The Best Painkillers for Pets

Pets can get sick and even die from painkillers formulated for humans. They require special painkillers that are mild on their stomachs and in the correct dosage for their weight and age. The best painkillers for pets depend on the type of pet, its age, weight and specific pain. Consult your veterinarian before giving your pet any type of medication.

  1. Conventional Analgesics

    • Conventional analgesics are among the most common type of painkillers for dogs and include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, opoids and topical pain relievers. While NSAIDs specifically formulated for dogs are often the best type of painkiller for them, cats cannot take NSAIDs because they cause liver damage, and opoids can be very harmful to them in inappropriate doses. Topical pain relievers come in the form of ointments and creams, are effective on both dogs and cats, and are applied directly to wounds. Never give aspirin or acetaminophen products to cats, and never give acetaminophen or ibuprofen to dogs.

    Unconventional Analgesics

    • This group of painkillers include tranquilizers, anticonvulsants and corticosteroids. Veterinarians often combine them with conventional analgesics to improve their efficacy. These analgesics are for pets like horses, dogs and cats with ongoing pain from muscle damage, arthritis and immune illnesses. For example, tranquilizers may be the best type of painkiller for pets with muscle damage while corticosteroids are best for pets with joint pain.

    Natural Painkillers

    • Nearly every type of pet can benefit from acupuncture, massage therapy and chiropractic work. Dogs can wear copper collars to alleviate the pain caused by arthritis, while horses can benefit from electromagnetic blankets that increase blood flow to problem areas. According to the book "Flower Essences for Animals," by floral essence expert Lila Devi, the essences of particular flower tinctures resonate with an animal's life-force energy, providing a subtle yet effective way to balance a pet's emotional pain by gleaning nature's healing power.

    Exotic Pets

    • Some exotic pets can benefit from NSAIDs, as do dogs and cats. Rabbits and birds, for example, can't have acetaminophen but can have aspirin, which is one of the best painkillers because of effectiveness and low cost. Most exotic pets can also benefit from holistic medicines. Birds with arthritis, for example, may benefit from ingesting apple cider vinegar and having their joints rubbed with aloe juice, according to AvianWeb.com.