Dog advice

[Brigid]

Hops,

Does it have to be enteric-coated aspirin?

I don't know what that is, but I always just used regular old Bayer or the generic brand from the drugstore.  Most dogs can tolerate it with no problem--none of mine ever had problems.  I had bigger dogs, however, so for smaller ones, a baby aspirin or half an adult may be recommended.  Always ask your vet first.

I guess I wouldn't offer it automatically unless the dog was showing some signs of discomfort.  If you have an older dog that is used for hunting, obedience work, or other active things, an aspirin given profilactically (sp?) can be helpful.  I know that it helps me to take an Advil prior to a day of activity these days.

Brigid

[Hops]

Thanks, Bridg....
(Enteric-coated just means a buffered/coated tablet that dissolves in the intestine, not the stomach, to reduce the chance of irritation or bleeding). I just Googled this from a vet's site:

Aspirin (dogs only)
Aspirin is perfectly ok for dogs, but not for cats. To reduce stomach irritation, use buffered aspirin or give aspirin at mealtime. For chronic arthritis pain, we now have much better drugs, but aspirin is perfectly ok for occasional aches and pains.

Use 5 grain (325 mg) aspirin tablets.

A 60 to 80 lb dog may be given one tablet twice a day (every 12 hours) or 1/2 tablet three times a day (every eight hours).  A 30 to 40 lb dog gets half as much; a 15 to 20 lb dog a quarter as much.   

Hops