My dog has anal gland pain after pooping. What can I give him?

I'm sorry Cash isn't doing well! Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him. Many human ones are toxic to dogs, and can be fatal if given. If he's bloated, that's medical emergency as bloat is fatal without treatment. My advice is to take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Hi there. Expressing the anal glands is not overly painful unless they are badly infected, and does not normally require sedation. But it can definitely be uncomfortable, so it's not unusual for pets to vocalize when it's done - just like for other minor procedures like vaccinations, nail trims, or blood draws. No, it is not safe to give any over-the-counter pain medications such as Tylenol or ibuprofen to dogs. If this is a common problem for your dog, you could ask your veterinarian about having some type of pain medication on hand at home for these situations.

Hello. Yes, you can use this, or a little hydrocortisone cream, but I do not think it will really solve this problem. If he is straining due to hard stool, you can try adding a 1/2 teaspoon of Metamucil (psyllium), or a tsp. of canned pumpkin twice a day to his food to soften his stool. If his BMs are fairly normal & he is physically having problems passing stool, then this might be an arthritis issue. The best thing to do is to see your veterinarian to make sure there is not some other problem with the area, such as an anal gland infection, or even possible cancer. I hope Lucky finds some relief soon. Take care.

Unfortunately there are no over the counter pain medications that are safe for dogs. I would recommend discussing with your veterinarian if there is something you can switch him to that is more cost effective and still approved for use in dogs. You can also check into online pharmacies or box stores (such as Costco) that offer pet medications at a lower price.

Anal gland fistulas are usually very painful. I would recommend going back and asking for several days worth of pain medication (do NOT give human ibuprofen or acetominophen as those can be deadly to dogs), and an Elizabethan collar if you don’t already have one one to prevent licking. Feeding just boiled rice and chicken for 2-3 days is an option (unless Mojo has a chicken allergy) to feed a low residue diet that will be less painful to poop out. Good luck!

Unfortunately, there are no safe OTC pain relievers you can give Tuck. Many are toxic to dogs and can fatal if given. He would have received pain relief before he left the hospital, which would be why you were told not to give him the Meloxicam until tomorrow. That being said, however, it's very concerning that he's in a lot of pain. By law, I can't say if it's safe or not for him to have it early, so I would either call the vet who did the surgery to let them know Tuck is in a lot of pain, or I would take him into an ER vet immediately who can prescribe him some safe pain relief.

Unfortunately I do not recommend giving any over the counter pain medications to dogs. While aspirin is available in some pet stores and technically can be given to dogs it can easily cause stomach upset and if Koda was recently given any kind of NSAID medication it could cause serious problems. It’s also not the best for pain! I would recommend calling your vet to see if they can refill the pain medication for Koda since she’s still sore. Sometimes a warm compress can also help with comfort.