Why is my dog lethargic and wobbly after gabapentin for vet visit?

Hi there. It’s common for cats to be a bit wobbly when they have taken a sedative or anti-anxiety medication like gabapentin, so this would not normally be cause for concern. This medication can last for up to 8 hours or so, so I normally tell my clients to expect that their kitty may seem a bit drowsy or off-balance for the rest of the day.

The main side effect of this medication is sedation. This is typically dose related so the higher the dose the more likely sedation will be seen. It was a good idea to wait on the am dose if he was super sleepy. You may want to call your vet to ask about the dose and let them know how he is doing. It has a few uses but we do sometimes use it as an adjunct medication for pain control, although more often for chronic pain/nerve pain. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mia. Gabapentin has a very wide dosing range. The amount given will likely make her sedate, but should not cause her any long lasting harm. Give her next dose back on schedule if she is not too groggy. If so, you can wait an extra hour or two to give it more time to wear off. I hope this information helps!

Both of hear medications are within the published dose ranges for a dog Kimber’s size, but gabapentin can sometimes cause sedation and this could be the culprit. You may want to give your vet a call and see if they might recommend reducing the dose or even skipping a dose.

Gabapentin carries a recommendation to slowly wean off the medication because seizures have been associated with humans stopping the medication suddenly. I have attached a handout on Gabapentin below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2764 Part of the decision to suddenly stop the Gabapentin or wean if down slowly depends on the dose and how long a dog as been on the medication. It looks like Angus is on a low dose and has only been on it for a short period of time, so you certainly can discuss stopping it with your veterinarian. However, what you are describing may be a sign of pain not a side effect of the Gabapentin, so you may need to actually increase his dose of Gabapentin or change to another pain medication if Angus is still painful. So, I would discuss it with your veterinarian and see what they recommend. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Milo! Gabapentin can cause sedation alone and even more so with tramadol. My starting dose for Milo based on the weight you provided is 400mg every 12 hours. It is absolutely fine for you to go lower and increase the dose slowly based on Milo’s response. I hope this helps and I wish you and Milo the best!