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My 20lb dog ate a 600mg ibuprofen pill. Is that a lethal dose?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered

i was researching about ibuprofen toxicity and i saw that the lethal dosage was 600/kg, but that’s not the dosage of the pill itself? for example, the pills has 600mg, so if a dog that’s 20lbs ingested one that would be 66mg/kg, right? obviously still dangerous but not the lethal dosage? (nothing happened btw, i just worry a lot about this but i try clean regularly and keep medication away, since i don’t live alone i’m afraid someone else might drop smth on the floor)

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 19th, 2019

Thank you for your question. The ASPCA poison control lists the following toxic ranges for ibuprofen in dogs: 25–125 mg/kg Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, anorexia > 175 mg/kg All of the above plus hematemesis, melena, polyuria or polydipsia, oliguria, uremia, acute renal failure > 400 mg/kg All of the above plus seizures, ataxia, coma, shock > 600 mg/kg Death So for death, a dog would have to ingest 600mg of ibuprofen PER kg of their own body weight. So a 600mg ibuprofen tablet would be very toxic to a dog who weighed 1 kg but not to a dog who weighed 50 kg. If a 20 lb dog ingested a 600 mg ibuprofen, you are correct this would be a 66 mg per kg ingestion and could result in some gastrointestinal signs.

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    The usual dose for Ibuprofen in dogs is 2.5 to 4 mg per pound (5 to 8 mg/kg) every 12 hours. Anything over that is potentially toxic. That is why it is rarely used. It has a narrow dosing range. So a 20# dog = 9kg 9kg x 2.5mg = 22.7mg 9kg x 4mg = 36mg A 20# dog can have anywhere from 22mg to 36mg. So anything over 36mg is potentially toxic. If the ibuprofen pill is 600mg then you would never be able to get a dose small enough to actually give 22 to 36mg. If Charlie eats a 600mg tablet it is a SEVERE overdose. Not sure where you got 600mg/kg as a toxic dose. It was WAY lower than that.

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 23rd, 2020

    Single, acute overdoses as low as 25 mg/kg can cause vomiting in dogs so this dose seems very low to cause intoxication (it is about 9mg/kg). Keep a close eye on her for the next 12 hours, especially monitor signs as vomiting, lethargy, diarrhoea, inappetence, increased or absent urination, increased drinking level. If any of them are seen an immediate check up would be needed.

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    Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 15th, 2018

    Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sadly Ibuprofen has a very narrow margin of safety. Toxicity is based on the weight of the dog and Gucci is very small. At the dose of one 200mg tablet that is 29mg/kg which is in the GI toxic range. I recommend you bring Gucci to the Vet immediately. If the pill was just ingested maybe vomiting can be induced. If not then he needs prescription strength gastric protectants. Even higher doses can cause kidney and neurologic problems. I wish Gucci the best!

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    Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 6th, 2017

    If your dog weighs 20 kg and ingested one 200mg ibuprofen tablet, then he got about a 10mg per kg dose of the medication. We normally don't start seeing negative side effects until a dose of 25 mg per kg for GI side effects, and 175 mg per kg for toxic effects on the kidney, so your dog is very far from this dose. Every dog, however, is unique and some may be more sensitive to this medication than others so keep an eye on your dog for signs of GI upset such as vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy, and diarrhea and seek veterinary care if this occurs.

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