Hi all,
Whilst reading post on here I have seen the use of Calpol mentioned a couple of times, am I right in assuming it is used for pain relief, if this is correct can anyone give me any advice in what dosage it can be used.
My old lab has started to do alot of moaning and groaning whilst lying or sleeping, have had him to the vets and he has put it down to general old age? I wouldn't like to think that he is in any kind of pain so I was thinking along the lines of giving some type of pain relief to see if the situation improved any whilst being given, at least then I could return to the vets with something solid to go on. Hope you all understand what I mean.
She

Hi
I wouldn't give human meds to a dog, unless the vet has suggested it. There are some very good anti inflammatory drugs which the vet can prescribe,to help oldies, but you need to be careful, as some of them can cause other problems, like stomach and liver problems, when taken for a long time.
There are also very good glucosomine supplements for arthritis, but I would still ask your vet to check your lab out again, and see if he can suggest anything.

Hope he feels better soon

Sami

hi

i agree never give medicine that are meant for humans stick to what the vet precribes although a lot of the drugs are also for humans you would need to know whats safe and what is'nt or it could be fatal!

I think the main problem with human medicine is that even vets don't know how individual dogs will react to it. One of my old boys had emphasyma and the vet prescribed ventalin (used for asthma in humans) but I had to sign a disclaimer so the vet would not be responsible if Mac reacted badly, although I was assured this was unlikely (and he was very poorly), otherwise I wouldn't had agreed to it of course. In the event he was fine and the ventolin helped, although the vet told me it didn't suit some dogs at all and made them vomit. So not very helpful for you I'm afraid but perhaps you could ask your vet for any experience he has of using calpol for dogs. Best wishes with your lab, and hope you can sort something out to make him more comfortable. xx

Hello

Calpol contains paracetamol and it should never be administered to cats and dogs.

I know it causes birth defects in cats , but have no idea what side affects it may cause in dogs , so it should not be used.

Take your dog to the vets for painkilling medication.

Dean

I use NOBUTE which is herbs liquid it works on all my lot when needed have used it for years dogs/horses most tack shops sell it, and some pet shops sell some thing like it.

If your lab appears to be in pain in could be the onset of arthritis etc; have you tried glucosamine, green lipped mussel and/or chondrotin supplements specially made for dogs and that have been proven to relieve joint pains in both animals and humans?

I used Calpol as a one off, everyso often emergency pain killer as my vet said used like this is ok.However I recommend that you get advise from your vet if the dog is in pain all the time.

How old is the dog? Labs when they get older do moan and groan in their sleep. What is the oldie like getting up and moving about ?

Lucy

Thanks for all the good advice from everyone.
Hi LJS
He's 11 yrs old, and I know thats a good age and to expect problems related to old age. The vet more or less said he was probably suffering from senile dementia also. I'd seen the mention of Calpol used on this site and wondered about it because I also thought that Paracetamol and animals did not mix. I just hate the thought that he may be in pain.
She

One of the problems with boards such as this is the information given, albeit in good faith, may not always be accurate.
An example is the use of Paracetamol as NSAID as per below from http://www.supervet.co.uk/dog/arthritis.html
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Pain Killers

Pain killers are the mainstay treatment for osteoarthritis, and have been for a great many years. Most of these belong to a family of drugs called NSAIDs (pronounced en-sayeds), which means Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. There is a tremendous range of these on the market, and the choice of NSAID for treatment owes as much to the preference of the individual vet as anything else. In addition, no one drug is universally effective. All have a slightly different effect in any one dog, so if one drug doesn't work, then we simply try another, and another, until we find the best drug for the dog.

An important note about NSAID toxicity:

Of all the drugs in common use in veterinary medicine, NSAIDs show the greatest differences in toxicity between species. This means that a drug that is very safe for one species can be very toxic to another. The best examples of this are:

1. Paracetamol - this is very safe in people and dogs, but a single dose of a quarter 500mg tablet is usually fatal to cats.
2. Ibuprofen - this is very safe in people, but toxic to dogs at doses close to those used therapeutically.
3. Phenylbutazone - this is very safe in the dog, but was banned for use in man (except for certain special circumstances), because of serious adverse effects.
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Now who is right, ie the posters who say Paracetamol is NOT suitable or those who claim it is suitable as a pain killer for dogs, I am not able to say but do know that less than accurate advice can be counter productive. Particularly if it results in a dog not getting the treatment it needs.

I do know that vets are not allowed to prescribe human drugs for animals unless the drugs have been found suitable and then the vet can only prescribe the veterinary product even if the human product is identical and cheaper. A bit like your GP prescibing a 'named' product rather than the generic drug itself.

This comment IS MOST DEFINITELY NOT aimed at anyone writting here but as a general premis.

My vet told me to use aspirin rather than paracetamol on my dogs - half a tablet twice a day for a dog the size of a labrador.
:)