Why does my cat on Tramadol for pain need blood tests every 6 months?

She should have her blood pressure, blood work and urinalysis checked at least every six months. The doctor may also want to check another test called a urine protein creatine ratio if they are concerned the condition is worsening. This will help you to know what her kidney are doing. She should get a physical exam every 3 to 4 months unless she seems sick. Then she should be examined at that time. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Tramadol is quite bitter, so it may be quite difficult to give your cat. Tramadol is safe for use in cats and a typical dose for a 20lb cat would be about 25mg, so 1/2 tablet. That is what is most commonly dosed for a 20lb cat. Before giving any medication to your cat that has not been prescribed to him, I would most certainly recommend contacting your veterinarian to discuss this prior to administering the Tramadol as I do not know the full medical history on Billy. There are some circumstances in which you should not give Tramadol so I would confirm with the primary veterinarian that normally sees Billy. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello. Norco is hydrocodone, a semisynthetic opioid derived from codeine & a DEA Schedule II narcotic. In most instances, dogs do metabolize drugs like we do, but there are some differences. In the case of the Norco, because this is a drug with the potential for abuse, this may be why your vet wants to do blood work quarterly. They are not testing for actual drug levels, like we might do with phenobarbital, but more to make sure Midnight's health remains well. Personally, I only do blood work every 6 months in my patients. Perhaps after a few checks, your veterinarian will consent to twice yearly check ups. You can always ask about this. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am so very sorry for your loss of Lucy. Tramadol is generally a very safe drug and does not have the risk for liver or kidney damage the way some other medications do. Unfortunately, it sounds like Lucy's kidneys may have just started failing coincidentally after she had been on Tramadol for 3 weeks. I have attached more information on Tramadol below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1815 I hope that helps with your questions.

An exam and bloodwork should be done at least once a year. After a cat turns 8, ideally bloodwork should be done every 6 months. If twice a year is not feasible, then yearly is fine as long as the cat is behaving normally.

Hi. Poor buster. If all those tests were normal, I would recommend radiographs to look at the bones, also consider a referral to neurologist. If it isn't orthopedic, it could be neurological in which the nerves that control the movement and signals aren't working appropriately. I would discuss this with your veterinarian.

Buprenorphine can be given as often as every 6 hours, but it's typically prescribed to be given every 8 hours. It can be difficult to know for sure whether a cat's in pain, but I would look for signs like a relaxed posture, not hiding, interest in food and attention as signs that Kiki is comfortable. If you give it every 6 hours you can be pretty confident that it's doing it's job.