How 10 Common Human Medications Affect Your Pet’s Health

When our pets are sick, all we want is for them to get better quickly. That is why we can give them medicines for human use without considering that the metabolism of dogs and cats does not work like ours, and that what can help us can cause great damage to pets. For this reason, it is always advisable to consult a veterinarian before giving them any substance or leaving it within their reach.

O incredible.club wants to tell you about 10 common medicines for human use and the effects they have on our four-legged friends, if given or ingested accidentally.

This medicine helps to reduce fever and relieve pain effectively. But when it comes to dogs and cats, it’s a very different story. In the case of cats, it reduces the ability to carry oxygen in the blood, in addition to causing severe liver damage, making them look sad and changing the color of their gums. In addition, a study carried out in Kansas assured that dogs can suffer liver damage if they consume this drug in large amounts.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), this medication (which acts as a decongestant in humans) can also be given to rodents, cats, and dogs. However, if the adequate dose is not indicated for the size and weight of the animal, it can cause agitation, hyperactivity and tachycardia 15 to 30 minutes after consumption, with dogs being the most sensitive to its effects. If use is prolonged, it can cause breakdown in muscle tissue.

In some cases, similar to treatments for humans, veterinarians prescribe this drug to their four-legged patients to treat anxiety and epilepsy. However, it has been proven that its prolonged use can mainly affect the liver of cats. Dogs can also take damage, albeit more moderately.

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine conducted a study to determine the level of toxicity of this drug in dogs, and found that, in high doses, it can cause hyperactivity, tachycardia, vomiting and even death. It has also been found that this drug (used to increase concentration) can cause tachycardia, increased respiratory rate and hypertension in cats. However, the symptoms disappeared 25 hours after ingestion.

The toxicity of these drugs ranges from moderate to severe, depending on the dose. Beta blockers are used to treat heart problems such as arrhythmias and to regulate blood pressure in dogs, cats and humans. However, if the medication is taken too long, it can slow the heart rate, cause kidney damage (if used for a long time), and even lead to death.

This compound is prescribed to human patients with conditions such as type 2 diabetes. In a study conducted by the Animal Poison Control Center, the drug was given to dogs and cats with the same condition, with dogs being more affected compared to cats. In both cases, after taking an overdose, vomiting and severe diarrhea occurred, an effect similar to that in humans.

To treat asthma, albuterol can be very useful in animals and humans. Our pets can be enchanted by the colors and the peculiar shape of the inhalers, but accidentally biting or ingesting them can cause perforations and intoxication due to the chemicals contained in the bottle. Both dogs and cats can suffer from low blood pressure, tachycardia, vomiting, potassium deficiency and serious arrhythmias if the dose indicated by the doctor is exceeded.

Birth control in female dogs and cats makes some owners consider the option of medicating them with female contraceptives and thus avoiding sterilization. The problem with using this non-invasive method in animals is that it causes alopecia, changes in the mammary glands, acne and pyometra: an accumulation of secretions in the uterus that can be fatal if not detected in time.

At the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University, they did a study on the most common painkillers applied to dogs and cats, and it was proven that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause problems such as kidney damage, clotting disorders and problems gastrointestinal. However, these effects are reduced in animals that are well hydrated and do not have pre-existing conditions such as obesity.

This compound has become very popular in the fight against pain, in short-term or long-term use, in human patients with arthritis and other chronic conditions. Its use in dogs and cats has also become common, but this drug can cause poisoning in both species due to a bad dosage, especially when pets are mischievous and pick up pill packs to play with. Its ingestion can cause damage to the kidneys and liver.

Tell us, have you ever thought about giving your pet a medicine for human use?