Sawyer seemed pretty good when I got home. The vet and I had discussed playing around with his medications if I thought one was causing issues. So I did not give him his Tramadol. I gave him his Gabapentin at 6pm. By 7:30, he was flushed, panting, anxious, glassy eyed, dilated pupils, crying, unable to get comfortable and a little trouble walking. Called vet who said it could be side effects from the Gaba but no need to take him in emergently. By 9pm, he was much better.
It seems too much like a coincidence to be something else. But he’s been on the Gaba for months withou an issue.
Post-op visit tomorrow so maybe vet can help. I’d like to wean him down to just the Vetpeofen.
anyone else had an issue w Gabapentin?
My tripawd did just fine on Gaba- but my 15 yr old dog reacts to it- he gets wobbly and sometimes hits the floor like a rug was pulled out from under him. I don’t know if it sedated him quickly or drops the blood pressure for an instant but then he is ok. Doc has me watching this to see how often it happens- he is on 150 mg dose which is low. Does your dog have any collie bec collies are sensitive to medications- and anesthesia.
Aww poor guy! We’ve never heard of an issue like this with the Gabapentin, but like we say, all dogs are different so you never know. Your vet is great for helping you figure out what works for him, hang in there and you’ll find that magic combo. Remember, pain medication is a necessary part of recovery so as much as we don’t like “doping up” our dogs, it’s critical that they get the meds they need to heal. For some dogs it’s more, some it’s less, but just stay in touch with your vet as you’re doing and Sawyer will come through this with flying colors. Keep us posted.
Let us know how the Vet visit went and how he’s doing today.
As Jerry said, every dog reacts differntly to different pain meds. It’s so frustrating getting the right balance sometimes.
Glad he settled down and got more comfy.
I KNOW it’s soooo hard r too be patient during recovery. Hang in there and stay connected. Sawyer’s sparkle will start to shine brightly soon!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
We see a holistic vet in addition to the oncologist and our primary vet. The holistic vet recommended an herb called yan hu so. We give it when the gabapentin wears off and before he can have his next dose. It has been really helpful. I don’t think it would control his arthritis pain alone but it’s made things a lot better. It may be something to look into with a reputable holistic vet.
Our 11 year old golden had his left arm amputated four weeks ago today. He came off Tramadol after 10 days (cut dose in half after 7). Our oncologist recommended gabapentin and Rimadyl together as they complement each other, and we did that for a few days but stopped all pain meds on day 16 or so.
We discussed metronomic therapy at the second chemo treatment and now he’s back on 50mg Rimadyl with meals as part of that.