Ibuprofen For Dogs

Ibuprofen for Dogs? NO!

There is not such thing as Ibuprofen for dogs! WARNING: IBUPROFEN, EVEN IN SMALL DOSES, WILL SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR DOG’S HEALTH! DO NOT GIVE IT TO HIM AND IF HE HAS TAKEN ANY CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY! IBUPROFEN, FOR DOGS, IS POISONOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL!

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE! IF YOU HAVE JUST GIVEN YOUR DOG IBUPROFEN OR JUST DISCOVERED HIM IN THE PROCESS OF EATING YOUR STASH, YOU SHOULD GET HIM TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY SO THAT CHARCOAL CAN BE APPLIED TO ABSORB AS MUCH OF THE IBUPROFEN AS POSSIBLE! IF THIS IS YOUR SITUATION, TURN OFF YOU COMPUTER NOW, AND CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN OR NEAREST EMERGENCY VET CLINIC, NOW!

For those of you still with us, here is the information you need to know about Ibuprofen for dogs.

When you have a headache or body pains, ibuprofen may be just the ticket you need for relief, but if your dog is suffering from body pains, giving him ibuprofen may kill him. Although both humans and dogs are mammals, there is enough difference in the biological makeup of humans versus our canine friends that medications don’t have the same effects on us as on our pouches.

Or, to be more accurate, the threshold for toxicity in dogs is much lower than in humans when it comes to ibuprofen. So, put simply, never think of using ibuprofen for dogs and their pains!

In general, a good rule of thumb for all pets is that you should think of them the same way you would think of a baby. Just as you would never self-prescribe adult medicines for human children, you should also never attempt to treat animal problems with human medicines. Just as you would consult your pediatrician about what course of treatment to take for Junior, so do you need to consult your Veterinarian before giving any medicine (even if its purchased over the counter) to Fluffy.

In fact, many of the basic household foods and medicines that have mild effects on humans can be toxic to other species. Here are a few quick examples: Chocolate is also toxic for dogs so don’t, no matter how much Rover begs, give him that Nestle Crunch bar you’ve been chewing on. Certain common household plants are similarly toxic to cats. Some types of cooking pans release fumes that can kill your parrot.

In a nutshell, it is important to inform yourself about the dangers to your pet just as a parent needs to inform themselves about the dangers to their babies.

What are the toxic effects of giving Ibuprofen for dogs?

ULCERS: Even in relatively small doses, Ibuprofen will punch a hole right in your dog’s stomach. These ulcers can become infected and in due course lead to your pet’s death.

KIDNEY DAMAGE OR FAILURE: In higher or prolonged dosages, your dog will get serious kidney damage that will severely impair your dog’s health in both the short and long term. Often, the damage can be so severe that pets may need to be put down or they may die on their own.

Signs of Ibuprofen Poisoning:

12 to 96 hours after ingestion, you may notice the following symptoms:

Throwing up
Number Two that looks black and thick like an oil spill
Tiredness
Lack of interest in food

In severe cases, the dog may even have SEIZURES.

Treatments:

If your dog has recently taken Ibuprofen your vet will most likely treat him or her with charcoal to absorb the toxin and then recommend that the dog be kept overnight for observation at an emergency clinic for a few days.

In severe cases, the dog will need to have its ulcers surgically corrected and then have a longer hospital stay.

Sometimes the damage will be so severe that your dog may not survive even with treatment. This is especially the case if treatment has been delayed!

A Common Sense Suggestion for the Medicine Cabinet:

It is a generally good idea to keep your medicine cabinet in a location that neither pets nor children have access to it. This can sometimes be harder than it sounds since many children and pets are pretty good climbers. (I once had a lab that could get all the way on top of our refrigerator by first jumping on the kitchen counter as if he were part cat. Once there, he would get scared by the height and just sit there waiting to be taken down.) In addition, many animals, such as cats, get pretty good at opening cabinet doors.

So, it is a good idea to keep you medicines in a bathroom cabinet and having the door to this bathroom closed and at all times.

Such doggy proofing of your medicines will help keep unfortunate situations from occurring.