Gabapentin Side Effects and Warnings
Gabapentin can cause side effects in dogs including lethargy and dizziness. In addition, there are some warnings that you should be aware of when using this medication.
What does gabapentin for dogs do?
Gabapentin for dogs can be prescribed to help with seizures, pain, and anxiety in dogs as it may help treat chronic pain and neuropathic pain. According to Dr. Tamara Grubb, a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist, gabapentin decreases the release of excitatory neurotransmitters which serves to decrease pain and seizures. It may be especially helpful when combined with other dog pain medications.
Here are the medical conditions that gabapentin might be useful for:
Gabapentin is beneficial for adjunctive therapy for dogs with refractory seizures due to its anticonvulsant properties. It’s also helpful for dogs whose current medication is no longer effective.
Gabapentin is an analgesic. This means it provides pain relief for chronic and neuropathic pain and is commonly used for pain associated with degenerative joint diseases. It also works well when combined with other medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories or opioids, for post-surgery pain.
Gabapentin for dogs is traditionally used for seizures and pain but lately, it has become useful as adjunctive therapy for dogs with anxiety.
A common question frequently asks if we can use gabapentin for dogs and trazodone together. Trazodone is an anti-anxiety medication. It’s not safe to take it with tramadol, however, it is safe to combine with gabapentin. Some pharmacies offer combined solutions for trazodone and gabapentin. This is usually prescribed for dog behavior disorders like anxiety.
How is Gabapentin for dogs given?
Gabapentin for dogs is given through the mouth in the form of a capsule, tablet, or compounded liquid. It can be given with or without food. However, there are cases where a dog vomits after receiving this medicine on an empty stomach. If it does, try giving future doses with food or a treat.
The best time to give this medication is right before feeding and it’s important to carefully measure liquid formations of this medication. The effect of this medicine will set in about 1 to 2 hours and improvement should follow.
Do not give the oral liquid form made for humans to your dog. The one for humans contains xylitol, a substance that is toxic for dogs.
The gabapentin for dogs dosage is variable depending on the condition that your veterinarian is treating. Before administering any medication to your pet, you should first consult with a veterinarian to ensure that the medication is safe to give, especially for animals who have liver or kidney disease, as this medicine will take longer to metabolize.
Veterinarians usually prescribe a gabapentin dosage for dogs of 2 to 5mg per pound by mouth every 12 hours. Your veterinarian will prescribe a lower dose if your pet has liver or kidney disease.
Gabapentin should only be given in the tablet or capsule form because the human liquid version of gabapentin contains xylitol which is highly toxic to dogs and can cause liver toxicity and death!
Before giving your dog gabapentin, you should mention to your veterinarian any other medications that your dog is currently taking. Some medications may harmfully interact with gabapentin. When discussing medications with your veterinarian, be sure to discuss if any natural supplements could benefit your dog.
Joint supplements and fatty acids may be helpful in the treatment of pain caused by arthritis, so consider checking out Alpha Paw’s Omega Chews and Alpha Paw’s Hip & Joint Chews which both contain ingredients that may improve pain caused by arthritis.
Gabapentin in Dogs – Safety and Side Effects – Dog Health Vet Advice
Gabapentin has a variety of uses in veterinary medicine, and prescribing gabapentin for dogs, especially, is becoming more popular amongst veterinarians.
Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant and analgesic drug that is commonly prescribed by veterinarians to treat seizures, pain, and anxiety in dogs.
It is a human medication, and its use in veterinary medicine is “off-label,” meaning it is not FDA-approved for pets.
How gabapentin works is not completely understood; however, it is thought to inhibit the release of excitatory neurotransmitters.
Gabapentin has anticonvulsant properties that make it beneficial for adjunctive therapy for dogs with refractory seizures, or those whose current medication regime is no longer effective enough.
Gabapentin is also an analgesic, meaning it provides pain relief for chronic pain and neuropathic pain. It’s most commonly used for the chronic pain associated with degenerative joint disease.
It has also shown to be beneficial when used in combination with other pain medications—such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories or opioids—to help with pain associated with surgery.
While traditionally used for seizures and pain, gabapentin is becoming more popular to use as adjunctive therapy for anxiety in dogs as well.
Sedation is the main potential side effect of gabapentin, and the level of sleepiness varies from patient to patient. Veterinarians will prescribe a starting dose, and if this results in the dog becoming a little too sedate, the veterinarian will taper the dose down to the most effective one.
Like all medications, there is a small chance that a dog could be allergic to it, in which case, this medication should be avoided.
The dosage range for gabapentin varies widely depending on what it is being used to treat. Gabapentin should be used with caution for animals with liver or kidney disease, as it will take longer to metabolize.
There is also an oral solution made at 250 mg/5 mL; however, sometimes the solution is formulated with xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Your veterinarian will help you order this medication in a form that is safe for your dog.
Sometimes a dog is too small to use the human formulations, in which case, a compounding pharmacy can formulate whichever form and dosage that the veterinarian requests.
Gabapentin is usually given by mouth three to four times, with or without food. Check the directions on the bottle or ask your vet if you are not sure of the correct dosage for your dog.
Gabapentin should start to take effect fairly quickly, and relief should be noticed within one or two hours of administration.
Since it is a short-acting drug, the effects will be gone in 24 hours; however, the medication may last longer in dogs with renal or liver impairment.
This drug should not be stopped abruptly when used to treat seizures, as it can result in withdrawal seizures. Always consult a veterinarian before discontinuing any medication.
Trazodone is a commonly prescribed anti-anxiety medication, and while it is not recommended to be used with tramadol, it is safe to use with gabapentin. There are combination solutions from compounded pharmacies that contain both trazodone and gabapentin, and these are more commonly prescribed for behavior disorders like anxiety.
Another common question is if dogs can take gabapentin with CBD oil. This is not recommended due to the risk of increased sedation between the two.
Always consult with a veterinarian before starting your dog on any additional medications or supplements that were not originally prescribed to ensure that they are safe with your dog’s current medications.
Tramadol is another medication that has been commonly prescribed to treat pain in dogs; however, this is starting to fall out of favor with veterinarians.
Studies have found that tramadol may not be as effective as originally thought. In fact, it was found to be ineffective at controlling pain associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. However, studies are ongoing, and the debate is still up for discussion on the effectiveness of tramadol.
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