For dogs · Free tool

Dog ibuprofen (Advil) toxicity calculator

Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) is far more dangerous to pets than to people — dogs and cats can't clear it the way we do, so a dose that's harmless for you can ulcerate a dog's stomach, injure the kidneys, or cause seizures. Cats are especially sensitive; treat any feline ingestion as an emergency. Enter what your dog ate for an estimate, and when in doubt, call your vet or a pet poison line.

The most common exposure — a dog chewing into an adult Advil or Motrin bottle.

tablets

Estimate for triage only, based on dose thresholds from the Merck Veterinary Manual and Pet Poison Helpline. Cats are far more sensitive than dogs and this calculator is dog-only — for a cat, treat any ingestion as an emergency. A low estimate never means "safe." When in doubt, call.

Sources: Merck Veterinary Manual — NSAID Toxicosis in Animals; Pet Poison Helpline — Ibuprofen

How much ibuprofen is too much?

Each cell is roughly the amount at which this tool starts telling you to call — 25 mg/kg of ibuprofen. Below a number here still isn't “safe”: it is the point at which concern begins, not the point at which harm does.

Amount of ibuprofen, by pet weight and type, at which this calculator's first warning band begins
WeightOTC 200 mg tablet/caplet (Advil, Motrin, generic)OTC 200 mg liquid-gel / softgel (Advil Liqui-Gels)Children's / junior 100 mg chewablePrescription 400 mg tabletPrescription 600 mg tabletPrescription 800 mg tablet
5 lb0.2 tablets0.2 capsules0.5 tablets0.1 tablets0 tablets0 tablets
10 lb0.5 tablets0.5 capsules1.1 tablets0.2 tablets0.1 tablets0.1 tablets
20 lb1.1 tablets1.1 capsules2.2 tablets0.5 tablets0.3 tablets0.2 tablets
40 lb2.2 tablets2.2 capsules4.5 tablets1.1 tablets0.7 tablets0.5 tablets
70 lb3.9 tablets3.9 capsules7.9 tablets1.9 tablets1.3 tablets0.9 tablets

Rounded from the same thresholds the calculator above uses. Individual sensitivity, other ingredients, and your pet's health all move the real number — which is why every band here still ends in “call.”

Common questions

How much ibuprofen is toxic to a dog?

Stomach irritation and ulcers can begin around 25 mg/kg of body weight, kidney injury around 100 mg/kg, and seizures around 400 mg/kg. For a 15-pound (6.8 kg) dog, a single 200 mg Advil already works out to about 29 mg/kg — over the stomach-irritation threshold — so for a small dog even one tablet is worth a call to your vet or a poison line.

Can I give my dog ibuprofen for pain?

No. Never give ibuprofen (or other human NSAIDs like naproxen/Aleve) to a dog or cat — their bodies can't process it safely, and it can cause ulcers, kidney failure, and seizures. If your pet is in pain, your vet can prescribe a pain reliever made and dosed for animals.

What are the signs of ibuprofen poisoning in dogs?

Early signs are vomiting (sometimes with blood), diarrhea, dark or tarry stool, appetite loss, and belly pain. As the dose rises you can see increased thirst and urination or the reverse (kidney injury), wobbliness, and at high doses, seizures and coma. Signs can appear within hours.

My cat ate ibuprofen — is that worse than a dog?

Yes. Cats are roughly twice as sensitive to ibuprofen as dogs, so a much smaller amount can cause serious harm. This calculator is tuned for dogs — if a cat ate ibuprofen, don't estimate, just treat it as an emergency and call your vet or a pet poison line immediately.

Read nextSymptoms, timeline, and what the vet will doThe full guide to ibuprofen — what to watch for and how long it takes to show.

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These tools estimate risk — they don't replace your veterinarian and can't examine your pet. For anything worrying, or when in doubt, get a free triage assessment or call your vet.