Anti Inflammatory For Dogs - What Is Safe?

With the premium foods and medical care available today, our pets are living longer and longer. As dogs get older, past injuries,disease or joint wear may create inlammation and pain. Cast your eye over the following list of symptoms and be aware of any your dog may be displaying:

Constant licking of particular joints
Stiff legged gait when walking
Muscle mass shrinking or loss of tone
Cannot jump up
Swelling, redness/heat in the joints
Some stiffness when rising or attempting to lay down

Pain Killers Versus Anti Inflammatories

Let's just clear up any confusion here.You can identify inflammation by its tell tale swelling and redness, along with pain in a specific area of your dogs body. Anti-inflammatory drugs target the symptoms of inflammation by reducing swelling and discomfort. Pain killers do exactly that - they stop the pain without necessarily reducing the inflammatory symptoms.

Can I Give My Dog Human Drugs?

Certain drugs formulated for humans, such as buffered aspirin, are generally safe for dogs. Some formulations, like enteric-coated aspirin, are not as effective when used for dogs (as opposed to humans) because of the differences in human and canine physiology. It is much safer for your dog to be medicated with canine anti inflammatories than the human specific dugs readily available OTC .

The Cost Variation

Canine medications are more expensive than the human equivalent as there are less manufacturers and the volumes of drug produced are significantly smaller. Try to save on price by shopping around at big pet produce warrehouses or online as you may be paying for medications for a long period .You may be shocked by the price differences, but it is safer for you pet than using drugs designed for humans.

Unsafe Human Over-the-Counter Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

The ASPCA cites NSAIDS as the most prevalent cause of poisoning of pets. Even small doses are dangerous!.Examples of these types of drug can include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ketoprofen (Orudis).There have been cases of severe liver damage reported in dogs given some of these medications.

Ibuprofen, even though consumed and viewed as safe for us, is not safe for use with dogs as it is the number one cause of accidental poisoning in cats and dogs. Dogs given ibuprofen have experienced kidney failure, internal bleeding and ulcers and in some cases death.

Signs To Watch For

Even very low doses of ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers in dogs. A dog should never ingest more than 50 mg of ibuprofen per pound of body weight.If you are administering ibuprofen to your dog beware of the following symptoms:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Staggering
Lethargy
Abdominal pain

See your vetenarian immediately should your pet display any of the above symptoms.

Natural Anti Inflammatories

The alternative to pharmaceutical drugs lies in homeopathic, herbal, dietary and environmental strategies, some of which have proven to be just as effective. Solutions containing Rhus toxicodendron are very effective at reducing inflammation, paralysis and rheumatic complaints. Rhus Tox, as it is known, is prized for its anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties.

When it comes to your dogs health and safety don't be misled into thinking that all medications made for humans are appropriate for your pet.Researcher and dog enthusiast Paul Madden is passionate about natural remedies and approaches to treating your pets health issues. Discover whether you should be be giving your dog OTC drugs. Go to the Anti Inflammatory For Dogs site now at http://www.antiinflammatoryfordogs.com If you want to know the best Anti Inflammatory For Dogs or effective ways to treat Dog Joint Pain check out the site.