Ibuprofen toxicity in dogs is a serious medical condition. It is a common over the counter pain killer, but it is not designed for use in dogs. Small doses can result in serious problems for your pet. If you observe any of the symptoms below, medical attention should be sought immediately; caught early and given appropriate supportive care, most dogs make full recoveries.
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Signs
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The drug first acts on the dogs stomach causing bleeding ulcers much like in people who take too much. After it is absorbed, it can not be properly filtered by the kidneys causing them to shut down and, in some instances, fail, resulting in death.
Dogs with this toxicity typically present with a host of symptoms including, but not limited to vomiting and bloody diarrhea, caused by blood in the digestive tract from the ulcers. If enough blood is lost it can be life threatening for the dog. Other signs include loss of appetite, dark mucous membranes and lethargy, symptoms of kidney failure.
Bleeding ulcers and kidney failure do not resolve on their own and require treatment from a licensed veterinarian to save the dog. In most cases this condition is highly treatable and most dogs do very well in the long run.
Treatment
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Treatment for ibuprofen toxicity has many elements. The most pressing is to protect and restore kidney function and reverse the resulting dehydration. Dehydration affects every system, but is especially hard on the cardiovascular system as it tries to pump the thickened blood through the body. Blood work should be done to ascertain the level of dehydration and the condition of the kidneys.
Supportive care is the best course of treatment. This usually involves intravenous fluids and electrolyte replacement to help flush the toxins out of the body. This also helps flush the struggling kidneys and normalizes the blood making it easier for the heart to pump. Medications are also given to coat and protect the damaged stomach lining. Often the dog will need to be hospitalized to receive several days of fluids while the toxins are flushed. Stomach medications will often continue for a week or so after the dog returns home.
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