Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How well acetaminophen suppositories work in healthy and sick dogs
By Sikina, E R et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics·2018·Department of Medical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Bioavailability of suppository acetaminophen in healthy and hospitalized ill dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at how well acetaminophen (a common pain reliever) works in healthy and sick dogs when given as a suppository. In healthy dogs, the suppository was absorbed quickly but not consistently, while the oral form worked better overall. For sick dogs, the suppository did not reach the levels needed to effectively relieve pain. This suggests that acetaminophen may not be the best choice for treating pain in dogs, especially when given as a suppository. More research is needed to find effective dosing options.
People also search for: dog pain relief options · acetaminophen for dogs · how to give a dog a suppository
Abstract
To determine the plasma pharmacokinetics of suppository acetaminophen (APAP) in healthy dogs and clinically ill dogs. This prospective study used six healthy client-owned and 20 clinically ill hospitalized dogs. The healthy dogs were randomized by coin flip to receive APAP orally or as a suppository in crossover study design. Blood samples were collected up to 10 hr after APAP dosing. The hospitalized dogs were administered APAP as a suppository, and blood collected at 2 and 6 hr after dosing. Plasma samples were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. In healthy dogs, oral APAP maximal concentration (C=2.69 μg/ml) was reached quickly (T=1.04 hr) and eliminated rapidly (T1/2 = 1.81 hr). Suppository APAP was rapidly, but variably absorbed (C=0.52 μg/ml T=0.67 hr) and eliminated (T = 3.21 hr). The relative (to oral) fraction of the suppository dose absorbed was 30% (range <1%-67%). In hospitalized ill dogs, the suppository APAP mean plasma concentration at 2 hr and 6 hr was 1.317 μg/ml and 0.283 μg/ml. Nonlinear mixed-effects modeling did not identify significant covariates affecting variability and was similar to noncompartmental results. Results supported that oral and suppository acetaminophen in healthy and clinical dogs did not reach or sustain concentrations associated with efficacy. Further studies performed on different doses are needed.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29756216/