Why Advil Is Too Dangerous For Dogs — And Which Pain Killers Are Safer!

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Advil is a well-known anti-inflammatory medication that alleviates all sorts of pain.

Is your dog dealing with arthritis, muscle soreness or some other pain-related problem?

Can I Give My Dog Advil?Straight to the point…

While fast acting and effective, this pain killer is too dangerous for any dog.

Most human drugs have a narrow safety margin for animals, but the stakes are unacceptably high when it comes to Advil.

Ibuprofen, the active ingredient, can harm your dog or worse.

Do Not Give Your Dog Advil

Ibuprofen is basically toxic for canines. The risks are very real.

Advil, but also Motrin, could both seriously damage your dog’s kidney function.

That’s not all…

The liver is also susceptible as is the stomach and heart — this is true even in relatively low doses.

Why Advil is So Harmful

Being a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, Advil can adversely affect your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.

While COX enzymes generally provide needed protection, Ibuprofen actually inhibits this essential stomach defense mechanism which is very problematic.

Another concern is limited blood flow to the kidneys.

At that point, all sorts of problems will begin to overwhelm your dog.


A Must Read: Check out a case control study regarding Ibuprofen’s toxicity.


The Timing of Toxicity

What makes Advil so scary, from a treatment standpoint, is that a medical emergency can unfold so quickly.

In other words, there may not be enough time to act!

Observable symptoms are an indicator of a situation that could be turning tragic.

Among many other complications, kidney failure may occur within 24 hours.


Warning: A single Advil tablet (200mg dose) can permanently damage internal organs. Your dog could die!


Telltale Signs of Poisoning

Advil’s sides effects include:

  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Increased thirst as well as urination
  • Clumsiness or lack of coordination
  • Poor appetite and weight loss

Another obvious symptom would be if your dog vomited — this is actually the body’s natural way to purge poison.

Advil can even cause blood to appear in bodily fluids, seizures, and some dogs slip into a coma.

Ways to Reduce Toxic Effects

Induced vomiting may be needed if your dog does not throw up on their own.

Otherwise, toxicity can sometimes be reduced with the timely use of activated charcoal or hydrogen peroxide — a professional should advise you on these techniques.

In any case, time is critically short if a pet dog has consumed Advil.

Pick up the phone or head to a clinic ASAP. Do not wait!

Safer Alternatives to Advil

You desperately want to help your dog when they are suffering with some sort of pain.

Human medications are rarely the answer. Though convenient, they often make matters worse.

You may be happy to hear that baby aspirin is an over-the-counter option, at least for short-term relief.

And here are two safe Amazon products worth trying:

Of course, consulting with your vet is always best. They’ll prescribe the right drug for your dog’s particular situation.

The following prescription NSAIDs have an excellent track record:

  • Firocoxib (AKA Previcox)
  • Deracoxib (AKA Deramaxx)
  • Rimadyl (AKA Novox)
  • Meloxicam (AKA Metacam)

Forget about using Advil!

The Bottom Line

Any brand of Ibuprofen, including Advil, should never be given to your dog.

Go this route and it could result in terrible toxicity.

It cannot be stressed enough:

Dogs are prone to organ damage making this pain reliever off limits.

Giving Advil, in any amount, is just not worth the risk!

What Do You Think? Have Your Say Below…

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5 thoughts on “Why Advil Is Too Dangerous For Dogs — And Which Pain Killers Are Safer!”

  1. My dog is 11 years old. She has a liver problem. I have been giving her milk thistle for about a year.

    She was doing good, but now she is getting epileptic with mini strokes. She’s had diarrhea for 2 days. What should I give her?

  2. My 5 year old has terrible hips. I thought we’d have to put her down. I tried dog meds and they worked okay. She’s been on 200mg Advil (Ibuprofen) twice a day for 2 years now. There is much less pain and her blood work is great. Just like people, it all depends and there’s no hard and fast rule. But Advil is not toxic for many dogs.

    1. Ed what you are saying is misleading. It is a fact that dogs have a much narrower margin of safety when it comes to Advil. Some dogs can benefit from it, but it’s generally too dangerous to use on canines. If it is given it must be a very small dose.

  3. I give my dog Advil all the time, just not too much. Do you not know this drug was tested on dogs? Drug companies don’t want you to know this so you buy an expensive veterinary prescription which is still likely to be an NSAID.

  4. My dog is 12 years old and has bad arthritis. You say that Baby aspirin is good but should I mix it in with his food or give it to him whole?

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