You should never give dogs paracetamol or any other medications that are made for humans. It is essential to keep pet and human medicines far away from each other to avoid confusion, and both should be stored well out of reach of pets and children in the house. Ideally, you s hould keep paracetamol and other medications in a locked cabinet to avoid any accidents.
What is paracetamol?
Paracetamol is the generic name of a painkiller that contains the active ingredient, acetaminophen. It is widely used in the UK to ease mild pain and to bring down slightly high temperatures. It can be bought over the counter in many shops and does not need a prescription to be bought. As it is so widely available, it can be easy to underestimate or overlook the potential risks. Even for humans, the wrong amount of paracetamol can be very dangerous.
Paracetamol may be prescribed to your dog by a vet. This is safe, as the dosage will be carefully matched to the weight of the dog. While a wrong dose is unlikely to be fatal, it can cause some nasty side effects. It can cause damage to the liver and red blood cells, so never give your dog paracetamol that has not been prescribed by your vet.
What other human painkillers can I give my dog?
Most people have a variety of pain medication for humans in the house, so you should know the effects of each on your sog.
Can I give my dog ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen is a highly effective medication for pain and inflammation in humans. It should never be given to dogs. Ibuprofen can be toxic to dogs and other pets in the household, so store it safely. A single tablet of ibuprofen can be toxic to a small dog, and the effects can take hold rapidly, damaging the stomach and kidneys.
Can I give aspirin to my dog?
Too much aspirin can be toxic too. Any amount given on an empty stomach can cause ulcers, so do not risk giving it to your dog.
What should I do if I think my dog has ingested paracetamol, ibuprofen, or aspirin?
If you think your dog has ingested any of these medications made for humans, or anything else from your medicine cabinet, call your vet immediately.
You will need to tell your vet what your dog has ingested, and what dosage you think they managed to eat. In most cases, your vet will tell you to come in immediately. When you get there, the vet will try to get the dog to vomit, to get the medication out of their system as quickly as possible.
While paracetamol can be prescribed to a dog, this should only be done by a vet. Never try to dose a dog yourself unless you are a qualified vet. Paracetamol from the vet is carefully dosed, and there is a real chance you will get it wrong if you try to do this yourself. Never give your dog a medication that has not been instructed by a vet.
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