Pain Relievers for Dogs

Nothing hurts a pet owner more, than seeing his playful dog sitting in a corner, suffering in pain. Depending upon the cause of discomfort and the temperament, a dog may howl or retreat in a secluded corner, suffering quietly. Sometimes although a pet dog may not howl or whine, a limp while he moves around, may indicate that he is hurt. It is here, that a pet owner has to use his intuition to ensure if his pet needs care. One has to be specially careful with older dogs in whom signs of discomfort are often dismissed as effects of old age. However, don’t fret all you pet lovers! To relieve your canine friends from such discomfort, here are a few pain relievers for dogs.

Pain Medication for Dogs

Prescription Medicines
NSAIDS or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are most preferred, among different prescription medications that ensure pain relief for dogs. These are effective for inflammatory conditions like arthritis. The common brand names are rimadyl, etogesic, novox and zubrin. Despite their effectiveness, there are reports of serious side effects of these drugs. It is strongly advised to administer these drugs only as per the dosage suggested by the vet. Even narcotics are popular in veterinary medicine, for their pain relieving properties. They have potential for addiction. However, fortunately this is not as serious a problem in veterinary medicine, as it is in human medicine. Morphine is the most popular narcotic that is used as pain reliever for dogs.

Aspirin
Aspirin is a popular pain reliever for dogs, specially in case of arthritis – a common dog health problem, as it works to reduce inflammation as well as pain in dogs. However, it is important to read the instructions that comes with aspirin, as overdose may cause stomach ulcers and thin blood.

Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic treatment has been used to provide pain relief in human beings for long, this form of treatment is now becoming a common practice to treat injuries in our canine friends. In fact, if done by an expert, such treatments are believed to be safe pain relievers. Chiropractic care include acupuncture, massage and body manipulation.

Herbal Remedies
There are a number of options as far as herbal pain relief for dogs is concerned. St. John’s wort, chamomile, alfa-alfa, feverfew and licorice are some of the herbs that bring quick relief from pain to, ensuring long-term benefits for your dog’s health.

Other Methods
In case, a dog has suffered a sprain or strain, putting ice pack within the first 48 hours is effective in reducing the swelling as well as the pain. Gentle massaging helps in calming anxiety in dogs, that is commonly associated with dogs suffering from injury. Massaging also increases blood flow that helps release muscle tension and hence soothes pain. Besides this, proper diet facilitates the process of recovery and healing of injury in a dog. Ensure that the dog has a comfortable bed in a draft free location. Take your dog out, for short but regular walks, once the injury has cured and the walk is not painful to your pet. Such walks are specially useful in reducing pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis.

Pet owners are constantly gripped with the concern “what pain relievers are safe for dogs”. Of all the different pain relievers, prescription medicines bring quick results. However, some of them are known to have side effects. Sign of good pet care is to take your pet to the vet, in case, he appears to be in acute pain. Unless you are sure of the cause and the cure, do not treat your pet at home.