Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Is aspirin safe for dogs?

Species: Dog
Breed: Siberian Husky
Age: 5-8 years
I bought the excel enteric coated aspirin 81mg each for my 85lb husky. I don't know what the dose is. Can you help me? Thanks.




Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

In my opinion, aspirin is not safe to give to dogs unless you have the go ahead from your veterinarian.

Some dogs can get serious side effects from taking aspirin including:

  • Stomach ulcers

  • Bleeding problems

  • Kidney damage



Aspirin does not tend to be very effective in helping with pain. If a dog is painful enough to need medication then usually they need a prescription strength medication such as Metacam, Deramaxx, Previcox or Rimadyl.

Unfortunately there is no over the counter medicine for pain that I would consider safe to use in dogs.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Can I give my dog aspirin? Can I give her a low dose(81mg) aspirin to help with I think a pulled muscle? It... (27161 views)

Possible pyometra. My dog I believe is in heat but this month instead of a thin red color the discharge... (7669 views)

Snapping noise in joints. Doctor, We have two labs (chocolate, and black). They love to run, fetch, play, and... (13030 views)

Peeing outside of box. Hi Dr Marie, My Cat Nikki is 21 yrs old......he was shot in the mouth when he was... (8501 views)

Itchy dog. This is a follow on of a question past #2740. Choo Choo's itch has continued all... (6710 views)

Kitten was hit by a car. Hello. I would really appreciate if you could help with this situation. My kitten... (9505 views)

Tramadol and SAMe Hello Dr. Marie! I feel like Oreo and I have become somewhat of a regular here on... (13762 views)

Pea sized lump. Hi Dr. This morning I noticed a pea-sized lump on one of Max's ribs on the left... (57447 views)

Vomiting foam and not eating. Hi, Pumpkin is an eleven year old male cat. He is usually a very good eater. For the... (47671 views)

Licking at foot. About 4 years ago we had one front dewclaw removed, after ruby caught it on... (8850 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.