Is it dangerous to give a dog painkillers over a longer period of time?

Unfortunately, there are always risks involved when consuming medications or when administering them to your pet. Sometimes it is necessary to medicate your dog in order for it to have a good quality of life. For example, dogs with arthritis that suffer from joint pain feel much better when they get medications that reduce inflammation and remove their pain. To reduce the risk of side effects from anti-inflammatory pain relief medications (such as Rimadyl, Norocarp, Metacam, Onsior, Previcox, Carprodyl, etc), the dose given should be tailored to your dog. It is possible to reduce the dose and frequency of which the medication is administered according to veterinary recommendation. If your dog is on daily pain relief it is recommended to check its liver and kidney values at least twice yearly to ensure the painkiller has not had an adverse effect on inner organs before symptoms have had time to develop.

Dogs with chronic pain without any known liver or kidney disease do better with pain relief than without. The benefits outweigh the risks. The dog’s best interest needs to be kept in mind; finding a way to keep it pain free is therefore of utmost importance.