My guinea pig is in pain. Can I give her ibuprofen for comfort?

Ibuprofen is definitely not my go-to for pain and inflammation in rodents, though they are much better at handling the gastrointestinal effects than dogs and cats. If possible I would have Bugsy examined by a vet, who will then be able to prescribe a more appropriate anti inflammatory drug such as meloxicam, which is known to be quite safe and effective in rodents and rabbits. They will also be able to look at the leg and try to determine why it is swollen - whether or not there is a traumatic cause or something else. Hope this makes sense.

Unfortunately, there will be no way for you to safely give aspirin to Bailey, so I do not recommend giving it. The small benefit she would get from it does not outweigh the risk of toxicity. The dragging of the leg may be due to nerve damage or a fracture. Nerve damage is generally not painful, but fractures are. However, if Bailey has a nice, comfortable place to lay, then she will be able to reduce the pain by not moving it too much. It's best to just give her some space and let her rest for now. If you are going to the vet tomorrow, then she will easily be able to make it until then if she is otherwise acting normal. I hope that helps and Bailey gets better soon.

I am sorry to hear about your guinea pig! You are correct in that we don't normally prescribe Penicillin products in guinea pigs as they can kill the normal healthy bacteria in the GI tract leading to severe GI problems. I would recommend contacting your vet to see if they have other antibiotics available. In the US we most often use a drug called Baytril (enrofloxacin) or Tribrissen (trimethoprim sulfadiazine). Perhaps your vet does have other drug options available.

I'm sorry that Moo-moo is hurt! Unfortunately, both ibuprofen and Tylenol are toxic to dogs, so you cannot give her either of these medications. There are no over-the-counter human pain medications that are safe for dogs, so I'm afraid that you will need to take her to the vet for an exam - he/she can prescribe a safe and effective pain medication for her if needed.

Benadryl can be used in guinea pigs, but as the most common cause of cough in this species in infection, most likely this medication will not be helpful for Hershey. If she remains in good spirit, is eating well and going to the toilet as normal, you should monitor her at home and take her to your local vets after Easter. If she becomes unwell, is not eating or drinking or if she develops breathing problems you will have to take her to the emergency vets in your area.

I have found some studies that say extractions of Arnica Montana were tested and they were not irritating, sensitizing, or phototoxic to guinea pig skin. You can use it on Chiquita to see if it helps.

I do not recommend giving any over the counter pain medications to dogs. While dogs technically can have aspirin, it can cause stomach ulcers even at appropriate doses and does not offer the best pain control. Ibuprofen and similar medications are toxic to dogs. If you feel Gabie is painful your best bet is to have her examined by a vet and for them to prescribe a safe pain medication. It's also a little unusual to have pain around the rib and chest unless there was some kind of major trauma, but dogs with neck pain or back pain can be painful around their chests when picked up so I'm wondering if this might be the actual source of her pain.