Ways to Relieve Pain in Dogs
If you suspect your dog has a tooth infection, you should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian ASAP. If left untreated, an abscessed tooth can lead to serious medical problems for your dog, including death.
However, pet owners may want to relieve pain before seeing their veterinarian. Aspirin can be used for short-term use but should never be given to puppies or dogs with arthritis. The recommended aspirin dosage is 5 – 10 mg / lb of your dog’s body weight, given every 12 hours. Pet owners should be aware that aspirin can have side effects, so giving your dog the lowest dosage possible is recommended. While human aspirin can be used in an emergency, pet owners should consider stocking up on canine pain relievers, which can be found at pet stores.
Never give your dog ibuprofen or an NSAID pain reliever, which can be toxic.
Instead of pain relievers, which can have side effects even in safe dosages, pet owners can administer Benadryl. While Benadryl does not relieve pain, it does have a sedative effect on dogs, which can help make a pet more comfortable until a veterinarian can prescribe antibiotics and the appropriate pain relief. The dosage for Benadryl in dogs is 1 mg per 1 lb of body weight.
Overall, seeing a pet in pain is scary but pet owners have options to ease a dog’s discomfort in the short-term. 
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Please note: all dogs should be treated as individuals. The Actijoy™ blog is for educational and entertainment purposes only. In the case of emergency, always seek qualified healthcare from a local veterinarian or emergency facility. Actijoy™ blogs are not designed to treat, diagnose, or prescribe medication for your pet.
Diagnosing tooth or mouth pain in dogs
Signs that something is amiss with your dog’s oral health have some crossover with our own dental symptoms, so think:
Other symptoms that dogs may display include excess drooling, reluctance to eat, and sneezing or nasal discharge.
How Much CBD Should I Give My Dog?
Every dog is different, so the dosage should be adjusted to their weight. The optimal dose of CBD for dogs depends on several factors, such as the dog’s size, metabolism, and natural tolerance to cannabinoids.
A good rule of thumb is to start with 2 mg per every 10 pounds of body weight. For example, if your dog weighs 30 pounds, the ideal amount would be 6 mg.
You can always ask a holistic veterinarian about dosing CBD. It’s also recommended to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and check up with the veterinarian at some point of supplementation.
Aspirin for Dogs: is it safe?
Veterinarians prescribe pain relievers to dogs in many situations. Reasons include controlling post-surgical pain, pain associated with dental procedures, pain following injury, pain from diseases, such as pancreatitis or urinary tract disorders, intervertebral disc disease pain, nerve root pain, painful skin conditions and osteoarthritis.
Signs of pain in dogs can be obvious, like limping or yelping. Sometimes, however, signs can be difficult to detect. The following behaviors may indicate your dog is in pain:
When a dog acts sore, most pet parents will look for over-the-counter (OTC) pain meds for dogs for the convenience and comparable low cost to prescription medication. So, what OTC meds can you give your dog for pain?
OTC pain relief for dogs is available in the form of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but not all OTC pain relief for dogs is safe. Take, for example, aspirin. Many pet parents want to know if it is safe for dogs. In the short term, aspirin is likely safe in most dogs, but it is not recommended for long-term pain control in dogs because of the risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding disorders. Before giving aspirin to your dog, talk with your veterinarian about what dose to give your dog for pain.
Other OTC pain meds for dogs, such as naproxen or ibuprofen, should NOT be given to dogs. Both have narrow margins of safety and can be very toxic in dogs. Acetaminophen, or Tylenol, also poses serious risks to dogs and should not be given except under the strict guidance of a veterinarian.
There are several options for natural pain relief for dogs. CBD oil is purported to be a natural painkiller for dogs, and a recent study published out of Cornell showed that CBD oil is effective at helping to control pain in arthritic dogs.
Another option for natural pain relief for dogs are the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA found in fish oil. A 2016 study reported that fish oil statistically improved symptoms in dogs with osteoarthritis dosed at 75 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day.
Turmeric has been getting a lot of attention in the press for its anti-inflammatory properties in human pain control. But turmeric is not well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract of dogs, and is generally not very effective in pain control.
Even though these are natural alternatives, always discuss any supplements with your veterinarian, as some supplements may be contraindicated in some conditions (meaning they shouldn’t be used in certain cases) and/or interact with prescription medications. In addition, these natural painkillers for dogs usually do not provide enough relief on their own for dogs in moderate to severe pain, and may need to be combined with additional medications to provide adequate relief. Remember: Whenever you’re in doubt, consult with your veterinarian about what to give your dog for pain.