NSAIDs are used to treat mild to moderate pain and discomfort. Opioids. Used for more severe pain, this class of pain-relief medication includes morphine, codeine, fentanyl, buprenorphine, and hydromorphone.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are one of the most commonly used and most effective drug in the treatment of pain due to arthritis or after surgery in dogs and cats. Rimadyl®, Metacam®, Dermaxx®, and Etogesic® all belong to this class of drugs.
The most available painkillers for dogs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including carprofen (Rimadyl or Novox), deracoxib (Deramaxx), firocoxib (Previcox), meloxicam (Metacam), and grapipant (Galliprant).
Paracetamol is a common human medication and can be bought without a prescription. In certain circumstances, it can be used in dogs.
The short answer is NO. You should never attempt to treat your pets with human medication, precautions should be taken to keep household medications out reach of your pet to avoid a potentially harmful or fatal reaction.
While there aren't over-the-counter (OTC) pain meds for dogs, dogs can take veterinary NSAIDs. These have to be prescribed by a vet. Most human medications are toxic to dogs and can cause more harm than good. Talk to a veterinarian before giving your dog anything from your medicine cabinet.
Hot and Cold Therapy. If your dog has an injury or suffers from joint pain in a specific joint, you can apply a heat pack or ice pack to help ease the pain. Apply a heat pack for up to 20 minutes at a time to relieve pain caused by chronic conditions like hip dysplasia or arthritis pain.
You can keep your dog as comfortable as possible by providing a soft bed or couch with fluffy blankets for it to lie on. Give your dog a luxurious massage, his favorite toys, and favorite food. However, don't forget to provide your dog with a balanced diet to keep it as healthy as possible during its sickness.
If your dog is in pain it can make it difficult for them to sit or lie down. They may lie in an unusual position or seem to have trouble staying in the one position. For example, they may sit or lie down but then get up and move around almost immediately.
"Paracetamol is licensed in dogs as Pardale V for 5 days. The dose in Pardale V works out at 33mg of paracetamol for every kg of body weight, three times daily. The listed dose in most vet formularies is 10mg/kg twice to three times daily," Nick explains.
Should your vet prescribe paracetamol for your dog, it's likely that it will be a dosage of 10mg per kilogram, and should only be given once a day for one or two days.
Signs of toxicity from acetaminophen may develop within 1–4 hours of ingestion. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage or decrease the red blood cell's ability to carry oxygen (methemoglobinemia). Dogs may become depressed or weak, with rapid breathing, a high heart rate, panting, abdominal pain, vomiting or drooling.
Generally speaking, the recommended dose is 10mg to every kilo of body weight. So, a 40kg dog could take a whole 400mg tablet. Smaller dogs will require a smaller dose. As always, make sure that you check in with your vet before giving paracetamol to your pooch.