# Gabapentin for dogs



## Clairebear76 (Sep 19, 2016)

Hi all,
My vet has prescribed Gabapentin for my boy Louis as he thinks part of the reason he’s been so lethargic is due to arthritis starting in his back leg. Louis is very good at hiding pain but I have been a bit dubious that pain is the problem. Gabapentin has been suggested as his liver enzymes are slightly raised so the vet didn’t want to use the usual NSAID’s such as Metacam.
He’s been prescribed 200mg twice a day which seemed quite a large dose to me. He weighs just under 24kg. I was prescribed Gabapentin myself and only started on 100mg three times a day!
Does anyone have any experience of giving their dogs Gabapentin, did it work for possible arthritic pain? Does the dosing sound about right to you?


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Yes, my dog takes 300mg of Gabapentin twice a day (previously it was x3). She is a GSD & weighs 32kgs. I have found it to be very effective & she has shown no adverse side effects to the medication. The dose you have detailed for your dog is at the lower end of what can be prescribed. 

I was also prescribed on Gabapentin for my back pain (prolapsed discs) for several years & was taking x6 300mgs tablets a day


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## Clairebear76 (Sep 19, 2016)

Cleo38 thanks for your reply. It’s good to know that your baby is doing so well on it. I understand I was on a very low dose and people take much higher doses like yourself. I’d seen online that the starting dose for pain relief in dogs was 1.5 - 5mg per pound which threw me a bit too. That worked out at 250mg so I was getting myself in a bit of a tizz thinking 400mg per day was too high. Did you start on the 300mg three times a day dose straight away or worked up to it?


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Clairebear76 said:


> Cleo38 thanks for your reply. It's good to know that your baby is doing so well on it. I understand I was on a very low dose and people take much higher doses like yourself. I'd seen online that the starting dose for pain relief in dogs was 1.5 - 5mg per pound which threw me a bit too. That worked out at 250mg so I was getting myself in a bit of a tizz thinking 400mg per day was too high. Did you start on the 300mg three times a day dose straight away or worked up to it?


No, she started on 150mgs twice a day but gradually she she's aged it has increased. She has numerous issues; HD, spondylosis, arthritis & has tested positive for CDRM but …. despite all that (it sounds dreadful!) she is still an active (nearly 12yr old) dog. She gets two walks a day (approx. 45mins each) & in the warmer weather swims daily which has been fantastic for her mobility. If she is having a 'bad' day then we reduce the walk according to her ability & do something like scentwork or tracking instead. This keeps her mentally active but is low impact

She also has physio/hydrotherapy sessions & laser treatment. I am lucky in that I have an amazing vet & physiotherapist who have been able to out together a care package for her so I am aware of what exercises she should be doing to help her. \

Have you had a look at the CAM (Canine Arthritis Management) website? They have lots of really good advice regarding treatments, medication, supplements etc that you might find beneficial. They also have a FB page but here is the link to the website https://caninearthritis.co.uk/


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## Clairebear76 (Sep 19, 2016)

Sounds like she’s getting the very best treatment, glad she’s doing so well! I’d been sceptical that pain was part of Lou slowing down as he’s also been diagnosed with Cushings but the more I think about it there are some subtle signs that he could be uncomfortable. I may start him on the Gabapentin at 100mg twice a day for a few days then up it to the 200mg twice a day, what do you think? Should I give it to him with a small meal or can I get away with hiding it in a treat of some sort?


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Clairebear76 said:


> Sounds like she's getting the very best treatment, glad she's doing so well! I'd been sceptical that pain was part of Lou slowing down as he's also been diagnosed with Cushings but the more I think about it there are some subtle signs that he could be uncomfortable. I may start him on the Gabapentin at 100mg twice a day for a few days then up it to the 200mg twice a day, what do you think? Should I give it to him with a small meal or can I get away with hiding it in a treat of some sort?


With Roxy it is always behavioural indications that she is in pain rather than anything obvious. Tbh from what I have read (& observed with my own dogs) byt the time they are showing more obvious signs such a limping, etc then the pain is quite severe.

I would definitely speak to your vet but I would go with what they have recommended, maybe have a chat with them about their decision regarding the doseage. From what I have read there is no definitive prescriptive amount & it does depend on the dog & the pain. It might be better to start him on the dose they have advised (so his pain is managed better immediately) then decrease it after a several weeks (you need to give it time to work) rather than the other way round.

I usually give Roxy's in a cube of cheese before her breakfast/dinner just so I know she's had it.

I also look at certain things that Roxy was struggling with then re-assess after starting a medication/treatment/increased dose. That way I can be sure it is making a difference rather than me just 'thinking' she looks better if that makes sense.

It is also worth bearing in mind that some drugs work well together. Roxy also takes Amantadine which works well for chronic pain when used with Gabapentin but again this is something that is to be discussed with your vet & might not be appropriate atm for your dog. https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/gabapentin-and-amantadine-for-chronic-pain-is-your-dose-right/


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## Raspberry (Sep 4, 2019)

My 11-year old GSD gets gabapentin for bad spondylitis and L7-S1 disc-trouble. She was originally prescribed 300 mg 2-3 times per day. We had to cut that dose way back because shes apparently very sensitive to this particular drug and became completely zombiefied by a dose as low as 100 mg. 50 mg works a charm though! So give it a go, it's a good med but dosage adjustments can be necessary.


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## Clairebear76 (Sep 19, 2016)

Thanks for that everyone! He had his first dose yesterday. I did only give him 100mg twice, just to see how he tolerated it and for my own peace of mind. The good news is he had the best day he’s had in months! Still not back to his usual bouncy, boisterous self but a definite improvement. I’ve just given him his “proper” dose of 200mg this morning so we’ll see how he does on that


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

That's great news @Clairebear76! Hope he continues to improve


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## Clairebear76 (Sep 19, 2016)

Evening all. Bit of a Louis update. I don’t think he’s been as good this last week or so after being on the 200mg twice a day so I’ve had a word with the vet and asked if I can try him back on 100mg twice daily over the weekend to see if that first day was a fluke. We’re booked in for a check up on Monday anyway. He seems a bit dopey and sleepy, maybe even a little uncoordinated at times. Does that sound like the dose could be a bit high? Strangely this last week he’s also started to struggle to jump onto my bed which seems a bit odd given that he’s now on pain medication. I’m wondering if this is due to this possible coordination problem and he’s just misjudging the jump? x


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## Leanne77 (Oct 18, 2011)

I have a 14kg dog and she is on 5 Gabapentin a day - 2x morning, 1x afternoon and 2x bedtime. She is also on other medication, the Gabapentin was more specifically for nerve pain in my dogs case. TBH, I have seen no improvement with any of the medication she takes and she takes multiple pain meds as well as things for her 'demeanour', she doesnt get any better, only worse. Would she be more or less immobile without the meds? Quite possibly but i've certainly never seen any marked improvement, which I was told I would with Onsior in particular.


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## winterrose (Dec 30, 2016)

Micheie was on gabapentin for a while and it really helped her  no side effects either!


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## EmCHammer (Dec 28, 2009)

My dog (29kg) is on 300mg of gabapentin 3 times a day and has no side effects. He has alot of meds mind (10 tablets a day I think) . He's not doing so well and he can't take Nsaids due to gastro issues. 

I didn't notice much improvements but recent scans indicate a tendon issue as well as all his arthritis which specialist says doesn't respond that well to pain killers and probably causing him more problems

Def recommend the canine arthritis management website and Facebook page


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## Clairebear76 (Sep 19, 2016)

Hi all. Sorry I’ve not been on for a while! Bit of a Louis update. He’s gone back on the Vetoryl for Cushings as well as the original Gabapentin. There’s been no real change in him, still reluctant to play although he seems interested. I had a word with the vet and we decided to give him a try on 300mg Gabapentin twice a day which he started yesterday. I’ve also split his morning walk into two smaller ones to see if that helps. On the second walk yesterday he seemed to be moving quite well. We were only out around 15 minutes but when we got back he seemed absolutely shattered and has stayed like that for the rest of the day. Very sleepy and dopey. I’m wondering if the new dose is a little high. How long should I persevere with it before I put him back on 200mg?


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## Mr Applebee (Jun 12, 2018)

Clairebear76 said:


> Hi all. Sorry I've not been on for a while! Bit of a Louis update. He's gone back on the Vetoryl for Cushings as well as the original Gabapentin. There's been no real change in him, still reluctant to play although he seems interested. I had a word with the vet and we decided to give him a try on 300mg Gabapentin twice a day which he started yesterday. I've also split his morning walk into two smaller ones to see if that helps. On the second walk yesterday he seemed to be moving quite well. We were only out around 15 minutes but when we got back he seemed absolutely shattered and has stayed like that for the rest of the day. Very sleepy and dopey. I'm wondering if the new dose is a little high. How long should I persevere with it before I put him back on 200mg?


How did Louis get on? Our buy pip is on gabapentin. 300mg 3x per day. He's a 20kg staffie. They suspect he has a disc issue in his neck. He's really uncoordinated at the moment and I'm not sure whether it's his disc affecting him neurologically or the gabapentin


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## O2.0 (May 23, 2018)

Mr Applebee said:


> How did Louis get on? Our buy pip is on gabapentin. 300mg 3x per day. He's a 20kg staffie. They suspect he has a disc issue in his neck. He's really uncoordinated at the moment and I'm not sure whether it's his disc affecting him neurologically or the gabapentin


My boy is on the same dose of gabapentin, twice a day. We upped it to 3x a day over Christmas when we had doggy houseguests 'cause we knew he would be more active than usual. No coordination issues at all.


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## Clairebear76 (Sep 19, 2016)

Mr Applebee said:


> How did Louis get on? Our buy pip is on gabapentin. 300mg 3x per day. He's a 20kg staffie. They suspect he has a disc issue in his neck. He's really uncoordinated at the moment and I'm not sure whether it's his disc affecting him neurologically or the gabapentin


We decided to take him off the Gabapentin and tried a drug called Galliprant instead. This is supposed to be a more targeted drug for joint pain. In all honesty I'm not too sure if this is working either, I can't really see any difference. He was at his best on the lower Gabapentin dose.
I'm sorry to hear your boy's not doing too well. Louis did have some wobbliness but I'm not sure if it was the Gabapentin, he still has a few issues with that and he's been on a different drug for some time now. In Lou's case I think it's more likely the Vetoryl for his Cushings or the other, underlying problem we're now beginning to think he has. Maybe a trip to the vets and explain your concerns might be for the best? Big hugs to you and your furry one x


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Clairebear76 said:


> We decided to take him off the Gabapentin and tried a drug called Galliprant instead. This is supposed to be a more targeted drug for joint pain. In all honesty I'm not too sure if this is working either, I can't really see any difference. He was at his best on the lower Gabapentin dose.
> I'm sorry to hear your boy's not doing too well. Louis did have some wobbliness but I'm not sure if it was the Gabapentin, he still has a few issues with that and he's been on a different drug for some time now. In Lou's case I think it's more likely the Vetoryl for his Cushings or the other, underlying problem we're now beginning to think he has. Maybe a trip to the vets and explain your concerns might be for the best? Big hugs to you and your furry one x


Yes, I was reading about Galliprant & was going to try this with my Roxy but her combination of meds seem to suit her atm. Are you able to have physio/hydrotherapy sessions? I swear my old girl is still going because we have a fab physio who we see fortnightly (or weekly if required)


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## Clairebear76 (Sep 19, 2016)

Physio’s been mentioned in passing a few times but I’ve never seriously considered it. Lou doesn’t seem to be doing to badly at the moment. My main worry is the muscle loss he’s had, probably due to the Cushings and him not eating properly for quite a while. I think that’s affecting his mobility more than his arthritis at the moment. I’ve now got to find a way to get some muscle and weight back on him.
Glad your Roxy’s doing well, there’s no point in changing things if you’re all happy with how things are going at the mo! x


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Clairebear76 said:


> Physio's been mentioned in passing a few times but I've never seriously considered it. Lou doesn't seem to be doing to badly at the moment. My main worry is the muscle loss he's had, probably due to the Cushings and him not eating properly for quite a while. I think that's affecting his mobility more than his arthritis at the moment. I've now got to find a way to get some muscle and weight back on him.
> Glad your Roxy's doing well, there's no point in changing things if you're all happy with how things are going at the mo! x


If you can get good physio then I think this would really help, I honestly don't think my old girl would still be going if it weren't for her sessions. Depending on your insurance provider/policy it might be that you can claim for these sessions.


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