My dog is sore. Can I give him dog aspirin without kidney risk?

Sorry to hear about poor Kolby. I'm actually quite worried about him, because the lack of appetite and history of giving aspirin could indicate that something is very wrong. While aspirin can be safely given at certain doses, it is not a medication that is advised long-term and could cause him to get ulcers in his stomach or intestine. I don't completely understand the last sentence, but it appears there may be a concern with the vet. I hope that you can find a vet to look Kolby, because he could get much worse without professional treatment. For now, stop the aspirin and make sure he has plenty of water. The all meat diet will cause the gas, but if that's all he'll eat, then it's OK to feed a little throughout the day. I hope that helps and Kolby gets better soon.

Hello. Just like you & me, if there is no longer any significant pain it is best to stop the aspirin. If Katie needs long term pain management, there are other medications that are safer than aspirin. The problem with aspirin is how quickly it can effect the clotting mechanisms, so generally I like to limit its use to about 3 days at a time. Take with your vet about safer options & ancillary treatments such as Adequan injections & glucosamine supplements if her pain continues & is due to osteoarthritis. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I don’t recommend starting any medications without first consulting your veterinarian. Treating your pet at home without having seen your vet first could mask symptoms that could lead to a quicker diagnosis should it become necessary for your pet to be examined. Arbitrary administration of antibiotics without knowing if it is appropriate for the condition is what creates antibiotic-resistant organisms. Absolutely DO NOT give your dog Tylenol, or any other human analgesic or NSAID. At best, they cause gastric bleeding, at worst they are toxic to liver and kidneys. Consult your veterinarian before giving your dog medications of any kind.

I always recommend against giving baby aspirin to dogs. It makes it more difficult to give them medication if we need to switch them. If Jack hurt his rear leg I do recommend a physical examination be performed on him at a vet. Dogs can have just a simple soft tissue injury but they can also have issues with their knee cap or even an Cruciate ligament rupture (like an ACL in a football player). Going to the veterinarian they can prescribe good anti-inflammatories that would not be able to be given if you gave the aspirin. They can also dispense good pain medication to help Jack. Until you can get him to a veterinarian I recommend strict rest and only leash walks to go outside to the bathroom and then back inside. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Jack feels better soon.

Sorry to hear that Jack isn't acting like himself. Baby aspirin over the course of few days, while not the most preferably of pain relievers in dogs, is not likely to cause significant ailments. Inappetence and vomiting however are some of the side effects caused by the drug, however, and might be to blame in this instance. They can cause gastric ulceration, though this usually occurs in larger quantities or with overdose. If he hasn't been drinking his water for just tonight, I wouldn't begin to panic just yet. If he continues not to drink for another 12 hours and/or vomits with greater strength or frequency, get him into a veterinarian for a diagnostic work up and/or treatment plan to get him feeling better. Be sure you tell your vet the exact point of time he last received an aspirin so that he knows if it is safe to prescribe other types of anti-inflammatory drugs without the risk of cross-reactivity. If Jack struggles with arthritis, he may benefit from having an anti-inflammatory available to him on days when he struggles the most - this would be a discussion for you and your vet to have. I would also encourage you to consider starting him on a supplement that contains fatty acids and glucosamine chondroitin. Hope this makes sense.

Hello there! The amount of aspirin you gave to Whitney is probably not enough to hurt her, however it is my general recommendation to avoid giving aspirin to dogs whenever possible. Aspirin is very hard on a dog's stomach, and can cause gastrointestinal distress and even ulcers or organ failure if given in too large of a dose, or over a long period of time. There are now lots of pain medications available that are made specifically for dogs that have less of an effect of their body, though they are only available through your vet or a veterinary pharmacy. If you have a relationship with a veterinarian, they may be willing to write you a prescription for a dog-safe pain medication if Whitney has been seen at the office recently. You may be required to go in for a visit if it has been a while, however, as there must be a recent client-veterinarian-patient relationship for the vet to dispense or prescribe these drugs safely. I hope that Whitney feels better soon!

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.