Ibuprofen
ToxicIbuprofen causes GI ulceration, acute kidney injury, and seizures in dogs. Merck reports GI signs at an acute 100-125 mg/kg, renal failure at 175-300 mg/kg, and CNS signs above 400 mg/kg.
This food guide has not been reviewed by a veterinarian. It summarises general information from sources and should not be used to decide whether a food is suitable for an individual dog or to assess an emergency.
Check before feeding
Do not offer as a treat
There is no recommended treat portion for this hazardous item. If swallowed, contact a vet with the amount, time and product details. Do not induce vomiting yourself.
Signs and health concerns
This list includes both observable signs and conditions identified through examination or testing. It cannot establish the cause or whether an exposure is safe.
- Vomiting
- Bloody diarrhoea
- Black, tarry stool
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Increased urine volume
- Reduced urine output
- Raised nitrogen waste in blood
- Poor coordination or balance
- Seizures
- Gastrointestinal perforation
More about this food
Ibuprofen is a cheap human painkiller with a narrow margin of safety in dogs. The Merck Veterinary Manual lays the dose ranges out plainly. Acute ingestion of 100-125 mg/kg produces vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and anorexia. Renal failure may occur at 175-300 mg/kg. CNS effects — seizures, ataxia, listlessness, coma — appear above 400 mg/kg. The number that surprises people is much lower: dogs given 8-16 mg/kg by mouth once daily for 30 days developed gastric ulceration or erosions. Small repeated doses do damage too.
Put that in tablet terms. One 200 mg Advil or Motrin is 100 mg/kg for a 4.4 lb dog, and squarely in the GI-signs range. Two tablets in an 11 lb dog is 80 mg/kg. One 200 mg tablet in a 22 lb dog is 20 mg/kg, which is above the range that ulcerated stomachs with repeat dosing. Liquid gels are the worst offenders because the sweet, slick capsule is easy to swallow whole, and a chewed-open bottle rarely leaves evidence of how many went down.
The mechanism explains the two-front attack. Ibuprofen blocks the prostaglandins that protect the stomach lining and maintain blood flow to the kidneys, so the gut bleeds while the kidneys are starved of perfusion. Pet Poison Helpline describes gastrointestinal ulceration with bloody vomiting and diarrhea, kidney impairment that starts as excessive urination and progresses to producing no urine at all, and neurological decline through depression to coma. Black tarry stool and coffee-ground vomit mean the stomach is already bleeding.
Do this now: note the product, the strength, how many tablets are gone, the time, and your dog's weight, and call your veterinarian, an emergency clinic, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Bring the bottle. Do not induce vomiting at home. Decontamination, activated charcoal, gastroprotectants, and 48-72 hours of IV fluids with serial kidney values are veterinary decisions. And do not dose your dog from your own medicine cabinet going forward — dogs have their own approved NSAIDs, dosed by weight and monitored with bloodwork.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog ate one 200 mg ibuprofen. Is that dangerous?
- Run the math on weight. That is 100 mg/kg for a 4.4 lb dog, which is in Merck's GI-signs range, and about 20 mg/kg for a 22 lb dog. No dose is established as safe, so call your vet or the APCC at (888) 426-4435 with the weight, strength, and time and follow what they say.
- Can I give ibuprofen for my dog's arthritis until I can get to the vet?
- No. Merck records gastric ulceration in dogs given just 8-16 mg/kg daily for 30 days, so even a low repeated dose damages the stomach and kidneys. Ask your veterinarian for a dog-approved NSAID instead; those are dosed by weight and monitored with bloodwork.
- This happened two days ago and now his stool is black.
- Black tarry stool is digested blood from the upper GI tract, which means an ulcer is bleeding. Go to a veterinarian now, not in the morning. At this stage he needs gastroprotection plus checks for anemia and kidney values, and a delayed ulcer can perforate.