Your best pal Lassie comes in from playing outside and you notice she is limping on one of her back legs.\u00a0 You begin browsing through your medicine cabinet looking for some medication that may relieve her pain.\u00a0 You see some aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen and acetaminophen.\u00a0 You also see an old bottle of carprofen left over from when your other dog had knee surgery.\u00a0 Naproxen always makes your headache go away quickly so, why not give some to Lassie?\u00a0 STOP!\u00a0 Call your veterinarian before you give anything!\u00a0 Medications meant for you or for another dog may not be right for Lassie and could even hurt her.<\/p>\n
With the exception of acetaminophen, the drugs listed above are all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS).\u00a0 These medications are used frequently in both people and pets for their pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory and anti-fever effects.\u00a0\u00a0 They are often prescribed for animals for arthritis or post-surgical pain.<\/p>\n
So what do NSAIDS actually do?\u00a0 Bear with me while we go through a bit of science.\u00a0 NSAIDS block an enzyme in the body called cyclooxygenase (COX).\u00a0 COX stimulates damaged cells to produce substances called prostaglandins which have several functions:<\/p>\n
-Protect the stomach lining from the damaging effects of acid<\/p>\n
-Helps maintain blood flow to the kidneys<\/p>\n
-Supports platelet function<\/p>\n
-Contributes to pain, inflammation and fever<\/p>\n
When COX is blocked by NSAIDS, pain, inflammation and fever are reduced which is great, but there can also be side effects.\u00a0 Some of the common side effects seen with NSAID use are vomiting, decreased or absent appetite, decreased activity and diarrhea.\u00a0 More severe side effects can include stomach and intestinal ulcers, stomach and intestinal perforations (holes in the wall of these organs), kidney failure, liver failure and even death.<\/p>\n
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved many NSAIDS for use in dogs (carprofen, meloxicam, deracoxib, firocoxib, etodolac and robenacoxib); only two are approved for use in cats (meloxicam and robenacoxib).\u00a0 This means that those medications have been shown to be safe and effective for use in that species.\u00a0 NSAIDS that are approved for human use do not have the same effectiveness and particularly the same safety margin if given to your pet.<\/p>\n
Dogs and cats are not small people!\u00a0 People, dogs and cats are different species and will absorb, metabolize and react differently to medications.\u00a0 A medication used for a human may last longer, have a higher absorption rate in the stomach and reach much higher concentrations in the blood stream when given to a dog.\u00a0 Cats lack an enzyme allowing them to break down NSAIDS making them particularly sensitive.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s look at an example.\u00a0 Naproxen is a very safe and effective NSAID used in humans.\u00a0 But just a single dose when given to a dog can cause severe gastrointestinal upset, stomach ulcers, intestinal perforation and kidney failure.\u00a0 Effective treatment can require many days or even weeks in the hospital and cost thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n
So, what should you do? <\/em><\/p>\n First, never give any medication to your pet without discussing it with your veterinarian first.\u00a0 We are too often faced with a well-meaning pet owner who unintentionally caused their pet harm by giving a medication.\u00a0 It is one of the most devastating problems we face.<\/p>\n Next, always inform your vet of any medications your pet is on \u2013 prescribed or not.\u00a0 Two different NSAIDS or an NSAID and a steroid should never be given at the same time.<\/p>\n Ask your veterinarian about performing baseline blood work prior to starting any long-term NSAID therapy.<\/p>\n Never change the amount or frequency you administer to your pet without first talking to your veterinarian.<\/p>\n Finally, if your pet is on a prescribed NSAID, monitor him for side effects and inform your veterinarian if you see them.<\/p>\n NSAIDS are a very valuable and important part of medical treatment for our pets and for us.\u00a0 But we must take care to use them safely!\u00a0 This is not only true for NSAIDS but any medication we choose to give.\u00a0 Before you reach into the medicine cabinet for a medication for Lassie, please call your veterinarian.\u00a0 We are here to help you keep your pet healthy and happy for a long, long time!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dr. Melissa Schupp Your best pal Lassie comes in from playing outside and you notice she is limping on one of her back legs.\u00a0 You begin browsing through your medicine cabinet looking for some medication that may relieve her pain.\u00a0 You see some aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen and acetaminophen.\u00a0 You also see an old bottle of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,15],"tags":[405,426,642],"class_list":["post-520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pet-health-wellness","category-senior-pet-care","tag-medications","tag-nsaids","tag-senior-pets"],"yoast_head":"\n