Can I give my dog or cat Tylenol (acetaminophen)?
Medically reviewed by drugclasses.com. Last updated on March 18, 2024.
Under a vets care, Tylenol (acetaminophen) can be used for fever and mild pain in dogs, but is fatal to cats and should NEVER be given to them.
Dogs can be sensitive to acetaminophen, too. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage in both dogs and cats and lower the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. In fact, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin resulted in roughly 10,000 calls to animal poison control centers in 2008.
Always get specific pet medicine instructions from your veterinarian. Do not attempt to extrapolate dosing from humans to pets; always ask your vet for the right dose.
Keep all forms of acetaminophen and other over-the-counter (OTC) medications (tablets, liquid, capsules) out of reach of your pet. And remember, acetaminophen is often combined with other OTC medications, like cold and flu treatments, so keep them out of reach of pets, too.
Read next
What is paracetamol / Panadol called in the US?
Paracetamol is known as acetaminophen in the U.S. Acetaminophen relieves mild-to-moderate pain, headache and fever. It's available over-the-counter as brand names such as Tylenol, Mapap or Panadol, and also as generics and store-specific brands. There are no differences in the chemical or therapeutics uses of acetaminophen and paracetamol, although recommended doses or available products may differ between countries. Continue reading
Advil (ibuprofen) & Tylenol (acetaminophen) together, is it safe?
Yes, it is safe to take ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) together if you need to for extra pain relief, such as for a dental extraction. Taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen together works better to relieve pain than taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen separately. This is because they work in different ways with few side effects. Continue reading
Tylenol vs Advil: What's the difference?
Tylenol (acetaminophen) is only effective at relieving pain and fever, but Advil (ibuprofen) relieves inflammation in addition to pain and fever. Other differences... Continue reading
Related medical questions
- What's the best sore throat medicine to use?
- Acetaminophen vs paracetamol: What do you need to know?
- Can I take Meloxicam and Aleve or Tylenol together?
- Is Tylenol (acetaminophen) a blood thinner?
- Is acetaminophen (Tylenol) an NSAID Drug?
- How long does it take for Tylenol to start working?
- Can I take cyclobenzaprine and Tylenol together?
- Is acetaminophen the same as Tylenol?
- Is Tylenol (acetaminophen) an NSAID?
- Is Tylenol (acetaminophen) an anti-inflammatory drug?
- Can I take Tylenol while taking indomethacin and can these drugs be alternated every 3 hours?
- OTC Water Pills
- Can I take Tylenol while pregnant?
- Over the Counter Medication for Pets
- How do I treat back pain without using opioids?
- How Can I Treat Muscle Strain or Pain?
- Can Tylenol (acetaminophen) cause bruising?
- Why do drugs have brand names and a generic name?
- What should you keep in your medicine cabinet for kids?
- Can I use Tylenol for dengue fever?
- High blood pressure or heart disease: Which drugs should I be careful with?
- I have Monkeypox (Mpox): What should I do?
- Staying Safe while taking Acetaminophen
Drug information
Related support groups
- Tylenol (206 questions, 231 members)
- Acetaminophen (158 questions, 217 members)
- Pain (2,237 questions, 11,881 members)
- Fever (97 questions, 175 members)