In this day and age of fancy and pricey non-steroid anti-inflammatory pet medications (NSAIDs) such as Rimadyl and Deramaxx (a month's worth of these medications for a large dog can run more than $80 to $100 per month), cost-conscious consumers often inquire about using aspirin instead of these more expensive veterinary NSAIDs for chronic arthritic conditions. In some cases, aspirin alone will provide enough anti-inflammatory relief from arthritic conditions to significantly improve a dog's quality of life. Aspirin can also be used in dogs to reduce fever associated with inflammation. The canine dose is one adult strength aspirin (325 mg) per 60 pounds of body weight or one children's aspirin (81 mg) per 15 pounds of body weight. 

Like its more expensive counterparts, aspirin can sometimes upset the stomach and cause vomiting. Using buffered aspirin may help. Also, giving aspirin with food can help reduce these side effects, as can using an acid reducer (such as Pepcid) while your dog is on aspirin therapy. Obviously,if your dog shows any adverse reactions to the aspirin, stop immediately and consult your veterinarian.

Anytime an NSAID like aspirin is used long-term, periodic blood tests (at least annually) should be performed to ensure the liver and kidneys are functioning properly. Aspirin should not be used in dogs suffering from asthma or respiratory illness without your veterinarian's consent. And it should never be given to pregnant dogs, dogs with anemia or bleeding disorders, or to those pets due to undergo surgery due to its inhibitory effects on blood clotting.

You never want to give your dog more than one type of NSAID at a time or mix an NSAID with a steroid anti-inflammatory (prednisone, dexamethasone, Vetalog, DepoMedrol, etc.). As a result, if you are giving your dog aspirin and you take him/her in to your veterinarian for an injury or illness, be sure you let your veterinarian know that your dog is taking aspirin.

Note: Aspirin should never be used in cats unless prescribed by a veterinarian (where it is sometimes used to prevent blood clots in cats with heart disease). Cats lack the enzyme necessary to metabolize aspirin, so even small amounts can be toxic.

While aspirin may be safe for dogs, ibuprofen, naproxen, and the other over-the-counter NSAIDs designed for human use are not. Also, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is not metabolized very well by dogs and should not be used unless specifically prescribed by your veterinarian. In these instances, it is often prescribed in combination with codeine for pain control. Finally, like aspirin, acetaminophen can be deadly to cats and should never be used in this species.

 A client relayed a story to me on how they had to take their four
year old ninety pound hunting dog to an emergency clinic because
she had been bitten by a copperhead. The bill ended up being just
under $2000, with the fee for the antivenin comprising nearly half
of that amount. No doubt the antivenin helped speed the recovery
process in this particular case, but the dog would have probably
done just fine without it. And at $300 to $500 a vial, with
multiple vials sometimes needed, it can add up fast.

I have to say that in over twenty years of veterinary practice
(with over ten years as an emergency clinician), I've treated
multiple cases of snakebite (mostly copperheads and water
moccasins) and never used antivenin. I never lost a patient either.
Does this mean it's never needed? "Never" is a strong word. Here
are a few scenerios where antivenin might come in handy:

1. Cats, puppies and adult dogs that weigh less than 20 lbs and are
bitten by a rattlesnake or a cottonmouth.

2. All dogs and cats that are bitten by exceptionally large snakes,
especially large rattlesnakes.

3. All dogs and cats that are bitten on the tongue or on the torso,
regardless of the type of snake involved.

4. All dogs and cats that receive multiple bite wounds, regardless
of the type of snake involved.

5. All dogs and cats that are bitten by a dying snake, regardless
of the type of snake involved. In case you didn't know, the
attitude of the snake at the time of the bite can determine the
severity of intoxication. For example, snakes that bite defensively
will deliver less venom than those aggressive ones that take the
offensive. In some instances, defensive bites may not deliver any
venom whatsoever. The worst type of envenomation will come from a
snake that is agonal, or in its death throes. In nearly all of
these cases, the snake will inject its full complement of venom
into its victim.

6. All dogs and cats bitten by a coral snake. Antivenin is a MUST
in these cases. Unfortunately, supplies of coral snake antivenin
are extremely limited and may not be available in the near future.

Those cases of mine I told you about earlier? None of them fell
into the above categories. Most snake bites veterinarians see occur
in medium to large size dogs (especially hunting dogs) that get
bitten on the face. And these dogs usually do just fine on a
standard course of intravenous fluids, antibiotics, and pain
medication. Sometimes the bites occurred on the legs and digits.
These "digit" bites seemed to always take a long time to heal and
timely antivenin therapy would probably help shorten this recovery
period.
 
If you can afford it, then by all means have your veterinarian
administer antivenin in the event of a snakebite. But if you can't
afford, chances are your pet will do fine without it with standard
supportive care. Let your veterinarian know about your cost
concerns. He/she will be able to advise you on the best course of
action based on your pet's own unique circumstance.