Paracetamol and Dogs
There is a common misconception that because veterinary surgeons can sometimes prescribe paracetamol for dogs, it must therefore be safe for owners to give it at home. That is not the case.
Paracetamol is a human medicine and the safe dose for a dog is not the same as the dose used for people. The amount a dog can safely receive depends on factors including body weight, age, general health, liver function, other medicines being taken and the exact product involved.
Why can paracetamol be dangerous?
Too much paracetamol can cause serious poisoning in dogs. It may damage the liver and can also affect red blood cells, reducing their ability to carry oxygen around the body.
Signs of paracetamol poisoning can include:
- Vomiting or loss of appetite
- Weakness, tiredness or depression
- Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
- Swelling of the face or paws
- Changes in the colour of the gums
- Abdominal discomfort
- Yellowing of the eyes, gums or skin, which may indicate liver damage
Symptoms may not always appear immediately, so a dog should not be assumed to be safe simply because it appears well after swallowing paracetamol.
If your dog is in pain
Never reach for medication from the household medicine cabinet without first speaking to your veterinary surgeon. Pain can have many causes and giving the wrong medicine may not only be dangerous, but can also mask symptoms and delay the correct diagnosis.
Your vet can decide which pain relief is appropriate and prescribe a veterinary medicine at a dose suitable for your dog. If paracetamol is recommended, follow the veterinary instructions exactly and do not increase the dose or give it more frequently than advised.
If your dog has accidentally eaten paracetamol
If possible, have the packaging with you and tell the vet the strength of the tablets or medicine, approximately how much may have been swallowed, and when it happened.
