The best thing to do when a pet is in pain is to call a vet. Sometimes this is not reliable since some causes of pain are best solved by the owner since they have unconditional love for the animal and are in touch with their daily problems. If a pet seems to have trouble walking around perhaps due to sore legs or hips, you should make arrangements for it to walk less and not to be disturbed. Some people give pets human medications which are not totally safe. However, for short term care, a NSAID such as Aspirin of Advil can be safe for your adult pet. Puppies and cats of all ages should never be given human medications as even a small dose can be lethal. In adult dogs, continued use of NSAIDs can cause stomach ulcers and an inflammation or an overdose can cause kidney failure. For longer term pain relief, consider giving the dog fishoil which has shown a range of positive effects from improvement of the dog's coat to helping with kidney diseases. If you want to treat your dog without human or vet drugs, a great alternative is Assisi Loop, a light portable 7.5 inch loop of wire. Simply place it where the animal is sore and press the on button. A light will flash indicating treatment is being administered.
