I was wondering what human OTC medicines are safe for use in dogs.  i
know that kaopektake and imodiam can be used safely and have used
these successfully with my dog.  She is a pit bull/boxer mix and
weighs about 55 lbs.  i did read in a dog book that aspirin can be
safely used for dogs, but i was wondering about other pain relievers
such as Tylenol, and the NSAIDS such as ibuprofen.  the purpose would
be for minor joint strains.

Hi cathyg, 

I see this question is still unanswered after several hours and I can
see why.  It's pretty dicey for an internet researcher to be giving
you information that may cause you to administer medication to your
dog that may be inappropriate or even dangerous.  As you know, Google
Researchers are not allowed to give medical advice and that would
apply to veterinary advice as well.

I will answer your question with the hope that you will put the safety
of your pet before trying to save a few dollars by diagnosing and
treating her yourself.  Please!

Here's the issue. Even if veterinarians routinely dispense certain OTC
medication to dogs, you have no way to diagnose WHICH of those
medications your dog should have. You mention for example, "minor
joint strains." How are you able to diagnose this? This is something
that only a veterinarian can do accurately.  The same applies to a
digestive disorder. If your dog suffers from diarrhea and you
administer Imodium, you may be hiding or even exacerbating a problem
that needs to be addressed in a different way. Most importantly, you
have no way to determine the correct dose for your dog. What is OK for
a 55 lb child may not be safe for a 55lb dog.

That said, here's the answer to your question--

The following quotes are all from the American Veterinary Medical
Association:
http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/poisgde.asp#drugs
"Animal poisoning by drugs is by far the most common type of small
animal poison exposure, accounting for 75% of 1990 toxin exposures as
reported by the AAPCC and 82 of 425 fatalities."

ACETAMINOPHEN (Tylenol)

"Dogs (particularly small dogs) are also susceptible to significant
tissue damage from as little as two regular strength Tylenol and
repeated doses increase the risk significantly. Signs develop quickly
and can include salivation, vomiting, weakness and abdominal pain."

"Due to the significant toxicity to pets in relatively minimal
dosages, the recommendation is clear — Tylenol should not be given to
dogs or cats. "


ASPIRIN, IBUPROFEN, PHENYLBUTAZONE, NAPROXEN (NSAID toxicity)
 
"...NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and are widely
prescribed with caution by veterinarians to relieve pain from
arthritis and other conditions. Animal dosages, however, are much
lower than human dosages. Use of NSAID's can significantly increase
the risk for development of stomach or intestinal ulcers, particularly
in a sick patient, or one receiving other medications... Two regular
strength aspirin in a small dog can cause clinical signs of
poisoning..."


"Any medications need to be discussed with and prescribed by a
veterinarian prior to giving them to your pet to avoid an inadvertent
and tragic poisoning."


This is the information you asked for. I hope that you'll take care
with your dog and be sure to seek veterinary advice before
administering any kind of medication to her.

Thank you for using Google Answers, 

-K~

---

Clarification of Answer by knowledge_seeker-ga on 24 Jun 2002 10:14 PDT

I forgot to include my search terms. I knew to go directly to the AVMA
to get their official position. So my search was:

AVMA NSAID DOGS

I would be very wary of using ANY medication intended for humans in a
pet animal.  The metabolism of cats and dogs does differ from that of
humans, so that medications which are safe for us can be dangerous to
them.  In addition, even if a medication is safe, the dosage will be
very different.

I think this is definitely a topic which you need to discuss with your
vet.

here is a page about the poisoning of companion animals, which
includes some information on OTC medications:
http://www.allrott.com/rottclub/health/poison2.html

My vet has prescribed OTC benadryl now and again for our dog for
allergic reactions.  I hadn't heard of using OTC medicines, but this
site might be useful.  It mentions that tylenol and ibuprofin are
toxic to animals, but aspirin might be a choice.  I would definitely
consult with your vet, prior to giving any medications, however:

http://allsands.com/Pets/petsmedicinesi_yp_gn.htm

ASPIRIN: Can be given to dogs (never cats!) to help relieve
inflammation, arthritis pains and general suffering. Buffered Aspirin
will be much easier for your dog's system to tolerate, but if you
must, regular (non-coated) aspirin can be used with a small amount of
food. Give one-quarter of a 325-milligram tablet for every ten pounds
of dog, once or twice daily.

Also check here: http://www.vetinfo.com/daspirin.html


Searched google for the terms: OTC medicine dogs pain
then : asprin, dogs

Sincerely,
LBrokaw

I too have used certain OTC (with a vet's permission) on my dogs:
Aspirin, Benadryl, Pepto Bismol, and Imodium.

However. I was told to NEVER give a dog (or cat I presume) Tylenol or
NSAIDS.  Dogs' kidneys cannot process this medicine.  (I heard this
part from Poison Control.)