Are Over-the-Counter Pain Medications Safe for Pets?

Each week, Dr. Patrick Tate, chief of the veterinary staff and a general practitioner at , answers reader questions about pets. Last week, reader Terri Sue Thompson asked . That spurred this week's question from reader Bettie Woodside.

Question: Can you give a dog or cat pain medication like Ibuprofen, aspirin or Acetaminophen? 

Answer: Last week I answered a question about over-the-counter (OTC) ”human” drugs and remedies that are safe to use on a pet’s skin. Because this week’s question pertains to OTC pain medications that can be dangerous, it is important to reinforce what was said last week–always check with your veterinarian before using any type of product with your pet.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, “human drug poisoning is the most common small animal poison exposure.” Any medication that is powerful enough to stop pain can cause serious side effects or even death when used incorrectly. Even though a drug or remedy is safe for humans, it is not necessarily safe for animals. In addition, a medication may not have the same effect on all types of animals. For example, what helps your dog could harm your cat!

Veterinarians often prescribe a variety of pain medications for specific conditions such as arthritis, musculoskeletal injuries and surgical procedures. Those drugs are closely monitored by healthcare professionals, but the ones listed below (and in the reader’s question) are readily available without a prescription; as a result, they are frequently misused with pets. Here are some guidelines.

• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and Naproxen (Alleve) should never be used in dogs or cats. They can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure.
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can sometimes be used for short-term pain management in dogs, but should NEVER be used with cats. Cats cannot metabolize acetaminophen, leading to toxicity and death.
• Aspirin can be used for pain relief, but must be managed carefully by a veterinarian because it can cause stomach ulcers and blood-clotting problems.

A few of the safer OTC medications that are commonly recommended by veterinarians (for mostly dogs) include:   

• Benadryl (Antihistamine) for allergies
• Dramamine for motion sickness
• Pepto Bismol for diarrhea 
• Pepcid (Famotodine), Tagamet (Cimetidine) and Zantac (Ranitidine) for stomach problems
• Imodium AD for diarrhea
• Glucosamine (sometimes in combination with Chondroitin Sulfate) for joint pain

If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially toxic substance of any kind, immediately call your veterinarian and/or the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680.

Do you have a question for Dr. Tate? Email your questions to Webster Groves Patch Editor Sheri Gassaway. Be sure to attach a photo of your pet, and we'll feature it along with your question!