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. 2023 Mar;9(2):679-686.
doi: 10.1002/vms3.1058. Epub 2023 Feb 16.

Current perceptions and use of paracetamol in dogs among veterinary surgeons working in the United Kingdom

Alba M Bello  1 , Charlotte Dye  1
Affiliations

Current perceptions and use of paracetamol in dogs among veterinary surgeons working in the United Kingdom

Alba M Bello et al. Vet Med Sci. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is recommended as a first-line drug in the management of pain and pyrexia in humans due to its minor gastrointestinal, renal and vascular side effects.

Objectives: To explore the perceptions and use of paracetamol in dogs by UK veterinarians.

Methods: Veterinarians were invited to complete an online survey. Questions addressed career history, previous use, and personal perceptions of the use of paracetamol in dogs.

Results: A total of 450 veterinarians were included in the survey; 96% (n = 431) of whom worked in small animal practice only. The majority reported a frequency of use of 1-3 times a week (n = 197), with oral dosing being the most common route of administration (n = 440). Only 8 had never prescribed paracetamol. Paracetamol was more commonly used to provide analgesia (n = 431) than for the treatment of pyrexia (n = 292) and was predominantly used as an alternative to NSAIDs (n = 408) or as part of multimodal analgesia (n = 406). Hepatotoxic (n = 311) and gastrointestinal (n = 120) side effects were a common concern, although the majority perceived a low risk of side effects and felt they were likely to be mild if they did occur (n = 279). Only 5% (n = 24) of respondents reported having experienced side effects, with gastrointestinal signs (n = 14) and hepatotoxicity (n = 6) being the most common.

Conclusions: Paracetamol is widely used by veterinarians working in the UK. Most veterinarians have changed their perception on the use of paracetamol over the last decade and consider it to be associated with fewer side effects and with more effective analgesic and antipyretic effects than they had previously believed.

Keywords: acetaminophen; analgesic; antipyretic; paracetamol; perception; safety; therapeutic.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Pie chart illustration of the proportion of vets reporting to have prescribed paracetamol for dogs at some point during their career
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Pie chart illustration of the current frequency of use of paracetamol by veterinarians
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Histogram illustration of the number of veterinarians using paracetamol for its analgesic versus antipyretic properties
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Histogram illustration of veterinarians’ motivations for prescribing paracetamol to dogs
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Pie chart illustration of the frequency of side effects experienced by veterinarians following paracetamol administration
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Pie chart illustration of veterinarians’ perceptions of the potential side effects associated with paracetamol administration in dogs
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Pie chart illustration of the change in frequency of use of paracetamol in dogs by veterinarians over the last decade
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Histogram illustration of the change of veterinarians’ perceptions of paracetamol over the last decade
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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