PetHealth

Can I Give My Dog Aspirin?

“What is a safe dose of aspirin for a dog?”

“Are there any side effects of aspirin in dogs?”

“How do I give aspirin to my dog?”

Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with pain-relieving properties.

Aspirin can be very effective for short term and long term pain management for dogs with arthritis, inflammation, and swelling or pain from a minor injury.

Before giving any medication to a dog, it’s important to check with your veterinarian first to ensure that the drug will not interact with any other drugs that the dog takes or cause any medical problems for the pet.

What’s the Correct Dosage of Aspirin for a Dog?

The proper dose of aspirin for a dog depends on the dog’s weight. So in order to give a proper dose of aspirin to a dog, you must know his current weight.

The aspirin dosage for dogs is as follows: 5 mg for every 1 pound of body weight.

Aspirin should be given to the dog every 12 hours (twice a day).

How to Give Aspirin to a Dog

Pet owners can give aspirin to a dog using peanut butter or cream cheese. Place the aspirin pill(s) inside the peanut butter or cream cheese and feed this to the dog.

Another method to give pills to a dog involves putting the pills inside a bits of hot dog, cheese or wrapping the pill with cold cuts. Do not try to put the pill in the dog’s normal food; since he eats the food every day, he’ll sense the unfamiliar smell of the pill right away.

When giving aspirin to a dog, it’s important to give the over-the-counter medication with food, as even buffered aspirin can cause a sensitive dog to get an upset stomach.

It’s important to remember that aspirin thins the blood, so it should not be given to a dog with any open wounds, surgical incisions, or serious bruising. If you give a dog aspirin under these circumstances, it can lead to uncontrolled bleeding and blood loss.

Aspirin can also cause health problems for dogs with kidney and liver problems, stomach ulcers and other health problems.

More Information on Over-the-Counter Medications for Dogs

To learn more about the potential side effects of aspirin and cautions associated with this over-the-counter drug in dogs, see Cautions When Giving Aspirin to a Dog .

Dog owners may also want to check out How to Give Over-the-Counter Medication to a Dog, along with How to Give Pills to a Pet.

Dog owners may also enjoy How to Buy Pet Medications Online.