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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Gabapentin for dogs

58 replies

SockFluffInTheBath · 21/03/2022 19:03

My ancient arthritic dog has been prescribed a trial of gabapentin. The vet explained it all but it’s one of the drugs my DH has been on when his back has been really bad and a little (irrational) voice is screaming in my head. Any experiences of this please?

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Doglikeahorse · 21/03/2022 19:06

My old boy was on it and to be honest it did send him a little bit off the planet. He spent a lot of time just staring off into space!
We switched to another drug but I was glad I had tried it and could rule it out if that makes sense.

It works very well for some dogs and not so well for others I believe.

GodspeedJune · 21/03/2022 19:08

My elderly lady is on this. It manages her pain well, you can tell when the last tablet is wearing off. It made her sleepy to begin with but seems to have settled now, although she does sleep a lot being 14.

Lonecatwithkitten · 21/03/2022 19:09

Some dogs do get spaced out, but the vast majority get huge benefit with a great reduction in their pain as it specifically target neurogenic pain.
I take it as a human and it changed my life - chronic pain was preventing me from sleeping. I have seen literally hundreds of dogs gain huge benefit like I have.

Original poster
SockFluffInTheBath · 21/03/2022 19:13

That was quick, thank you so much @Doglikeahorse @GodspeedJune and @Lonecatwithkitten Flowers

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NewYearCalavicci · 21/03/2022 19:42

I can help from a pooch srand point but my cat was on it for almost 3 months.

It took a while to get the does right but it made a huge positive difference.

WhatsTheEffingPoint · 21/03/2022 19:51

My 14yrs old dog is on it 4 times a day, at first he was a little bit spaced out and sleepy but now he's settled into it and it's working well. We know when it's wearing off and the next it needed.
I also had it for sciatica and then for after back surgery as it designed to target nerve pain.
One suggestion find out what your vet charges for the tablets and what they charge for a written prescription, then speak with pet drugs online as they are a lot cheaper.

toooldtobeamum · 21/03/2022 20:31

My 14 year old dog is on it and it's amazing for him. He has 2 x 100mg gabapentin with his food and it has helped his back so much he forgets there was a problem! Been on it for 4 years now and no problems x

Wolfiefan · 21/03/2022 20:34

I have a friend with a hound on it. It’s been brilliant.

tabulahrasa · 21/03/2022 20:51

My last dog was on it for a few years at a time (occasionally we swapped medications to see if anything else worked better)

It did make him a bit dozy every time he was put on it, but only got the first few days after that he was fine on it.

Scattyhattie · 21/03/2022 21:04

Worked well for my dog, she took in combination with other medications.
To reduce any side effects like drowsiness & wobbliness they can start on a lower dose and then gradually increase it to desired level. My dog was started at full dose and only minor side effect was an increase to her appetite so I had to be bit more careful with weight management.

CAM has a wealth of info
caninearthritis.co.uk/

CAM LIVE: Gabapentin and neuropathic pain relief with Gwen Covey-Crump

Original poster
SockFluffInTheBath · 21/03/2022 21:41

Thanks so much everyone, you’ve really helped to put my mind at rest. Fingers crossed it suits him.

@Scattyhattie thanks for the links, I’ll look now.

@toooldtobeamum that’s good to hear about your pup being on it for 4 years. I wondered if it was just an end of life run out thing. He’s 18 and I know he won’t live forever, but it upset me to think this might be the way out.

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Original poster
SockFluffInTheBath · 21/03/2022 22:10

@WhatsTheEffingPoint thank you, it’s manageable for now (something like £1/day) but if it starts mounting I’ll bear that in mind.

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tabulahrasa · 21/03/2022 22:18

“I wondered if it was just an end of life run out thing”

Oh it’s totally not - mine was first on it at about 15 months old.

Original poster
SockFluffInTheBath · 21/03/2022 22:32

Wow, thank you. I feel so much calmer now, just hope it works.

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Peridot1 · 21/03/2022 22:41

Our lab was on it and it sent her a bit loopy. It can cause dementia type symptoms in some dogs. She cried and whined a lot. Especially at night. Would pace about. I ended up going downstairs and sleeping on the sofa with her in the same room and then one night she cried every time I took my hand off her. Went back to vet and they said it was probably the gabapentin. So we stopped it.

She is now on a newish drug called Librella which is a monthly injection. She’s like a new dog. Back to her happy placid self.

Scattyhattie · 21/03/2022 23:49

Gabapentin tablets are pretty cheap bought from human pharmacy ( I used Weldricks online as human+animal pharmacy) however you need paper vet prescription and as a controlled drug its limited prescribing months worth per time & aren't allowed repeats, so depends on saving whether the hassle of doing prescriptions are worthwhile.

failedparent · 22/03/2022 12:05

pretty sure that that was what was prescribed for my dog when he got ill.

He was awful. He was so wobbly and out of it. We reduced dose as recommended by vet. Didn't help.
We took him off it. He seemed happier off it.

But he reacted badly to every single drug they tried to give, so I wouldn't take him as the role model

Original poster
SockFluffInTheBath · 22/03/2022 17:29

I’ve just collected the prescription (was a vet home visit yesterday) and the starting dose is 300mg twice daily. I’m sure that’s what DH was on and he’s 5 times the dog’s weight. The vet is new to us (and was a locum) because we need home visits and our prior vet doesn’t do them and the only thing I can find online about that level of dosing (15mg/kg) suggests it’s a palliative end of life dose used to send them off peacefully. He’s old and creaky but he’s not there by any means and there was no discussion of anything like that. I feel quite unsure of what to do.

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HelloChompy · 22/03/2022 18:24

My dog has been on this since last summer. He's a 40kg rescue dog who is now around 11 3/4 years, so pretty elderly for his size.

As previously mentioned, getting the dose right is key. My vet's initial suggestion of dose (400 mg twice daily) made my Boy very dopey (even though he's a big dog) so we went in lower and then built it up and he is fine on the 400 mg now. I believe he can have about 3 times that amount but we have never felt he needed it. He's on another painkiller as well (Galliprant) but it didn't seem to be doing enough on it's own.

I also read concerning things online but reckoned that particularly at his age, it is the quality of life that is so important 🙂

tabulahrasa · 22/03/2022 18:55

Um... I’m more worried about your DH not being given a high enough dose tbh, lol

My dog was on 400mg twice a day as well, well originally anyway, at one point he was on a lot more than that.

Original poster
SockFluffInTheBath · 22/03/2022 19:41

@tabulahrasa

Um... I’m more worried about your DH not being given a high enough dose tbh, lol

My dog was on 400mg twice a day as well, well originally anyway, at one point he was on a lot more than that.

It’s been a while maybe I’m wrong, it pretty well knocked him offline 🤣

Thanks both, I’m so emotional about him I’m fully prepared to admit I’m not rational. Thank you, sorry, but thank you.

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LondonSouth28 · 22/03/2022 19:46

My 12 year old retriever is on it for his arthritis and he has the injections. The vet told me they know it manages the pain, so I'm all in as long as he's not in pain and I get more years with my favourite living being on the planet!

Original poster
SockFluffInTheBath · 22/03/2022 20:18

Thanks LondonSouth, thanks m happy to hear lots of success stories!

I cracked the capsule into a peanut butter sandwich (his favourite treat), he’s eaten half and taken himself off to bed. He’d normally inhale the whole thing 🤣 maybe need to try an alternative disguise medium in the morning.

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WhatsTheEffingPoint · 24/03/2022 08:05

Mines on 300mg x4 a day and he's about 25kg, he's certainly not a space cadet! Hes been on it for 3/4 years now (I can't remember exactly as I was of the opinion as long as it worked and the vet advised it was the start of the line on what could be given rather then the end).

To get him to take it we find wrapping it in sandwich ham works well, a friend used cheap pate and roll in in a ball for her dog.

Original poster
SockFluffInTheBath · 24/03/2022 08:10

That’s good to hear Effing, and thanks for the tips. Had to resort to jam this morning 😂

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