Can Dogs Have Aspirin for Pain?
Wondering if aspirin is safe for dogs? While aspirin and other NSAIDs are commonly used for pain relief, they come with significant risks. Learn why CBD is a safer, more effective alternative for managing your dog’s pain and inflammation.
Pain from inflammation often affects dogs at some point in their lifetimes. Using over-the-counter drugs, like Aspirin for dogs, and other NSAIDs for dogs, as well as prescription anti-inflammatory medications, is not uncommon with pet parents. But that leads to the question, “Can dogs have aspirin for pain?” NSAIDs like Aspirin for dogs, and other OTC pain medications are chosen because they treat pain and inflammation quickly, but unfortunately, they don’t get down to the root of the problem. They mask the symptoms, but do not help the root cause of the pain and inflammation. Additionally, NSAIDs like aspirin are notoriously known for their poor side effects.
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How Does Aspirin Work?
When the body begins to produce inflammation, prostaglandins begin to form. Prostaglandins are a group of lipids, made at sites of tissue damage or infection, that are involved in dealing with injury and illness. They control processes such as inflammation, blood flow, and the formation of blood clots.
Aspirin is an NSAID, which stands for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. NSAIDs work by blocking enzymes known as COX-1 and COX-2; the enzymes responsible for creating prostaglandin. This in turn blocks the pain and inflammation. Unfortunately, NSAIDs are not selective in which of the enzymes (COX-1 or COX-2) it inhibits. This results in more side effects when using NSAIDs for dogs.
Can Dogs Have Aspirin: Why Aspirin Might Not Be Safe for Your Dog
While aspirin is commonly used to manage pain and inflammation in dogs, it comes with significant risks that pet parents should be aware of. Aspirin, like other NSAIDs, works by blocking COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes responsible for inflammation and pain. However, this non-selective inhibition can lead to unintended consequences.
One of the major concerns with using aspirin for dogs is its potential to cause gastrointestinal issues. Aspirin affects the COX-1 enzyme, which plays a critical role in maintaining the protective lining of the stomach and intestines. When this enzyme is inhibited, the stomach lining becomes vulnerable, increasing the risk of ulcers and bleeding. Additionally, long-term use of aspirin can lead to more severe complications, including kidney and liver damage, making it a risky choice for chronic pain management.
Aspirin can be particularly dangerous for dogs with pre-existing conditions such as liver or kidney disease, or those who are already taking other medications. Even healthy dogs can experience adverse effects if aspirin is administered improperly or in dosages that are too high.
Aspirin Side Effects In Dogs
Aspirin and other NSAIDs can cause a range of adverse side effects in dogs, some of which can be severe or even fatal. Here are some of the most common side effects associated with aspirin use in dogs:
- Gastrointestinal Issues: The most frequent side effects include vomiting, upset stomach, and heartburn. The most serious concern is gastrointestinal (GI) ulceration, which can lead to internal bleeding.
- Bleeding in the GI Tract: Due to the inhibition of protective enzymes, aspirin can cause ulcers and bleeding within the gastrointestinal tract. This can manifest as bloody vomit or stool, which requires immediate veterinary attention.
- Kidney and Liver Damage: Long-term use of aspirin can strain the kidneys and liver, potentially leading to chronic kidney or liver disease. These organs are essential for filtering toxins from the body, and any damage can be life-threatening.
- High Blood Pressure: Aspirin can cause an increase in blood pressure, which may exacerbate existing heart conditions or lead to heart attack or stroke in severe cases.
- Heart Failure: In extreme cases, aspirin use can lead to heart failure or even death, particularly in dogs with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions.
Given these potential side effects, it’s crucial for pet parents to weigh the risks and benefits of using aspirin for their dog’s pain management and consider safer alternatives like CBD.
CBD As A Natural Alternative To Aspirin For Dogs
Unlike aspirin, which simply blocks pain signals, CBD interacts with your dog’s endocannabinoid system to reduce inflammation at the source. This means that CBD not only provides immediate relief but also supports long-term healing by addressing the root causes of pain.
CBD and the other cannabinoids in a full spectrum hemp extract offer a wide variety of health-boosting benefits, with specific applications to help alleviate pain due to inflammation, injury, chemotherapy, age, arthritis, and hip dysplasia in dogs.
How CBD Works for Pain Relief in Dogs
Cannabis has been used as an effective analgesic dating back thousands of years. One of the ways it does this is actually by changing the way the recipients’ central nervous system communicates the sensation of pain to their brains. For example, when an injury occurs, the damaged tissue tells inflammatory and immune cells to begin repairing the damage. The cells release chemicals and proteins to activate receptors on nerves. These nerves move to the spinal cord up to the brain causing our dog to feel the pain in his paw. CBD products can be utilized long-term to reduce pain effectively by weakening pain signals.
Not only does CBD help relieve pain on a neurological level, but it also alleviates the physical conditions that cause pain. How you may ask? CBD helps reduce joint pain by providing inflammation relief for dogs.
Inflammation has long been a well-known symptom of most infectious diseases. However, research now suggests that chronic inflammation is not just a symptom, it actually causes and advances many common diseases. Allergies, anxiety, chronic pain, autoimmune disease, and diabetes are all examples of conditions associated with inflammation in the body. When we soothe that inflammation, we are addressing the cause of the problem and therefore the pain.
Related: Natural Pain Relief for Dogs and Cats
Research on CBD For Pain and Inflammation
A study published in 2006 in Current Neuropharmacology states that CBD has therapeutic benefits for both people and pets suffering from acute and chronic pain episodes. They concluded that compounds found in cannabis reduce inflammation. In fact, the most abundant phytocannabinoid in cannabis, CBD, has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, CBC, CBG, and THCV have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, which is why we recommend a Full Spectrum Hemp Extract.
CBD also outperformed Aspirin as an anti-inflammatory, in a study involving mice, published in Pharmacology & Pharmacy. In the study, they also tested CBD isolate against a Full Spectrum CBD, with the full spectrum performing about 5x better than the pure CBD.
A Baylor College of Medicine study, using In vitro and in mouse models, found that CBD significantly attenuated the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α while elevating levels of anti-inflammatory IL-10. In the veterinary study, CBD significantly decreased pain and increased mobility in a dose-dependent fashion among animals with an affirmative diagnosis of OA.
The benefits of Full Spectrum CBD are more than just anti-inflammatory. Research published in Nutraceuticals in Veterinary Medicine states that CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in dogs to aid against cancer, improve sleep, resolve anxiety and stress, and alleviate inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and pancreatitis, improve pulmonary and cardiac conditions, and act as a neuro-protectant.
Choosing the Right CBD Product For your Dog’s Pain
When it comes to managing your dog’s pain, selecting the right CBD product is essential to ensure effective pain relief. At CBD Dog Health, we offer a range of CBD tinctures tailored to different pet health needs, each formulated with the highest quality ingredients to support your pet’s health.
- EASE CBD Oil for Dogs: This 550mg Full Spectrum Hemp Extract is specifically formulated with frankincense and turmeric to target inflammation and joint pain. It’s an excellent option for dogs experiencing mild to moderate pain, such as arthritis, joint pain, or temporary discomfort. Frankincense and turmeric add anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving benefits, making EASE a comprehensive choice for pain relief.
- HEAL CBD Oil for Dogs: HEAL is our most concentrated formula, with 1100mg of Full Spectrum Hemp Extract. It’s great for senior dogs who need more CBD, those with severe or chronic pain, or pets battling conditions such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, or advanced arthritis. HEAL delivers the potent dosage required to manage intense pain effectively, making it the go-to option for serious conditions.
- Extra Strength EASE CBD Oil for Dogs: For dogs that require more potent relief, our Extra Strength EASE offers the same beneficial formulation as our regular EASE tincture but with twice the CBD content, providing 1100mg of Full Spectrum Hemp Extract. This means you get the targeted inflammation and pain relief benefits of frankincense and turmeric, combined with the higher CBD concentration of our HEAL tincture. Extra Strength Ease is ideal for dogs with moderate to severe pain, offering the enhanced potency needed for more significant relief.
In addition to our tinctures, we also offer Remedy CBD Salve for Dogs and Soothe CBD Salve for Cats for localized, natural pain relief. These salves can be applied directly to sore areas, providing targeted relief without affecting the entire body.
CBD Dosage for Pain in Dogs
Finding the right CBD dosage for your dog’s pain depends on the severity of the pain, and their individual response to CBD.
For most dogs and cats, we find that between 9-18mg of CBD is enough to manage regular aches and pains. CBD Dog Health tinctures are formulated so that each dropper provides a standard dose effective for most pets. While this dosage is suitable for many cases, finding the optimal CBD dose for your dog or cat may require some adjustments. Various factors, including individual sensitivity, age, and health conditions, can influence how your pet responds to CBD, making the process of determining the correct dosage a bit more complex.
This is why we recommend a gradual, trial-and-error approach to discovering the right CBD dosage for your pet. Start with a lower dose and slowly increase it, carefully observing your pet’s response at each stage until you find the ideal regimen.
Our Ease tincture is formulated so that 1mL of tincture has one standard dose of 9 mg of CBD. So if you’re looking for arthritis and joint pain relief for dogs or cats, collapsed trachea relief, or acute or temporary pain relief for dogs or cats, Ease is a great option. Our Extra Strength EASE is formulated with twice the CBD, so 1mL contains 18mg of CBD, for dogs who need a higher dosage. Our HEAL tincture contains our highest CBD dosage for dogs in every dropper, with at least 36mg of CBD per mL.
We also recommend our Remedy salve for dogs, or our Soothe salve for cats, when a pet needs topical, localized natural pain relief.
Related: CBD Dosage for Dogs
Success with CBD for Pain & Inflammation in Dogs
Countless pet parents have made the switch from NSAIDs to CBD and noticed remarkable improvements in their dogs’ health. For instance, my schnauzer Odie experienced significant relief from joint pain and noise anxiety within just one week of using our Ease CBD tincture.
Odie, who began experiencing joint pain and inflammation in 2016, was having a hard time walking, and also suffered from debilitating noise anxiety. Within one week of giving him a daily dose of our Ease CBD oil, he was able to walk without difficulty. He was walking so well, in fact, he felt comfortable going up and down the stairs again. His inflammatory response significantly decreased, resulting in better overall health.
Provide Your Dog with Safer, More Effective Pain Relief
By carefully selecting the right CBD product and dosage, you can provide your dog with a safer, more effective alternative to traditional pain medications like aspirin. CBD not only helps manage pain but also addresses the underlying causes of inflammation, promoting long-term health and well-being for your pet. Remember, every dog is unique, so take the time to find the optimal CBD regimen that works best for your furry friend.
Ready to provide your dog with safer, more effective pain relief? Explore our full range of CBD products designed to enhance your pet’s health and well-being. Whether your dog needs relief from arthritis, chronic pain, or anxiety, our carefully formulated CBD tinctures and salves offer natural, holistic support.