Eddie Garcia, D.V.M. – Clinic Director at Veterinary Medical Clinic
Many human medications are the same as dog medications. A pet owner might be inclined to give the pet a dose of a human medicine when their veterinarian may not be available to advise.
Unless your pet’s doctor has given specific instructions about which medications and how much to give, you should avoid the temptation. Your well intended act has the potential to harm your pet.
A drug like aspirin or another NSAID (like Advil or Motrin) might in some cases, cause severe bleeding and/or damage to the stomach wall. The metabolism of drugs in dogs and cats can differ from that in humans, which means that the standard dose of human pain reliever included in one tablet or capsule may be an overdose for your pet.
A medication prescribed for your dog should never be given to any other species of pet without the specific direction of your veterinarian.