats but it is a good idea to avoid all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications in cats, at least until one of them does prove to be safe in someone's clinical trials.
Mike Richards, DVM 3/10/2001
Answer: David-
This is sort of a p.s. to the previous note. My guess is that the AVMA figures that it is safer not to confuse people with the difference between the effects of acetaminophen in dogs and in cats. I have several pain control references which state that acetaminophen is generally safe in dogs and it is used frequently because hydrocodone/codeine + acetaminophen combinations are pretty effective for post-surgical pain and for chronic pain from arthritis in dogs. The general feeling is the the narcotic provides the pain relief in this combination, though.
Mike Richards, DVM 3/10/2001

Allin1PetCare

08-15-2008, 03:59 AM

They sell over-the-counter anti-inflammatories specifically for canines.  Check at your local pet stores.  If you feel you must use something over the counter, rather than having your vet do a work-up, then I would recommend using these products rather than tylenol or some other form of human anti-inflammatories.  Reason being that dosage to weight ratio can be tricky, and some of these products can have adverse effects depending on breed, and age.

death1life2

08-15-2008, 04:21 AM

I got this info. from the following website:
http://healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?ID=133&sid=1

"Aspirin and other pain relievers are in every home, and these poisonings can be severe. When aspirin is prescribed for animals, the dosage must be strictly followed. Too much aspirin can lead to anemia and gastric hemorrhage. Ibuprofen and naproxen will cause painful gastrointestinal problems. One 200mg ibuprofen tablet is toxic to a small dog.
Never give acetaminophen to a cat or dog. The drug affect cats oxygen in the blood and it produces severe depression. It also produces abdominal pain in dogs. If not quickly eliminated from the body, just two extra-strength tablets in 24 hours will most likely kill a small pet. Clinical signs in cats develop within one or two hours and include excessive salivation, paw and facial swelling, depression, and ash-gray gums. In dogs watch for anorexia, vomiting, depression, and abdominal pain. High doses are usually fatal."
Do not hesitate to contact me for any questions!

linman2

09-18-2008, 07:52 PM

Okay I'm not trying to say anyone is right or wrong, but I work in a greyhound racing kennel, and we give the dogs asprin or IB. Without any issues at all. Just my piece. I have givin my dogs asprin before but SMALL DOSE!!!