Is it safe for my dog to be on prescription gabapentin long-term?

Yes, it is safe to give gabapentin with Metacam and the joint supplement. Gabapentin is a drug that affects the nerves in the brain that are involved with the pain response. It can take up to three weeks before the body is used to the gabapentin and is not affected by drowsiness. The drowsiness is not something you have to worry about, it will go away. Be patient, it will take at least a week , up to three weeks.

If this was prescribed by your vet , then this is the amount of medicine he needs. Gabapentin may make him a bit drowsy in the beginning, but that should subside after about two weeks. Gabapentin is against nerve pain. Tramadol is an opioid which takes some pain as well and Metacam is a non-steroidal antiinflammatory which takes away inflammation and therefore also pain. These medicines are safe, however watch your dog's poo in the first two weeks. If it is black or tarry then stop the Metacam and inform your vet.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Jack. For pain control in dogs, the dose can go as high at 5mg per pound, which would be 450mg. But it can be used up to 10mg per pound for dogs with seizures, so this isn't an overdose. It may be he needs the extra pain control. but I would speak to your vet about your concerns. Best of luck.

Gabapentin has quite a large safety margin, the maximum dosage is about 15mg per pound but even a higher dosage for a one time ingestion is not likely to cause any severe side effects. how much does you puppy weights?

That is a very high dose if given all at once, it is 1.5 times the maximum recommended dose. 800mg spread out through 3 or 4 doses would be good. If your pet is in pain, gabapentin may not be enough. You should discuss a multi-modal pain protocol with your vet, often adding in steroids, NSAIDs, opioids, acupuncture, laser therapy, etc will be better than a single medication.

Hi there. Normally, weaning off is only necessary if the animal has been on it to treat a seizure disorder - not when it's being used as a pain medication, as in this case. I have personally never seen a problem with stopping gabapentin "cold turkey," and I use it frequently in my practice. So I would not expect to see any problems. :)

That's a pretty high dose for a dog his size and may cause sedation. Gabapentin is a great medication for arthritis, but I'd start with about half that dose, and I'd recommend running it by your primary veterinarian to make sure it's appropriate with Obi's medical history and any other meds he might be taking. I hope this helps!