Why are my senior cat's weak back legs worsening on gabapentin?

Hello, and thank you for your question. It is great to hear that Ace is doing well! It is true that gabapentin is metabolized in the kidneys. If he is doing well on it, though, it would be reasonable to use as long as it is tapered to the lowest effective dose. I would also make sure that his kidney values are monitored regularly, ideally every 3-6 months. A narcotic is also a reasonable choice but can sometimes cause mild sedation. Ultimately what it comes down to is Ace's quality of life, and ensuring that he is comfortable and happy. I hope this helps, and that Ace continues to do well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These are general signs that can be seen with a lot of conditions. It could be due to a neurologic condition or perhaps an orthopedic condition causing some kind of pain or discomfort. If this continues, I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to start with a good physical examination and possibly diagnostics to get to the bottom of this so that therapy if any can be started. Have a great day!

It's difficult to say, because the weakness, lack of appetite and drowsiness could be signs of the arthritis not being controlled well. Gabapentin could be causing these signs, but it would be suspicious of some other cause if this suddenly started happening. I also worry about the paracetamol being responsible for this. Paracetamol is not commonly given to dogs for pain, because it can be toxic to the liver and stomach. Considering all of this, it's really best to have your vet evaluate Rocky and advise any necessary medication changes. They will be able to help narrow-down the cause of this and ensure he gets the appropriate treatment. I hope that helps and Rocky gets better soon.

Poor Hamm! It's common for diabetic cats to develop a condition called diabetic neuropathy, which is characterized by weakness and lack of coordination in the rear legs. Affected cats will also sometimes stand or walk with their entire hock (the lower part of the leg) flat on the ground, which is called a plantigrade stance. I would recommend calling your vet or taking Hamm in for a check-up to discuss this issue and confirm that it is due to diabetic neuropathy and not some other problem. If so, many cats with this problem improve once their high blood sugar is under control - so Hamm may need some testing to check his glucose levels and see if his insulin dose needs to be adjusted. Weekly vitamin B12 injections have also been shown to help with this condition in some cats, so this is something that you could discuss with your veterinarian as well.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Without examining Patty it is difficult to say what the cause of the nerve problem is. If there is a history of trauma and this is nerve pain, a drug such as Gabapentin or Amantadine may help. If this is due to trauma, the nerve problem may never resolve and Patty may have this abnormality for life. I would discuss this further with your veterinarian where you are so that the most appropriate treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

I'm sorry to hear that this is going on with Virtue. My biggest concern would be that he has a developed a blood clot that has disturbed the blood flow to the back legs. This is unfortunately one of the common side effects of kidney disease and hypertension. I would recommend taking Virtue in to see your vet for a recheck as soon as possible. They will need to check his kidney values and see if they have worsened, check a blood pressure and may recommend starting Virtue on additional medication, such as aspirin, to help with the clots. There is a chance that this abnormal walking could be due to arthritis and aging. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This can due to discomfort so if that is the case now that she is on gabapentin she may do better. Unexpected aggression is a classic sign of pain or discomfort. Hopefully she improves on the gabapentin. If she does not, it is very important to let your veterinarian know so they can keep checking what may be wrong with her. The same underlying condition may be what is causing her weight loss which is important though not that significant. I hope she gets better soon!