Some human drugs can harm your pet - Dr. Aili Heintz explains

Human Drugs Can Be Harmful (Even Fatal) to Your Pets

We all want to do what’s right for our pets. Sometimes we take them for walks even when we don’t feel like going. Other times, we give them extra treats when they give us pleading looks. Still other times, we try to make them comfortable when we think they are in pain.

But sometimes trying to do something good for your pet can actually be very bad, especially when you give your pet human pain medications without consulting your veterinarian. Did you realize?

• that many of the drugs that we as humans use can be harmful and even fatal for pets?
• that many times (if we can use human medications) the dosing amount for animals is significantly different from the dosing for humans?
• that a wrong dose of a good medication may cause more harm than good?

Are all human drugs bad for my pet?

No. Actually, we do use some human medications for pets. However, the amount of a drug your pet needs may be dramatically different from a dose that you might take. In some cases, your pet needs such a small dose that it is impossible to cut your medication to that size. In other cases, your pet may require more of the medication than you would take. If you think that your pet is having a problem it is always, always best to call your veterinarian so that she can help you find a safe medication option for your pet.

What human drugs are harmful to my pet?

This is a shortened list of some commonly misused human medications that are actually toxic to pets and may cause death to our companion animals. This list is not all-inclusive, but it represents the most common drugs we see.