Ibuprofen poisoning in dogs – signs and what to do

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your dog has this – it can become serious. Ibuprofen poisoning is a toxic condition that can affect a dog after it eats ibuprofen.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet today
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see
Take a photo or short video to show the vet
Keep fresh water available

Don't

Do not give any human medicine
Do not wait if it gets worse

What it is

Ibuprofen is toxic to dogs and can cause serious health issues if eaten.^[1] Lower amounts can cause stomach upset and ulcers, while higher amounts can cause kidney problems.^[1]

Signs

Vomiting or diarrhoea, sometimes with blood
Tummy pain
Low energy
Loss of appetite
Pale gums
Drinking more
Urinating more, less or not at all
Weakness, wobbliness or poor coordination
Tremors or seizures

Causes and risk factors

Eating ibuprofen

How a vet finds out

Your vet may use what you tell them and your dog's clinical signs
Urine tests

How vets treat it

Fluids through a drip
Hospitalisation
Blood transfusion
Medication

What the experts say

“Vomiting and/or diarrhoea (sometimes with blood) ; Abdominal (tummy) pain ; Lethargy (low energy) ; Loss of appetite ; Pale gums ; Drinking more ; Weeing more, weeing less or not at all ; Weakness, wobbliness or incoordination ; Tremors and/or seizures”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

Can ibuprofen poison dogs?

Yes. Ibuprofen is toxic to dogs and can cause serious health issues if eaten.^[1]

What signs can ibuprofen poisoning cause?

Signs can include vomiting or diarrhoea, tummy pain, low energy, loss of appetite, pale gums, changes in drinking or urination, weakness, wobbliness, poor coordination, tremors or seizures.^[1]

How will a vet assess my dog?

Your vet may make a diagnosis based on what you tell them and your dog's clinical signs.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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