My dog is hurting. What pain relief can I safely give him at home?

Unfortunately there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs or cats. If the pain can be located other than in the chest or abdomen, you can cool the area to relieve some pain. If your dog has severe pain you should see an out of hours veterinarian for an exam and a prescription.

Dogs can experience pain from a variety of health conditions, including [osteoarthritis](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/arthritis-1/),[ dental disease](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/dental-disease/), [urinary tract infections](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/utis-in-dogs/) or traumatic injuries, among many others. While it is extremely difficult to see our four-legged friends in pain, there are no safe and effective over-the-counter medications for managing pain in dogs (or cats). Over the counter pain relievers for humans, such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and naproxen (Aleve) are all toxic to animals. Aspirin should also not be given to dogs because it causes significant irritation and potential ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract, and it inhibits a dog’s ability to clot blood. If you think that your dog is in pain, your best bet is to take him to your veterinarian. After performing a [physical exam](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-does-your-veterinarian-look-for-during-a-physical-exam/), your veterinarian will be able to prescribe safe and effective medication. Only give pain medication to the pet for which it was prescribed due to risks with drug interactions, improper doses or contraindications with certain medical conditions. ### Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates. Galliprant is a registered trademark of Aratana Therapeutics, Inc.

The only pain killers you can give to your dog are dog specific pain killers such as Rymadil and Metacam, you can't give him any human pain killers. if he has been in an accident you must take him to the vet anyway to make sure his injuries are not severe.

Unfortunately there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs, as the ones we use in humans can cause liver toxicity and stomach ulcers. I would recommend consulting with your veterinarian for a pain medication. The most popular are NSAIDs such as carprofen, meloxicam, and deracoxib. For long term/mild Arthritis pain a glucosamine chondroitin joint supplement like Dasuquin can help but must be taken daily for about a month before results are seen.

Unfortunately there are no over the counter pain medications that are safe for dogs. I would recommend discussing with your veterinarian if there is something you can switch him to that is more cost effective and still approved for use in dogs. You can also check into online pharmacies or box stores (such as Costco) that offer pet medications at a lower price.

You cannot give your dog human pain killers, the pain killers should be prescribed by your vet as these are dog specific pain killers. if the leg is broken it must at the very least be put in a splint, it will immobilize the leg, it will give it a chance to heal and will reduce the pain significantly.

Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give Mowgli. Many human ones are toxic to dogs, and can be fatal if given. You need to take him into the vet to get him safe pain medication. Best of luck.