My dog is in pain. Can I give him medicine before the vet visit?

Unfortunately there are no over the counter pain medications that I would recommend - while aspirin can be given to dogs it has a high risk for causing stomach ulcers with even a couple of doses and it will limit what your vet might be able to prescribe. While you could consider starting a gluocosamine supplement or fish oil it won't work right away. I think your best bet is to wait until you see your vet. If you feel Rufus is truly painful then you could see an emergency vet. tonight.

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!

Do not give any otc pain medications to pets. They metabolize then differently and many are toxic. You can try using warm compresses for 5-10 minutes to see if that helps. I would try to get her to the vet as soon as you can. I'm a bit worried there could be infection from looking at the swelling.

Your dog may have an injury caused by some of the chew sticks, or a broken tooth. Other possibilities could be an abscess, or an insect bite, allergy or trauma. If the swelling does not go down by itself within 24 hrs, you should take your dog to a veterinarian for an exam. Please do not give aspirin to your dog as it could cause gastric ulcers, bleeding ulcers and coagulation disorders.

First off, do not give Sadie aspirin. It can cause internal bleeding and kidney damage, and it is never recommended to give to a dog unless strictly prescribed by a vet. There are no safe OTC pain relievers for dogs. Many are toxic to dogs, and can be fatal if given. I would call around to find another vet who is open and who can see her, as she sounds extremely painful. Until you find a vet who is open, keep her quiet and rested, and do not move her unless it's necessary.

No, please do not give Milo aspirin. It causes GI ulcers and bleeding in dogs, and is not safe to give. I'd gently wash his paw with warm water, wrap the paw with a bandage, and cover it with a sock to keep it clean and dry. You can tape the sock to his leg to keep it on, but don't tape it too tightly. Put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking at it. You can make one at home, and I will put a link below on how to do it. Change the bandage tomorrow, and if the nail is lifted, make an appointment with the vet on Monday for it to be treated. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Rufus! Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I'd take him into a vet as soon as possible to be checked out and get pain medication. If he's extremely painful, I'd rush him into an ER vet. Until he sees the vet, rest him as much as possible. Take him out to potty on a leash, and bring him right back in when he's done. Best of luck, I hope this helps!