What painkiller can I give my dog?
A dog owner's concern for their pet undoubtedly includes the desire to relieve their pet's suffering: to alleviate pain caused by injury or illness. Using painkillers intended for humans for this purpose is dangerous. Some physiological processes occur differently in animals, and while a human liver can effectively detoxify the metabolic products of a medication, a dog's liver lacks the substances needed to inactivate these breakdown products, and these products, accumulating in the body, can become toxic to the animal.
It's best to work with your veterinarian to select the most effective pain reliever for your pet. However, a dog's first aid kit should always include some "go-to" medications that can quickly relieve pain at home. And the dog owner should be familiar with which pain reliever and what dosage is appropriate for each situation.
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How painkillers work
Veterinarians prescribe painkillers to dogs to alleviate their condition, reduce stress on their nervous system, and prevent stress-related pain. The dosage of each medication is calculated individually, taking into account the animal's weight, age, general condition, and specific clinical symptoms.
Important to know! Pain is a signal of a developing pathological process in the body. Suppressing the pain response serves only as a symptomatic treatment; analgesics generally do not address the underlying cause.
Based on their localized effect, analgesics are divided into topical and systemic. Topical analgesics are used directly in the painful area, while systemic analgesics have a general effect, suppressing pain throughout the body. Based on their mode of action, painkillers are divided into several types. Let's look at each of them.
Narcotic analgesics
These drugs act directly on the centers of the brain, partially or completely blocking the transmission of pain impulses to them. These substances, whether natural or synthetic, have a variety of structural properties and possess strong analgesic activity. By acting on opiate receptors in the central nervous system, narcotic drugs produce a number of unpleasant and sometimes dangerous side effects, including drowsiness, respiratory depression, and nausea.
With prolonged use of narcotics, animals, like humans, develop psychological dependence. Therefore, narcotic painkillers are prescribed in short courses and only in exceptional cases: for cancer or severe forms of arthritis accompanied by severe pain, as well as in the post-operative period.
Among the narcotic painkillers used in veterinary medicine are:
- Tramadol, an opioid analgesic, is sometimes prescribed to older dogs experiencing persistent arthritic pain, as well as during the recovery period after spaying.
- Gabapentin, a neuropathic analgesic, is prescribed to relieve pain associated with nerve damage.
- Amantadine. Used in the complex treatment of joint and spinal diseases, as well as cancer.
Non-narcotic analgesics
This is a fairly large group of painkillers, divided into several groups depending on the mechanism of action.
Analgesics-antipyretics
They combine pain-relieving and antipyretic effects. These medications are prescribed to dogs for illnesses accompanied by fever and pain. The most popular representatives of this group are Analgin, Amidopyrine, and Antipyrine.
Acetylsalicylic acid has a similar effect. Aspirin Aspirin is a budget-friendly medication that's readily available, but it's considered a one-time use drug because it irritates the gastrointestinal mucosa. Dogs are given acetylsalicylic acid twice daily after meals. The dosage is calculated at 5-10 mg/kg of body weight. Aspirin is not prescribed for animals with inflammatory diseases of the stomach and intestines.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect in addition to analgesic and antipyretic properties. These medications are considered the safest painkillers, as they are well tolerated by all breeds of dogs of all ages. NSAIDs simultaneously reduce body temperature, relieve pain, inflammation, and tissue swelling. This is the only class of painkillers that not only alleviates symptoms but also addresses the underlying cause of the disease.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used in orthopedic and dental surgery, and in the treatment of acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions in dogs, including arthritis, arthrosis, spondylitis, and synovitis. These drugs are also effective in relieving chronic pain or inflammation of various origins. The most commonly used are:
- Butadione (Phenylbutazone);
- Rimadyl;
- Deracoxib;
- Meloxicam.
Caution! Certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are strictly contraindicated for dogs. The list is extensive and includes: Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Ortofen, Diclofenac, Naproxen, Voltaren, Ketrolac, Ketorol, Metindol, and Indomethacin. These medications can cause kidney failure or damage to the gastrointestinal tract, including internal bleeding.
A homeopathic veterinary analgesic is also considered popular in veterinary medicine. TraumatineIt is used to relieve pain associated with injuries and childbirth. This pain reliever has no side effects and no contraindications, making it suitable for use in puppies.
Local (external) analgesics
These painkillers are used for joint pain, wound treatment, and trophic ulcer treatment, as well as to relieve pain in dogs after an injury. Veterinarians highly recommend the following products: Lidocaine Spray, Traumatine Gel, Butadion Ointment, and Hip Joint Cooling Relief Gel (ESPREE, Hong Kong).
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