Give your dog naproxen sodium

Answer 1

You should NEVER give your pet a "NSAID" type drug unless directed to do so by your veterinarian. NSAID's include aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil). These drugs can have severe and possibly fatal side effects in dogs and cats. The severity of the toxicity is dependant upon which drug is given, the dose, and if the pet has any other medical problems. There are several NSAID's approved and labeled for veterinary use, so giving the human drugs is not necessary and can be very dangerous. Check out the FDA's website at http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm055434.htm for additional information.

***Acetaminophen or Tylenol is NOT an NSAIDAcetaminophen shares the mechanism of action, inhibition of the COX2 enzyme, and also the same potential for toxicity in pets as the other drugs listed. Although it is often not classed with the NSAIDS, some experts still consider it in this category (^ Page 310 in: Hillier, Keith; Waller, Derek J.; Renwick, Andrew (2001). Medical pharmacology and therapeutics. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders). More importantly, when giving advice to pet owners I find that it is better to simplify the matter as I did in the original answer, and leave the chemistry out. Acetaminophen is extremely toxic to cats, and it would be best to avoid a cat's owner from concluding "It's not an NSAID so it must be OK".