Quote:
Originally Posted by lucasmom  Warrior 1-
Funny you should say that..."Tylenol is toxic to dogs". I told my vet the same thing. After his suggestion, I said "Isn't Tylenol toxic to the liver?".........his response...."Who really cares at this point". I was shocked that he said that to me. Afterall, I KNOW that Lucas is dying, but that is NO EXCUSE for poor medical practice. |
In all fairness to your vet, he may only have been inferring that keeping a dying dog comfortable is more important than worrying about long term damage by using a particular medication, since there is no long term in this situation.
From the Merck Vet Manual:
Acetaminophen: Acetaminophen is a para-aminophenol derivative with antipyretic and analgesic activity, but minimal anti-inflammatory effects. Acetaminophen does not inhibit neutrophil activation, has little ulcerogenic potential, and has no effect on platelets or bleeding time. The pharmacologic effect of acetaminophen may vary from that of other NSAID because acetaminophen is more effective in inhibiting COX in the brain rather than in the periphery. It has recently been suggested that acetaminophen may act by inhibiting COX-3, a splice variant of COX-1.
The recommended dosage of acetominophen in dogs is 10-15 mg/kg, PO, tid. Dose-dependent adverse effects include depression, vomiting, and methemoglobinemia. Use in cats is contraindicated due to a lack of glucuronosyl transferase and the potential for hemolytic anemia and centrilobular hepatic necrosis.
Acetaminophen is the generic name for brand named Tylenol. It appears the smaller the animal, the more at risk of toxicity (small dogs). For cats one dose can be fatal, but I read that a 50 lb dog would need to ingest 3500mg to experience toxicity, so it does appear that where warranted it use is appropriate.