Can Dogs Take Human Cold Medication?

Actually, whether it's cats or dogs, it's not advisable to feed them human cold medications. Let's delve into the reasons in detail.

Incorrect Diagnosis of the Cause

 The most common basis for pet owners to judge that their pets are suffering from a cold is through symptoms like sneezing and runny nose. However, many other situations can lead to these symptoms in pets.

In dogs, these symptoms can be caused by anything from mild issues like exposure to irritants or mild allergies to severe conditions like highly fatal canine distemper. For mild symptoms, delaying treatment can worsen the condition, and for severe cases, it can mean the loss of the pet's life.

Cats, in addition to similar allergies and respiratory irritation, can also exhibit the typical symptoms of a highly contagious disease known as feline rhinotracheitis, which is also characterized by sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes.

If the cause is misdiagnosed, it not only endangers the cat's life but can also lead to the spread of the infection, harming more cats.

Therefore, we advise that when pets show abnormal symptoms, do not arbitrarily administer medication or blindly trust online information. We cannot know whether the person writing these words online has the qualifications of a veterinarian.

What we can be sure of is that the pet in our hands is a living creature that cannot be used as a guinea pig.

What is a good medicine for you may be poison for me

Even if we侥幸 manage to guess correctly that the pet's sneezing and runny nose are due to catching a cold, we should never feed them human cold medications.

This is because the main ingredient in human cold medications is usually acetaminophen, which primarily targets symptoms like fever, headache, and joint pain, hence also known as "paracetamol" or "acetaminophen." In the human body, acetaminophen combines with glucose and sulfate to produce nontoxic metabolites, which are then metabolized by the liver and kidneys.

Acetaminophen in moderate amounts has no effect on a healthy human body.

However, cats and dogs do not have the ability to metabolize acetaminophen into a nontoxic form in their bodies, making this drug a poison to them. Cats can be fatal with just 10mg/kg of acetaminophen. Even in children's human cold medications, there is often acetaminophen. Dogs have an even poorer metabolism of this component, so if ingested, the situation can be even worse.

Every year, we treat several cases of pets that have ingested human cold medications and are in critical condition. Some recover after treatment, while others suffer from permanent liver and kidney damage. Some even lose their lives. Among these pets, some were originally just sneezing a few times.

Not Just Cold Medications

Actually, it's not just cold medications; many common household drugs are also not suitable for pets. Here, we list a few common examples.

Tranquilizers

Some people give pets tranquilizers to keep them calm during transportation or other situations. However, tranquilizers do not make cats or dogs sleep peacefully. Many pets experience abnormal excitement, ataxia (a "drunken" state), slowed breathing, and even liver failure after taking these drugs.

Contraceptives

Some owners give their pets human contraceptives to suppress their estrus or heat cycles. However, these drugs are not effective in inhibiting estrus and can even cause bone marrow suppression and harm their health.

Ibuprofen

 Ibuprofen is a common overthecounter pain reliever and fever reducer. However, cats and dogs may experience gastrointestinal ulcers or acute kidney failure after taking it.

Choose Pet Medications

Some say that pet medications are a form of "tax on intelligence." They argue that pet medications have the same ingredients as human medications, but the content is reduced, and the price is higher.

Even if we correctly identify the cause and select the right medication, can we really use human medications instead of pet medications?

Never forget that dosage is crucial. Human medications and pet medications come in different strengths, and improper use can lead to overdose or insufficient treatment, exacerbating the condition.

Pet medications are more professional and precise, and as long as they are prescribed by a veterinarian, there is no risk of poisoning or insufficient treatment.

Moreover, some medications are formulated with flavorings to make them more palatable for pets, reducing their resistance to taking them.

Therefore, if you truly love your pet, seek assistance from a professional veterinarian when they show signs of illness and choose standardized pet medications.