General Information

Tylenol® is a non-sedative drug used to manage pain and fever in humans. Tylenol® is ordinarily a fusion of acetaminophen and codeine and does not help in reducing inflammation. It is mostly used to help alleviate mild pain or fever. By some obscure mechanism that is not well understood, Tylenol® seems to reduce pain perception thus effectively alleviating it. It is surmised that it builds up the body’s tolerance for pain. It additionally decreases body temperature by diminishing the impacts of pyrogens, which cause fever.

Tylenol

Drug: Acetaminophen & Codeine
Common Name: Tylenol®
Drug Type: Analgesic antipyretic
Used For: Pain, fever

It is somehow of a debate on the internet right now whether it is safe or not to give Tylenol to dogs but one thing is absolutely certain, DO NOT GIVE TYLENOL TO CATS as acetaminophen is poisonous for them and could lead to mortal liver or blood disorders. There are many reasons why a dog owner might contemplate giving their pooch Tylenol or another form of acetaminophen, from wanting to relieve their pet’s pain after surgery or an injury to getting rid of a fever maybe caused by a cold or the flu… We think of our dogs as our babies and seeing them suffer is painful for us, but sometimes, we just have to sit tight and let things pass. Self diagnosing and self medicating is not always the way to go when it comes to our pets, they are after all a different specie and drugs approved for human use are not always safe when given to animals.

Can I Give My Dog Tylenol?

It is of course possible to buy acetaminophen for your pet without a prescription, however it ought not be administered unless it is under veterinarian supervision. This medication has not been officially approved by the FDA for use in pets. It is however recommended and prescribed by veterinarians when considered an appropriate treatment for a specific animal in a specific situation. Because it exists plenty of better options for managing fever and pain in dogs, acetaminophen or Tylenol is not utilized very often since excessive amounts of this drug can be toxic to our furry friends.

Answer: No

Unless specifically prescribed by a Veterinarian

Because Tylenol or acetaminophen can prove toxic to a dog if given in excessive amounts, it is unsafe to give it to your dog unless your veterinarian has examined him, knows his medical history and decides it is safe to do so. Because there are other, safer ways of managing pain and fever in dogs, why take the chance? And because there are many drugs out there available without prescription that do contain acetaminophen as main or secondary ingredients, be sure to read the label before you give any over the counter human medication to your pooch. Here are a few examples of drugs containing acetaminophen: Depon, Fibi, Paralen, Tamen, Atasol, Panado, Panamax, Crocin, DayQuil, and NyQuil to only name a few… So to the question “Can I give my dog acetaminophen?“ somepets.com says No, unless specifically prescribed by your vet.

Possible Side Effects of Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Since acetaminophen is not utilized as common practice in treating animal ailments, the knowledge about it’s possible side effects is very limited. When prescribed by a veterinarian, Tylenol and other acetaminophen containing drugs are, for the most part, safe and effective, but acetaminophen can cause adverse reactions in certain pets that need to be addressed and taken seriously. If your vet has prescribed Tylenol to your dog or you decide to administer the drug without the opinion of a professional the recommended dosage for dogs is 5 to 10 mg/pound (10 to 20 mg/kg), two to three times in a 24h period. Obviously, this medication should never be administered to a dog that is known to be allergic or hypersensitive to it. Tylenol has been associated with kidney, liver and gastrointestinal tract damage in dogs so keep a close eye for the following possible side effects: