Dogs experience pain just as intensely as humans do, but they can’t tell us when they feel bad. They also often conceal their pain due to an innate survival instinct, which makes it more challenging for pet owners to recognize when their furry companions are suffering.
As a devoted pet owner, you naturally want to alleviate your dog’s discomfort. But what are the safest and most effective ways to manage canine pain? In this guide, we’ll explore various pain relief options for dogs, including over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, and alternative therapies. We’ll also highlight which pain relievers to avoid, ensuring you can make informed decisions about your dog’s health and comfort.
👉 Common signs of pain in dogs include changes in behavior, decreased activity, stiffness, limping, whimpering, vocalizing, and holding their ears flat against the back of their head. Always ask a vet before giving your dog any medications to treat their pain.
Over-the-counter pain medications, also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are commonly given to dogs for pain treatment. NSAIDs are particularly effective against swelling, stiffness, joint pain, and other mild to moderate pain associated with injuries like torn toenails and fractured bones.
🚨 Vets only give dog-specific prescription NSAIDs — do NOT give your dogs over-the-counter pain meds meant for humans. These can be deadly to dogs.
Dogs with underlying liver or kidney disease, gastrointestinal problems, blood clotting or bleeding disorders, (Trusted Source) or low blood pressure may have adverse reactions to NSAIDs and news alternative medications for pain management. In other cases, dogs may require a medication that’s stronger than traditional NSAIDs.
Pain management isn’t just about medications — it’s also about exercise and therapy programs that work in tandem with the meds to relieve symptoms as much as possible.
Supplements and other non-pharmaceutical treatments are natural alternatives to drugs with potentially harmful side effects to dogs, and they’re worth considering when it comes to your dog’s recovery.
Integrative medicine can make a huge difference for pets with pain. It is a combination of Western medicine and other therapies like acupuncture and Chinese herbal supplements.
Dr. Erica Irish
Here are some techniques that your vet may recommend:
Dogs can frequently benefit from a combination of treatments, and their treatment plan will likely change to incorporate different things over time.
Do not give your dog any over-the-counter (non-prescription) human-grade pain pills from your medicine cabinet without consulting a veterinarian. Most of them are toxic to dogs. Depending on the size of your dog, just a small dose can cause permanent damage to their kidneys, liver, or gastrointestinal tract, and even lead to death.
🚨 Never give your dog the following medications:
If you feel your dog is in pain, the best thing to do is to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. If they’re unable to see your dog as quickly as you like, consider asking them to prescribe a safe pain medication you can use to relieve your dog’s discomfort in the meantime.
You may not be able to completely get rid of your dog’s pain, but you should be able to make them feel well enough to get them through the first few days as you work out a long-term treatment plan with the vet.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly prescribed pain medications for dogs suffering from both short and long-term pain. If they’re being used to treat chronic pain tied to a condition like arthritis, the vet will likely want to check yearly bloodwork on your dog to make sure their liver and kidney values remain stable.
Dogs who can’t take NSAIDs or require additional pain relief may be prescribed a medication that is also used for humans, such as gabapentin, amantadine, tramadol, and buprenorphine.
👉 Only use these medications with your vet’s okay. You may have some laying around the house, but you should never give them to your dog without running it by a professional first.
Vets sometimes prescribe aspirin and lower-dose baby aspirin to dogs to reduce pain associated with osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal issues. While you can technically use baby aspirin under your vet’s instruction, we recommend opting for aspirin specifically made for dogs.
Some aspirin is made with a coating designed to prevent the stomach from irritation, but dogs can’t digest this coating. This may prevent them from feeling the full effects of the medication. Dogs who eat too much aspirin may develop aspirin toxicity, characterized by fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty walking which can make them appear “drunk.”
Also known as acetaminophen, OTC Tylenol can be toxic and even deadly to animals. Tylenol can be lethal to cats, but dogs may still exhibit poisoning symptoms like vomiting, stomach pain, lethargy, and rapid breathing.
🚨Take your pet into an emergency veterinary clinic right away if they’ve ingested any amount of Tylenol.
Dogs suffering from severe pain caused by traumatic injury or certain cancers may require more powerful narcotics for pain relief. Drugs like morphine, fentanyl citrate (fentanyl), and butorphanol tartrate (butorphanol) should only be used under strict veterinary supervision, but when they’re used correctly, they can significantly reduce your dog’s pain and speed up their recovery time. (Trusted Source)
No over-the-counter NSAIDs for dogs and cats are FDA-approved, and you should always consult a vet before starting your dog on any new medication. For those reasons, we don’t recommend you give any OTC pain relievers to your dog. Popular pain meds like Rimadyl and Previcox are formulated to be safe for dogs, but you need a veterinarian’s prescription to get it.
