NSAIDs for Dogs and Cats

By Dr Duncan Houston

When a pet is in pain, it is completely understandable to want to help quickly. The problem is that pain relief is one of the easiest places to accidentally cause serious harm. A medication that seems routine in people can cause stomach ulcers, kidney failure, liver injury, or worse in dogs and cats. That is why NSAIDs need to be used with much more care than many owners realize. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

In veterinary medicine, NSAIDs can be excellent drugs when they are the right drug for the right patient. They are commonly used for osteoarthritis, postoperative pain, and other inflammatory conditions, but they are not all interchangeable, and human pain medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetaminophen should never be given unless a veterinarian has specifically told you to do so. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Quick Answer

NSAIDs are important pain-relief drugs in dogs and, much more selectively, in cats. They work well when prescribed properly, but they can also cause gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney injury, and liver problems, even at standard doses in some pets. The most important safety rules are simple: use only veterinary-prescribed NSAIDs, never combine one NSAID with another NSAID or a steroid, and never give human painkillers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen to your dog or cat without veterinary instruction. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

How NSAIDs Work

NSAIDs reduce pain and inflammation by blocking cyclooxygenase enzymes, usually called COX enzymes. These enzymes are involved in making prostaglandins, which contribute to pain, swelling, and inflammation. But prostaglandins also help protect the stomach lining, support blood flow to the kidneys, and contribute to other normal body functions, which is why NSAIDs can help pain while also creating risk. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

That is the key concept owners need to understand. These are not “bad drugs.” They are useful drugs with trade-offs. In the right patient, that trade-off is worth it. In the wrong patient, or at the wrong dose, things can go sideways very quickly. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Which NSAIDs Are Approved for Dogs?

The FDA says currently marketed NSAIDs approved for dogs include carprofen, deracoxib, firocoxib, meloxicam, robenacoxib, and grapiprant. These drugs are prescription-only because veterinary oversight is needed to decide whether an NSAID is appropriate and to monitor for side effects. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

In practical terms, that means drugs such as:

• carprofen

• deracoxib

• firocoxib

• meloxicam

• robenacoxib

• grapiprant

are commonly used in dogs, but the right choice depends on the dog’s age, disease, hydration, kidney and liver status, other medications, and what kind of pain is being treated. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Which NSAIDs Are Approved for Cats?

Cats are a very different story. The FDA says only two NSAIDs are approved for cats: meloxicam and robenacoxib. Meloxicam is approved in cats as a one-time injection before surgery, and robenacoxib is approved for short-term postoperative use, including tablets that can be given for up to three days. Repeated injectable meloxicam dosing and oral meloxicam products are not approved for cats in the United States. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

That is one of the most important species-specific points in pain management. Cats are not just small dogs. They have fewer safe NSAID options, and their margin for error is tighter. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Why Human Pain Medications Are So Dangerous

This is where many emergencies begin.

Common human pain medications are not safe substitutes for veterinary NSAIDs. The FDA warns that ibuprofen and naproxen can cause stomach ulcers, kidney failure, and serious poisoning in pets, and acetaminophen is especially dangerous, causing severe liver injury in dogs and being potentially fatal in cats. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Aspirin is not a harmless workaround either. Even when it is not immediately fatal, it can still cause gastrointestinal ulceration, bleeding, and kidney injury. The problem is that owners often think, “I only gave one,” but one dose can be enough to create real damage, especially in a cat, a small dog, a dehydrated pet, or a pet already on other medications. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

What Are NSAIDs Used For in Pets?

In dogs, NSAIDs are most commonly used for osteoarthritis and postoperative pain, but they may also be used for other painful inflammatory conditions when appropriate. In cats, the FDA-approved use is much narrower and mainly centers on short-term postoperative pain control. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

In practice, the main question is not just “is my pet in pain?” It is “what type of pain is this, and is an NSAID the safest and most useful option?” Some pets need an NSAID. Some need a different class of pain relief. Some need imaging, bloodwork, or a diagnosis before pain treatment is chosen at all. That is where veterinary judgment comes in. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

What Side Effects Should You Watch For?

The FDA advises owners to watch for vomiting, diarrhea, black tarry stool, decreased appetite, lethargy, behavior changes, and yellowing of the gums, skin, or whites of the eyes. These can be early signs of significant gastrointestinal, liver, or kidney problems. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

What matters most here is timing and pattern. A pet who vomits once after starting an NSAID may just need a review. A pet who becomes flat, stops eating, starts vomiting repeatedly, or develops black stool should be treated much more urgently. Black stool is especially important because it may mean gastrointestinal bleeding. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

How Worried Should You Be? Severity Framework

Mild

• one episode of vomiting

• slightly softer stool

• mild appetite dip

• otherwise bright and comfortable

This still deserves a call if it continues, but it is not always an emergency.

Moderate

• repeated vomiting

• ongoing diarrhea

• poor appetite

• increased lethargy

• obvious behavior change

This should prompt a same-day review with your vet.

Severe

• black, tarry stool

• blood in vomit

• collapse

• marked lethargy

• yellowing of the eyes or gums

• dramatic drop in urine output

• obvious abdominal pain

This is urgent. These are the situations where NSAID complications can become life-threatening. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Which Pets Need Extra Caution?

NSAIDs need more caution in pets with kidney disease, liver disease, dehydration, gastrointestinal disease, or a history of ulcers or bleeding. The FDA also stresses the importance of veterinary assessment before prescribing these drugs, because health status, age, and concurrent medications all influence safety. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

This is why the same medication can be very useful in one dog and a bad idea in another. A stable arthritic dog with normal bloodwork is very different from a vomiting, dehydrated dog with early kidney disease. The drug has not changed. The patient has. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Never Mix NSAIDs with Other NSAIDs or Steroids

This is one of the clearest safety rules in the entire topic.

The FDA and product labeling warn not to give one NSAID with another NSAID, and not to combine NSAIDs with corticosteroids unless your veterinarian is managing a very specific plan. This combination sharply increases the risk of ulcers, perforation, and serious complications. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

That means owners should never “stack” pain medications from the medicine cabinet or combine an old prescription with a new one because the pet seemed sore. Even if each drug makes sense on its own, the combination may not. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Why Baseline Bloodwork Matters

Bloodwork before starting long-term NSAIDs is not just a box-ticking exercise. It helps assess kidney and liver function before treatment, and follow-up monitoring helps catch problems early. FDA guidance emphasizes that veterinary expertise and monitoring are part of safe NSAID use. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

In practical terms, if your dog is going onto long-term arthritis medication, it is reasonable to expect bloodwork before treatment and then periodic rechecks after that. That is not overcautious. It is good medicine. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Client Information Sheets Matter

The FDA says veterinary NSAIDs come with Client Information Sheets, and owners should receive one with each prescription for drugs that have them. These handouts explain what the drug treats, possible side effects, and when to stop and call your veterinarian. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

This is worth saying clearly because many owners never read them. They should. NSAID side effects are one of those areas where noticing a problem early can make a big difference. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

What Should You Do If Your Pet Is in Pain?

Do not reach for a human pain reliever. Call your veterinarian first. Your vet may recommend a veterinary NSAID, but they may also choose something completely different depending on the cause of pain, your pet’s species, their age, bloodwork, hydration, and other medical conditions. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

This is the most important practical message in the whole article: pain relief in pets is not just about giving something. It is about giving the right thing. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

FAQs

Can I give my dog ibuprofen?

No. Ibuprofen can cause ulcers, kidney failure, and serious poisoning in dogs. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Can I give my cat Tylenol?

No. Acetaminophen is extremely dangerous in cats and can be fatal. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Are veterinary NSAIDs safer than human NSAIDs?

Yes. They are specifically studied and approved for animal use, though they still require monitoring and can still cause side effects. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Can cats take NSAIDs long term?

In the United States, there are no NSAIDs FDA-approved for long-term use in cats. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Should NSAIDs be given with food?

Often yes, though the exact instruction depends on the product and your veterinarian’s advice. Food may help tolerance, but it does not eliminate serious risk. Supported by FDA safety guidance and standard prescribing practice. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

What side effects mean I should stop and call my vet?

Vomiting, diarrhea, black stool, appetite loss, lethargy, jaundice, or behavior changes should all trigger a call. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Can I switch from one NSAID to another on my own?

No. NSAID changes often require a veterinary plan and sometimes a washout period. Do not guess. This is an inference based on FDA warnings against combining NSAIDs and steroids and the known GI risk. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Final Thoughts

NSAIDs can be excellent pain-relief drugs in dogs and, in more limited settings, in cats. But they are not harmless, and they are not interchangeable with human medications. The pets that do best on NSAIDs are the ones where the diagnosis is clear, the drug choice fits the patient, the monitoring is sensible, and the owner knows what side effects to watch for. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

The rule I want owners to remember is simple: if your pet is in pain, call your vet, not your medicine cabinet. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

If you want, I can also turn this into a more authority-style Shopify article version with a stronger intro, a bigger FAQ section, and a more polished closing for your site.