My dog has a painful bite. What can I give him for pain relief?

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!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Sam. Poor boy! Unfortunately there are no OTC pain relievers you can give him. Many human ones are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. You can try putting a cold compress on his neck where he got the bite to see if that helps with his pain. Have him seen by a vet first thing in the morning. Best of luck.

Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him. Many human ones are toxic to dogs, and can be fatal if given. I think it's best if Little Bit is in a lot of pain to take him into an ER vet now.

Ouch, poor Koda! Unfortunately, there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs. Koda's vet will be able to prescribe any necessary medications. You can try placing a warm compress on the lesion periodically to temporarily provide a bit of relief until his appointment later this morning. I hope that he's feeling better soon!

Ouch, poor Norah. Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give her, many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. Please take her into a vet now for treatment, she will need antibiotics in addition to pain medication. Best of luck.

I would strongly recommend that you take OJ to a vet. Dog bites are very nasty, and get infected quite easily. They often require oral prescription antibiotics and pain medications. Unfortunately, it is illegal for me to prescribe medications without physically examining OJ, and there aren't OTC pain medications that are safe for dogs. You can help him by getting him to rest, bringing food and water to him, and keeping the wound clean. Just use a warm wet washcloth or gentle water spraying, don't use alcohol or peroxide on the wound.

Do not give him any over the counter human pain relievers as they can be toxic to dogs. He should be examined by a vet to treat any problems that he is having. He may need an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory and your vet can prescribe the right medications to treat his problems.