My dog was bitten. Is aspirin safe for her pain and soreness?

Poor Viper! I don't recommend giving over the counter pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen or Tylenol as these can have serious side effects in animals. It will also limit the type of pain medication that your veterinarian can prescribe and may result in Viper not getting adequate pain control. Unfortunately there is nothing over the counter that can be given to dogs for pain control, so if he is acting very painful, I would recommend taking him to a vet tonight if you can. If you are unable to, I would recommend taking him as soon as you can tomorrow. Most bite wounds will get infected and they almost always need oral antibiotics. The veterinarian will also make sure the wound isn't worse than it looks. Bite wounds can appear small on the surface, but can penetrate deeper than what we see or tear the skin from underlying tissue so that a pocket is created under the skin. These pockets can fill up with blood or pus and need to be drained. Good luck and I hope that Viper is feeling better soon!

Poor Maka. I would not recommend to give any Tylenol, ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve) or human prescribe meds as most of these are toxic to dogs. You can give him 1/2 tablet of baby aspirin twice a day but I would not continue this long term because it can cause an upset tummy. As soon as you’re able to talk to your vet, I would talk to him about giving something that is more appropriate for dogs. Your vet should be able prescribe him something. I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Annabel. Being a small breed dog and the signs you have described, I worry that she is experiencing back or neck pain. This is a common source of pain. The muscles lining the spine can spasm I response to inflammation within an intervertebral disk. In this case, she should see her veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis as well as prescription medications. While dogs can take aspirin, it is not as effective as other medications. It is hard on the gastrointestinal tract and can interfere with prescription drugs necessary for back pain. For these reasons, I would not give it. It is best for her to see her veterinarian today. In the meantime, keep her very quiet. I hope this information helps!

Please call your veterinarian or the local emergency clinic to see if Penny needs to be examined by a vet, and to get pain medication that is safer than aspirin. Aspirin (even when sold at pet shops and marketed as being specifically for dogs) can lead to gastrointestinal issues like vomiting and diarrhea, and can be toxic in some cases. The same is true for other pain medication meant for people. There are many safer options that your local vet can help you with. You can also try icing the area for 5-10 minutes four times a day to see if that helps in the meantime. I hope Penny feels better soon!

Poor Stella! No, I would not recommend giving her aspirin - this is not safe for use in dogs, and will interfere with your veterinarian's ability to treat her appropriately if she needs to see the vet for her sting. If the area is mildly swollen and sore but your pup is otherwise acting normal, you shouldn't need to do anything - just like a human with a wasp or bee sting, it will be sore for a few days but should resolve on its own. If she seems excessively painful, or if she has significant swelling or any other symptoms such as vomiting, hives, or difficulty breathing, then I would recommend taking her to the vet to be seen as these can be signs of a more serious reaction.

I am afraid you should not give Aspirin or any other NSAIDs made for humans to a dog without the advice of the veterinarian who knows your dog well. Aspirin can cause bleeding ulcers and this could be fatal. If you suspect your dog is in pain, please contact your vet for an exam and a prescription of NSAIDs suitable for a dog. We are not allowed legally to give advice on medicating pets without an established owner-veterinarian-animal relationship.

Unfortunately I do not recommend giving any over the counter pain medications to dogs. While aspirin is available in some pet stores and technically can be given to dogs it can easily cause stomach upset and if Koda was recently given any kind of NSAID medication it could cause serious problems. It’s also not the best for pain! I would recommend calling your vet to see if they can refill the pain medication for Koda since she’s still sore. Sometimes a warm compress can also help with comfort.