As dogs age, they are afflicted with many of the same illnesses and problems as geriatric humans. One of the most common and most painful is arthritis. As the dog ages, wear and tear on the joints causes painful swelling and stiffness. This can cause the quality of life for the animal to degenerate and hasten the onset of other medical problems. There are some human medications that can give your dog relief from this painful condition.
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Ask Your Vet
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As with anything else medically related, it is important to contact your veterinarian concerning giving your dog human medicine. He will be able to give you a list of medicines that are dangerous for your dog and the ones that are safe, although he will tell you flat out that giving human medicine to a dog is dangerous when out of professional hands. Still, by checking with them, you are making sure you do not accidentally kill your dog by giving him a medicine that is not safe.
Aspirin--Your First Choice
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Aspirin is a safe choice for dogs, as it is affective on several species to help with pain relief and swelling. The key with aspirin is dosage. The amount you give your dog will vary with the strength of the aspirin and the weight of your dog. In addition, aspirin will cause the same side-effects, such as stomach upset and bleeding, in dogs as it will in humans. So it is important to be aware of the side-effects and be careful with the dosage.
Ibuprofen and Others
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Ibuprofen can be used for pain in dogs, but it can be dangerous and easily become toxic in your dog. You must remember that human doses are different than dog doses, and, unlike humans, dogs have not built up any tolerance for these medicines. So before you give any ibuprofen to your dog, check the dose carefully and contact your vet if at all possible. Other pain relievers, such as prescription drugs, or other NSAIDS are not recommended and could easily cause fatal complications in your dog.
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