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Pets 101: Should you give over-the-counter human drugs to your pet?
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Never give aspirin or acetaminophen to a cat
"Never assume a human drug is safe in pets," advised Dr. Deborah T. Kochevar, Dean of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, during an hour-long discussion as part of the school's Summer Sunset Lecture Series on July 22nd, 2009.
Dr. Kochevar noted that according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, "drugs are the most common cause of small animal poisoning." She recommended that owners talk with their veterinarians before giving any drug to their pets. "Just because an antibiotic is good for you," for example, "it doesn't mean it's good for your pet."
Dr. Kochevar talked a lot about the most common over-the-counter drug, aspirin (salicylate) and explained its comparative half-life (the time it takes for 50% of the drug to disappear from the body's plasma) in a variety of animal species, including dogs (8.6 hours), horses (1.0-3.0 hours), and cats (22-45 hours). In humans, aspirin has a half-life of 3.0 hours, when administered orally.
Because of aspirin's very long and widely varying half-life in cats, Dr. Kochevar recommended that feline caretakers should never give their cats aspirin. "There are better and safer drugs for cats," she said.
Other salicylates, such as Bismuth subsalicylate, the primary active ingredient in such over-the-counter concoctions as Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate, are equally taboo for cats.
On the other hand, there may be times when your veterinarian would appropriately advise you to give aspirin to your dog. A veterinarian will take into account the dog's age and general health, as well as any other medications he's taking, in determining the appropriate dosage.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) should never be administered to a cat, Dr. Kochevar said. And, she added, "there it no reason to ever give it to a dog, either."
In the event that your pet breaks into a pill bottle or accidentally ingests quantities of a drug designed for humans, or too much of an animal-appropriate drug, Dr. Kochevar urges pet owners to call their veterinarians immediately, to get instructions on how to safely eliminate as much of the drug as possible before it can be absorbed. If you can't reach your own vet, or a local practitioner, help is available through the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center Hotline (888-426-4435) but you'll have to agree to pay $60 by credit card before you'll be put through to an on-call veterinarian.
While drug overdoses are medical emergencies for all animal species, Dr. Kochevar stressed that this is especially true for cats, for whom "toxicity can become lethal very quickly."
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