What is the Right Aspirin Dosage for Dogs?
Just like us, dogs can feel sore from time to time, especially as they get older. Muscle and joint pain become more regular as they age, leading many dog owners to wonder if they can use aspirin as a painkiller for their pumps.
Good news – you can use aspirin so long as it is given in the right dosage and is prescribed by your veterinarian. However, it can be tough to know what the right aspirin dosage for your dog is if you’ve never given them pain medicine before or if they’re still growing.
This detailed guide will help you determine the right aspirin dosage for your dog, plus go over some guidelines to help you give your dog aspirin a little easier. Let’s get started!
Can You Give Your Dog Aspirin at All?
Absolutely, although it’s important to know when it’s appropriate and how much to give your canine, aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug or NSAID, and it can be effective for dogs just like it can help to relieve pain and inflammation in humans.
Furthermore, aspirin is used to treat the same types of things in dogs as it is in humans, such as discomfort, coagulation (or blood clotting), and more. Aspirin can cause a series of side effects if administered improperly, however.
Ultimately, it’s always a good choice to talk to your veterinarian before giving your dog aspirin or deciding to use any other over-the-counter painkiller.
When is Aspirin Prescribed to Dogs?
In most cases, vets prescribe aspirin to dogs suffering from musculoskeletal inflammation (i.e. muscle irritation and inflammation) or osteoarthritis, which normally affects older dogs. Either way, aspirin has several powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce pain and discomfort from these conditions.
In other circumstances, aspirin can be used to moderate the symptoms of certain chronic irritants or illnesses.
Human vs Dog Aspirin
You should not give your dog human aspirin unless absolutely necessary. Dog-specific aspirin can be found in pet stores or prescribed by your veterinarian. In general, dog-specific aspirin comes in buffered tablets that can protect your dog’s stomach. In contrast, enteric-coated aspirin designed for human use is made differently and is more difficult for your dog’s stomach to digest.
However, baby aspirin can work in a pinch since it’s also designed for relatively undeveloped digestive systems. If you must give your dog adult aspirin, crush it up and give it to them with their food to make it easier to digest. This will lower the likelihood of an upset stomach and ensure that your dog gets the painkilling benefits a little quicker.
Additionally, never give your dog “extended duration” aspirin or something similar. This aspirin type can be even more difficult for your pup to digest and lead to an upset stomach, as well as delay how quickly they get the pain relief benefits from the medication. Just give them regular dog-prescribed stuff, and they’ll be fine.
How Much Aspirin to Give Your Dog
Different dogs can safely take different amounts of aspirin based on their size and breed, which can affect their metabolism and other biochemical factors. Fortunately, your vet should tell you how much aspirin your dog should take when they prescribe the medication, either in pure dosage levels or in the number of tablets you should crush up and put in their food.
However, in case you forget the proper dosage levels or your vet doesn’t tell you for whatever reason, follow this rule of thumb: 10-40 mg for every kg of weight. If your dog is on the lighter side, go with 10 mg/kg. Do the reverse if your dog is on the heavier side.
You can also use this basic chart as a basic guideline. If your dog weighs:
- 5 lbs, give them 25-50 mg
- 10 lbs, give them 50-100 mg
- 20 lbs, give them 100-200 mg
- 30 lbs, give them 150-300 mg
- 40 lbs, give them 200-400 mg
- 50 lbs, give them 250-500 mg
- 60 lbs, give them 300-600 mg
- 70 lbs, give them 350-700 mg
- 80 lbs, give them 400-800 mg
- 90 lbs, give them 450-900 mg
- 100 lbs +, give them 500-1000 mg
No matter how much aspirin you give your dog, remember that you should only give the painkiller about once every 12 hours. You shouldn’t give your dog extra aspirin if they still seem uncomfortable, as overdosing is easier than you might think, and a regular aspirin dose might take a little while to kick in.
Not sure how to compare aspirin dosages? No worries. You can estimate aspirin dosage amounts by looking at baby aspirin tablets and adult aspirin tablets.
Most baby aspirin tablets have 81 mg, while most adult aspirin tablets have 320 mg. Check the backs of bottles to be sure.
Potential Side Effects of Giving Dogs Aspirin
Since aspirin is a powerful drug, it can also lead to several serious side effects. Your dog might have side effects from aspirin even if they don’t overdose, including:
- Vomiting or general nausea
- Diarrhea
- Mucosal erosion – this means the mucus in their noses might dry up or dissipate, leading to minor discomfort
- Ulceration
- Black or tarry stool
However, it’s easy to accidentally give your dog too much aspirin if you don’t follow the dosage guidelines described above. An aspirin overdose will cause symptoms like:
- No appetite
- Acid reflux
- Hemorrhages
- Comas
- Seizures
- Death
Therefore, it’s crucial that you pay attention to dosage levels at all times and speak to your veterinarian if you think you should give your dog more or less aspirin than they have recommended. Never give your dog extra aspirin just because they seem uncomfortable.
Furthermore, you should monitor your dog’s behavior very closely whenever they start any new medication, not just aspirin. Dogs can’t verbally community the way humans can, so you’ll need to pay attention to physical signs or the symptoms above to determine if something is wrong.
If your dog displays any distressing behavior, such as the symptoms above or general discomfort, stop giving them aspirin right away. Instead, contact your vet and see about alternative pain relief methods or NSAIDs.
If your vet does prescribe a different medicine for your dog, note that you’ll have to ease them through a “wash out” period of between five and seven days. That’s how long it takes for your dog’s system to wash the aspirin out entirely, and it’s not safe to give them another drug until that happens.
Tips for Giving Aspirin to Dogs
All dog owners know it can be difficult to give medicine to their canine companions, even if it’s good for them! But there are some clever ways you can give your dog aspirin without making it too difficult or traumatizing for your pup. Here are some examples:
- If you have aspirin pills on hand, try to place the pill on the back of your dog’s tongue and gently stroke their throat. This will encourage them to swallow and relax. You may need to give your dog several treats to warm them up to this process.
- You can also purchase separate digestible “pill pockets,” which are tasty pockets that dog owners use to give their pups medication. In this case, you can essentially trick your dog into thinking they’re getting a treat without medicine!
- Alternatively, crush your aspirin pills or tablets into a fine powder and mix it into their food. Wet food works a lot better for masking the taste.
- You can also place an aspirin pill inside another food, such as a hotdog or a piece of bread or cheese.
Your vet may have additional tips or tricks you can use. Remember that it’ll be a lot easier for you to give your dog medicine if you can train them to accept pills from your hand through the liberal use of treats.
It might also be beneficial for you to invest in a pill cutter and calculator/scale, especially if your dog is little and you have to chop up pills or tablets, so you stay within recommended dosage levels. It’s a lot easier to use a pill cutter than it is to slice up tablets by hand every time, and it can be useful when preparing aspirin for your dog throughout the week.
Summary
As you can see, aspirin can be a great help to your dog if they’re suffering from regular inflammation or pain. However, it’s important to make sure that you give your dog the right amount of aspirin to prevent side effects or overdosing.
Use the guidelines above as a basic rule of thumb, but don’t hesitate to contact your vet and ask them directly how much aspirin you should be giving your pup. They ought to tell you when you visit them and get your prescription, too.
Sources
Aspirin for Dogs: Benefits and Side Effects (akc.org)
Can I Give My Dog Aspirin? (petcoach.co)
Aspirin Poisoning in Dogs (vcahospitals.com)
Dog Pain Medications: Aspirin (and Other NSAIDs), Ibuprofen, and More (webmd.com)
Can Dogs Have Aspirin for Pain? (petmd.com)
