aspirin for dogs?

[yorkster]

Is it okay to give aspirin to dogs? If so, how much? Should it be childerens? Plain aspirin or is ibuprofen okay?

My dog Scout (border collie/black lab mix) plays so hard that she often 'tweaks' something. usually it's her paw, this time I think it's her back thigh. I've taken her to the vet in the past, but it ends up being every few weeks. Besides, they say that there is not anything they can do other than pain pills and tell me to try and keep her off it for awhile.
I've put ice on it, but wonder if I can help ease the pain a little more.

[lvpets2002]

Well when my Brit has bad days with her arthritus I give her Bayor aspirin 2 in the a.m. & 2 in the p.m. & she is about 75 pounds & she seems to do well it..

[elizabethann]

Great question. My sisters dog is limping and she suspects arthritis. I suggested asprin and she was wondering about it. I told her to call her vet to see if her dog has any underlining issues and if it is arthritis or just a muscle pull, to ask about the asprin.

Good thread. I look forward to other replies.

Thanks!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Here's one of several Vet site discussions of Plain Aspirin for dogs >>>

"Aspirin has the same problems in dogs that it has in people.
It can cause gastrointestinal upsets and ulcers if the GI signs are ignored. It can cause renal failure if overdosed. It causes an increase in clotting time. This usually isn't a serious side effect but it does occur.

Despite these shortcomings it has a lot of beneficial effects and it is inexpensive. The currently recommended dosage of aspirin varies a little from publication to publication but it is between 5 and 15mg/lb every 12 hours. Since there is a range I usually pick the middle of it and go for about
10mg/lb every 12 hours.
This works well and seems to be pretty safe. That works out to an aspirin tablet per 32 pounds of body weight twice a day. I have to admit that I rarely advise giving more than 2 aspirin twice a day despite the fact that some big dogs could obviously take more based on the per pound calculation.

It is extremely important to pay attention to your dog's eating habits when administering aspirin. Dogs have no way to tell you their stomach is upset so you must watch for signs of this. If your dog stops eating while you are giving aspirin it is important to stop giving the aspirin. If any signs of gastric ulcers develop (like blood tinged vomiting or depression) it is important to stop the aspirin." /s/ Mike Richards, DVM

Taken from:
http://www.vetinfo.com/daspirin.html

/s/ Phred

[VetDepot.com]

Have you asked your vet about Rimadyl or Metacam? You might also consider supplements such as Cosequin. Good luck.

[Glacier]

Originally posted by yorkster
Is it okay to give aspirin to dogs? If so, how much? Should it be childerens? Plain aspirin or is ibuprofen okay?

I use Bufferin for short term pain relief--a day or two at most. It's coated aspirin. If the dog needs pian relief for longer than that, you should see your vet.

Ibuprofen is NOT ok. Neither is Tylenol. Both can cause major problems or even be fatal.

[dragondawg]

readily irritates a dog's stomach. I've seen dogs given bufferin become nauseated immediately.

If you are going to give aspirin, then pre-treat with an acid blocker such as Zantac (Rantidine).

The doggy NSAIDs such as Duramaxx, or Metacam are easier on the stomach. Liver function should be monitored if the dog is on these medications for longer than a month.

[yorkster]

Thanks everyone for your replies and advice.
I gave her an aspirin a couple of hours ago and she feels much better now- getting around (and up on the bed )

If it goes more than a couple days, I'll call the vet for something better.