The Vet’s Office
Finding Help at the Pharmacy
by Ben J. Character, DVM


alk into any drugstore or the pharmacy section of your local superstore, and you’ll find a wide variety of medications available over-the-counter (OTC). Colds, coughs, aches, pains, sniffles, snorts… there’s something for just about anything that ails you. But have you ever wondered how many of those available medications might be useful for caring for your hunting dog as well? As you might expect, most of the human OTC drugs are pretty specific regarding the symptoms and problems that we, as humans, run across. But there are many different OTC medications in formulations that are usable for dogs.

Most OTC medications are simply “symptom modifiers,” meaning that they target symptoms instead of causes. There are some notable exceptions to this, such as topical antibiotics that prevent infections while minor cuts or scrapes heal; but the majority of OTCs cut the cough, dry up the drip, firm or loosen the bowels, or stop the pain long enough for the primary cause to abate. Please consult the accompanying two tables for what is and is not safe for your dog, and talk to your veterinarian about the proper dosage amounts.

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