A vet Jeff Grognet, from Mid Island Animal hospital on Vancouver Islan is the author of the following article of interest. Thanks to Hans and Elisabeth for sending it to me.
Acetaminophen
Several people, over the years, have given acetaminophen tablets to their
cats to help bring down fevers. Acetaminophen is commonly sold as Tylenol®.
This is dangerous. It causes liver damage and methemoglobinemia (damage to
the red blood cells). A single tablet given to a cat can cause death within
forty eight hours.
For dogs, it can be used, but overdosing is an issue. A regular strength
tablet (325 mg) can seriously harm a 14 pound dog. Intensive treatment and
specialized medications are required to counteract the toxic effects of this
drug.
Ibuprofen
The number one hazard for dogs is the human anti-inflammatory ibuprofen,
often sold as Advil®. Though widely used in people, this medication has a
very narrow safety margin in dogs. A single 200 milligram tablet given to a
17 pound dog can trigger severe gastrointestinal ulceration which causes
inappetance, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
At slightly higher doses, ibuprofen shuts down the blood supply to the
kidneys, causing acute renal failure and death. At even higher doses, dogs
develop nervous signs including depression, seizures and coma.
In cases of accidental exposure, dogs find ibuprofen's sugar coating so
attractive that they don't usually stop after eating one tablet; they
consume an entire bottle. Ibuprofen toxicity is treated by: inducing
vomiting; giving activated charcoal to absorb the toxin; and providing
intravenous fluids to maintain blood supply to the kidneys. If dogs are
treated early enough, with appropriate therapy, most can survive poisoning.
Ibuprofen should never be given to dogs (or cats).
Acetylsalicylic Acid (ASA)
Most often referred to as Aspirin, it is a weak painkiller that is
considered to be relatively safe in dogs. It can, however, cause depression,
vomiting, and anorexia if too much is given. It can also trigger significant
gastrointestinal bleeding. ASA toxicity is treated with intravenous fluids
to maintain kidney function and activated charcoal to absorb the medication.
Cats metabolize ASA differently. We do use it in certain circumstances (to
reduce blood clotting), but it is every third or fourth day. It is not
effective as a painkiller at this low dose.
Mixing Drugs
When you give medication such as ASA or acetaminophen, you must follow
certain precautions. First of all, these products are not designed for
daily, long-term use. They should only be given intermittently for short
periods.
Second, they should not be given with steroids (e.g. prednisone). If these
drugs are combined, the risk of gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding
significantly increases.
Third, these medications should only be given to healthy dogs. They are
contraindicated in dogs with kidney or liver disease, and in dehydrated
dogs.
And lastly, if you give a medication such as ASA, it stops us from using
effective painkillers such as Metacam. We need a wash-out period of a week
before we can switch medication. This means that we may not be able to
control the pain in the interim.
The Best Thing to Do
If you have a pet in pain, do not give medication without speaking to us.
Dogs and cats are not people. Their bodies handle medications very
differently than ours. We can tell you if a certain medication is safe. We
also have effective, safe painkillers and anti-inflammatories for dogs and
cats.
Regine Zakaib $50.00
Tina Krause $50.00
Mildred Klassen & Brian Alford, in memory of Al Pushee $50.00
