Can Tylenol Be Used for Ferrets?

Tylenol is a popular brand name of the painkiller acetaminophen (also called paracetamol.) It also is found in many cold or allergy medications. Although Tylenol has been used successfully as a painkiller in humans, it can be lethal for ferrets.

  1. Function

    • According to "Ferrets for Dummies" (Kim Schilling and Susan Brown, 2007), Tylenol damages a ferret's liver. Although a ferret's liver can filter out many toxins, it cannot filter out acetaminophen.

    Considerations

    • "Ferrets for Dummies" also points out that ferrets most likely to quickly die from Tylenol-induced liver failure include ferrets with stomach ulcers, kidney disease, liver disease or those that are pregnant.

    Alternatives

    • Ferrets should not be given any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naxoproxen or aspirin. "Ferrets for Dummies" recommends opioid painkiller or local anesthetic injections for short-term pain.

    Amount

    • According to Dr. Jill A. Richardson of the ASPCA, only one-fifth of a standard 325-milligram Tylenol pill can kill a ferret.

    Misconception

    • Ferrets do not instinctively know what items are good for them to eat. If they can get into a bottle of Tylenol, they will eat the pills and the plastic bottle, too.