March 2006 Newsletter
Giving Your Dog Aspirinby Ron Kurtus
If your dog has chronic pain or inflammation, common aspirin can often be used to give your pet some relief. Since aspirin can cause some stomach problems, care should be used. It is wise to check with your vet before administering aspirin or any other medication.
Questions you may have include:
- What is aspirin used for in dogs?
- What warnings or problems are there?
- How much should I give?
Dogs are most commonly given aspirin for treatment of arthritis and associated joint pain. There may be other situations where your dog is in pain, where aspirin may give relief.
Aspirin has good anti-inflammatory effects that reduces swelling. It can also reduce pain and fever. These effects will help make your dog more comfortable.
Note that a dog is not a human. Just because your dog "does not feel good" is not a reason to give it an aspirin. Usually, aspirin is given to relieve extreme conditions of discomfort. Also note that most vets prescribe Rimadyl as a better pain-killer and anti-inflammatory than aspirin.
Use caution
You should use caution In administering any medication to a pet, because too much may be toxic, the medicine may not be tolerated, or it can cause an upset stomach or ulcers in the animal.
Can be toxic
It can be toxic if given in high doses of about 30 mg per pound of the dog. This means that even baby aspirin could be poisonous for dogs weighing two pounds or less. An adult aspirin which is 320 mg. would be toxic for a 10-pound dog. To be sure that you are using the aspirin for the right reason and at the right dose, you should consult your veterinarian first.
Not for young dogs or cats
Aspirin is poorly tolerated by young dogs, since they lack the enzymes necessary to process the aspirin. The same is true for most cats.
Upset stomach
Aspirin can cause gastrointestinal upsets and ulcers in dogs, just as in humans. You should pay attention to your dog's eating habits when administering aspirin to watch for signs of an upset stomach. If there are any signs of ulcers, such as blood-tinged vomiting, it is important to stop the aspirin.
Giving the aspirin with food and using buffered aspirin is the best to prevent stomach problems.
I prefer to grind up the aspirin and put it in some food to make sure it does not irritate the stomach lining.
No Tylenol
You should not give your dog such products as Tylenol as a substitute for real aspirin. Some people say their vet prescribed Tylenol, but most sources say it should not be given to animals.
Recommended dosage
Most veterinarians recommend between 5 mg and 10 mg per pound of the dog's weight every 12 hours. Going on the safe side, a recommended dosage of aspirin of about 5 mg/lb seems to work well for most dogs. If you are going to give more, it is a good idea to check with your vet. Also, note that a small dog should take less per pound.
Enteric coated aspirin is not recommended in dogs because about half the time the coating isn't digested and the aspirin is excreted whole in the stool.
Start small
It is better to start off small and work your way up to the maximum. If the dog has relief with a smaller dosage, that is great.
A standard aspirin is 320 mg. A baby aspirin is typically 80 mg. That means that 5 mg/lb works out to be one baby aspirin per 16 pounds of body weight twice a day.
Chart
The following chart can be used as a guide. Note that this is not medical advice.
| Weight of dog in pounds |
Number of tablets each 12 hours |
mg |
| 8 | 1/2 baby aspirin or less | 40 mg |
| 16 | 1 baby aspirin | 80 mg |
| 32 | 1/2 adult or 2 baby | 160 mg |
| 48 | 3/4 adult or 3 baby | 240 mg |
| 64 | 1 adult or 4 baby | 320 mg |
| 80 | 1 1/4 adult or 5 baby | 400 mg |
| 96 | 1 1/2 adult or 6 baby | 480 mg |
In conclusion
The proper dosage of aspiring can give your dog relief from pain and inflammation. You should be aware of possible problems and know the proper dosage. It is good to check with a vet before giving any medication, and remember that dogs are not humans and don't need an aspirin for minor pains.
