Just as it is unwise for one person to share prescription medicine with another, it can also be dangerous to give pain medication intended for humans to animals. In general giving a dog ibuprofen, or other pain medication like acetaminophen, is not considered wise. The most dangerous of these is acetaminophen, since this can damage the liver of a cat or dog and be almost instantly fatal.

Both aspirin and ibuprofen are classed as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These types of pain medication are useful, but may cause damage to the stomach lining, and there are no guidelines for dosage to animals on pain medication purchased for humans.

In some cases, a veterinarian may prescribe a pain medication like aspirin or ibuprofen. If this is the case, and the prescription seems expensive, you can ask about giving the dog ibuprofen or aspirin from your own medicine cabinet. Some dogs are very good at taking pills, and the veterinarian can provide exact dosing requirements.

However, ibuprofen is seldom the first choice pain medication for dogs. Usually doctors use other NSAIDs for inflammatory conditions that seem to be better digested by dogs and less irritating to their stomachs.

If in the past, you have given a dog ibuprofen as pain medication under the directions of a veterinarian, it is still better to seek the advice of the vet before giving the dog more drugs. This is especially true if the initial treatment was not for an ongoing condition, but for a one-time injury.

A new condition that is resulting in pain to the dog should mean assessment by a vet. This will ensure that there are no injuries or illnesses, which require other medical intervention. Not understanding the cause of pain could lead to greater injury, especially if the pain is somewhat masked by different types of pain medication. It is always better to check with a vet before giving any pain medication, especially pain medication meant for people, to an animal.