If your dog recently started taking gabapentin and you are wondering about the gabapentin side effects in dogs, this article is for you. Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby discusses what side effects to watch for, and how those side effects can be minimized or managed. Plus, she answers seven gabapentin FAQs.
Anytime you start giving your dog a new medication like gabapentin, the potential for side effects can weigh on your mind. Then when you notice something different about your dog, it’s normal to wonder:
Is that a side effect of the gabapentin?
Or is it just a fluke that this change occurred around the time my dog started taking the gabapentin?
That’s why I want to clear up any misconceptions about the side effects of gabapentin for dogs and discuss what to do if you notice them.
What is gabapentin?
Gabapentin is a medication that is FDA-approved for use in humans. Like many medications in the veterinary world, vets use gabapentin “off-label” in dogs.
Vets most commonly prescribe gabapentin to treat chronic pain in dogs (especially neuropathic pain—pain that arises from nerve damage or dysfunction). They may recommend it by itself or in combination with another pain medication.
(However, in the interest of being transparent, you should know that the veterinary literature supporting gabapentin’s use as a pain medication is sparse. Some studies indicate it may be effective while other studies did not find that it significantly decreased pain. Still, my experience as a veterinarian prescribing it for my canine patients has made me a believer in its usefulness and efficacy.)
In addition to helping control pain, gabapentin can also be used in veterinary medicine to treat seizures in dogs (usually in conjunction with other anti-convulsant medications). Plus, it may help decrease anxiety in dogs.
(To learn more about the uses of gabapentin, check out my other article on gabapentin for dogs.)
What are the gabapentin side effects in dogs?
One of the benefits of gabapentin is that many dogs experience no side effects or only mild transient side effects. The three most common potential side effects listed in the drug handbooks (and corroborated by my personal experience) are sedation, loss of coordination, and GI upset. Let’s take a look at each side effect in more detail.
Sedation and drowsiness
Especially at first, gabapentin can cause your dog to be a bit more sedate and sleepy than normal. You may notice that he or she isn’t as excited as usual about a walk or playing. Or your dog may elect to keep snoozing in the bed rather than getting up and interacting with you. And your dog’s reaction time might be a bit slower than usual or he or she may seem like a lethargic dog.
Sedation is even more common in dogs who are also on other medications that cause sedation, such as:
- Antihistamines (e.g. Benadryl for dogs)
- Opioids (e.g. tramadol for dogs)
- CBD supplements for dogs
What to do if your dog is too sedate or sleepy
If you notice that your dog is a bit drowsier or more sedate than normal, don’t panic. Instead, ask yourself how significant the change is. If your dog is just slightly more subdued, all you may need to do is give him or her a few days to adjust to the gabapentin. Usually, that’s all it takes for your dog to get back to normal levels of wakefulness and energy.
Alternatively, if your dog seems more significantly sedate, please check in with your veterinarian. Sometimes your vet will suggest giving the gabapentin only at bedtime for a few days to give your dog time to adjust to it. That way, the sedation is happening when your dog is sleeping anyway. Then, once your dog adjusts, you can go back to the typical every 8 to 12 hour dosing.
Or, in other situations, the vet may recommend decreasing to a lower dose of gabapentin initially. And then you can gradually increase back to the full dose after your dog has adjusted to the gabapentin.
Both approaches (giving every 24 hours at bedtime or using a lower dose) do have the disadvantage of not providing as much pain control at first. But once you get your dog back up to the full dose for a few days, you should have a better idea of how well the gabapentin is working.
Ataxia, loss of coordination, or unsteady gait
Sometimes, gabapentin can also cause a dog to have an unsteady gait or loss of coordination. The veterinary term for this is “ataxia.” You may notice that your dog is wobbly and off balance or your dog’s back legs are collapsing. Dogs who first start taking gabapentin might have more trouble navigating stairs or jumping on or off furniture. Or dogs might occasionally stumble or even fall over when walking.
What to do if your dog is wobbly or uncoordinated
It can certainly be distressing if your dog can’t walk or is unsteady. So the best thing you can do if you notice ataxia is to check with your vet.
Chances are good that it could be from the gabapentin, especially if your dog wasn’t having any issues with an unsteady or uncoordinated gait before starting the gabapentin. But if your dog was experiencing some ataxia before the gabapentin, or has a history of neurological diseases such as IVDD in dogs, it is also possible that worsening of your dog’s condition, not the gabapentin, is to blame for the ataxia.
Since your vet knows your dog’s history, he or she is the best person to advise you in these situations. The vet may recommend giving it a few days. Or he or she may suggest lowering the dose or only giving gabapentin at night, like we discussed in the sedation section. But if there is concern that your dog’s condition could be worsening, the vet may recommend a recheck exam.
Sedation is commonly seen with dogs starting on gabapentin. Discuss with your vet if it is too excessive.
Gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea or lack of appetite)
Just like many other medications, gabapentin can occasionally cause some GI upset. Your dog may have a decreased appetite for a few days, or he or she might experience mild vomiting or diarrhea.
What do to if your dog has GI upset
Depending on the severity of the GI upset, you may be able to manage it by giving the gabapentin with a meal. Or you could try feeding a bland diet for dogs and waiting a few days to see if the GI upset subsides. But if the vomiting or diarrhea is severe, or if your dog isn’t eating, it is best to check in with your vet. He or she may want you bring your dog in for an exam to ensure something else isn’t causing these symptoms.
Less common side effects of gabapentin in dogs
While they don’t tend to show up in the drug handbooks, there are some other side effects that are debatably associated with gabapentin use in dogs.
Increased appetite and weight gain
Anecdotally, it seems like the occasional dog on gabapentin will have an increased appetite. The dog may be counter-surfing, begging for food, or eating more. As a result of the increased caloric intake, the dog can gain weight.
By monitoring your dog’s body condition score (BCS) and taking steps to help your dog lose weight (if necessary) you can combat weight gain and increased appetite. But if you have concerns, it doesn’t hurt to reach out to your vet.
Agitation or behavioral changes
Some veterinarians have noticed that rarely a dog on gabapentin seems to have a paradoxical reaction. In other words, they get agitated or excited rather than sedate. Or the dog might experience behavior changes. Studies have reported this sort of reaction in children who take gabapentin. Therefore, it is possible that agitation and behavior changes could be associated with gabapentin use in dogs too. But the link isn’t clear at this point.
If your dog’s behavior changes suddenly, reach out to your vet for guidance. He or she can advise you on the best course of action.
Changes in urination
Gabapentin might slightly increase urine retention in dogs, but this hasn’t been well studied at this point. Occasionally, it also seems that urinary incontinence in dogs has improved on gabapentin. But it is unclear if this can be attributed to gabapentin or other factors.
If you are worried about changes in your dog’s urination volume or frequency, contact your veterinarian for advice. Since many factors can influence urination, the gabapentin may or may not have anything to do with what you are noticing.
Signs of an allergic reaction (hives or difficulty breathing)
Allergic reactions to gabapentin are possible, just like with any other drug. Dogs who are having an allergic reaction to gabapentin may have hives, swelling, or difficulty breathing. Severe allergic reactions can be life-threatening, so you should make an emergency vet visit ASAP if you notice these symptoms.
How long do the side effects of gabapentin usually last in dogs?
The good news is that, with the exception of allergic reactions, which aren’t really side effects anyway, the side effects we discussed above are generally mild and short-lived. This is true in part because gabapentin has a short half-life.
The half-life is the time it takes for the body to metabolize (i.e. break down) and excrete (i.e. eliminate from the body) half of the dose of medication. It helps give an indication of how long we can expect the effects of the medication to last.
For medications with long half-lives (meaning they remain active in the body for a long time after each dose), side effects may be more concerning. This is because it takes longer for the medication to wear off.
Gabapentin, however, is not one of those drugs. It has a short half-life (3.3 to 3.4 hours in a study of the pharmacokinetics of oral gabapentin in Greyhound dogs). This means the body has broken down and eliminated half of the dose in about 3.5 hours. So the good news is that any side effects should wear off fairly quickly.
Plus, the average dog’s body adjusts to gabapentin after being on it for several days. Therefore, typically, in a week or so, the dog will no longer get significantly sedate or ataxic on gabapentin.
Do I need to stop giving my dog gabapentin if I notice side effects?
Even knowing gabapentin’s side effects are mild and usually subside quickly, I understand that it can be concerning to see your dog wobbling around the house or acting sedate. As discussed, the best thing you can do is contact your vet if you think you might be seeing side effects of gabapentin in your dog. Your vet can provide reassurance and advice on how to proceed.
Occasionally, there are situations where the severity of the side effects may prompt your vet to switch your dog to a different medication. Thankfully, this is fairly uncommon. Most of the time, the strategies we talked about will be enough to get your dog through the initial side effects.
Side effects of stopping gabapentin in dogs
It is important to note that if your vet does want to take your dog off gabapentin, he or she may recommend gradually decreasing the dose rather than stopping cold turkey. Rapidly stopping gabapentin can cause increased seizure activity if your dog is taking gabapentin as an anti-seizure medication. And abruptly withdrawing gabapentin can also cause rebound pain in dogs who are using it for pain control.
Thus, it is best to consult your vet before you stop giving your dog the gabapentin. This is especially true if your dog has been on it awhile, has a history of seizures, or has significant pain. The exception to this would be if your dog is having an allergic reaction, where continuing to give gabapentin could be life-threatening.
What are the symptoms of a gabapentin overdose in dogs?
While we are on the topic of side effects, I also wanted to briefly talk about gabapentin overdoses. Thankfully, because gabapentin has a wide margin of safety and a wide therapeutic range, true overdoses are uncommon. In reported cases of accidental overdose, most of the time the dog showed a more severe versions of the side effects we already discussed.
Overall, the signs of a gabapentin overdose were mostly ataxia (i.e. a wobbly or unsteady gait), sedation or drowsiness, and vomiting. Since there is so much overlap between the expected side effects and the signs of an overdose, the best course of action is to talk to your veterinarian or a pet poison control center (e.g. ASCPA Animal Poison Control Center) if you are concerned. They can advise you about the safest way to proceed for your dog.
7 Gabapentin FAQs
Now that you hopefully have a better understanding of the gabapentin side effects in dogs, I want to address a few other gabapentin frequently asked questions I tend to get from my clients.
FAQ #1: What is the dose of gabapentin for dogs?
As mentioned, gabapentin has a wide therapeutic range. This means vets can safely prescribe it at a wide range of doses for the same size dog. It’s available in 100 mg, 300 mg, and 400 mg capsules and 300 mg, 600 mg, and 800 mg tablets. Plus, it comes in a liquid formulation that vets sometimes use for very small dogs.
As a word of caution, the liquid form of gabapentin often prescribed for humans (trade name Neurontin®), can contain xylitol. This is an artificial sweetener commonly found in human medications, sugar-free gum, and many other products. Unfortunately, xylitol is toxic to dogs.
When vets prescribe liquid gabapentin for dogs, they must check with the pharmacist to ensure the product the pharmacy carries does not contain xylitol. If the human pharmacy doesn’t have a xylitol-free formulation available, your vet may need to order one from a compounding pharmacy.
Typically, dogs take gabapentin every 8 to 12 hours for best efficacy. But sometimes your vet may start out with once-a-day dosing at bedtime until your dog gets used to the medication.
The dose of gabapentin that your dog will take depends on his or her size and the severity of the pain, anxiety, or seizures. Your veterinarian will decide on the best starting dose for your dog. And then he or she will make adjustments along the way based on how your dog responds.
FAQ #2: How does the body get rid of gabapentin?
Like many medications, gabapentin is excreted primarily by the kidneys via the urine. Because of this, sometimes vets need to make dose adjustments in cases of severe kidney failure in dogs. This may involve prescribing a lower dose of gabapentin for that dog compared to a dog of the same size who has healthy kidneys.
However, unlike many medications, the liver only slightly metabolizes gabapentin. Therefore, dogs with liver disease in dogs may not need significant dose adjustments.
FAQ #3: Are there situations where gabapentin could hurt my dog?
As we have discussed, gabapentin is overall a very safe medication. Vets do, however, try to avoid using it in pregnant dogs unless absolutely necessary. This is primarily out of an abundance of caution since, like many medications, the effects of gabapentin on the fetus have not been fully characterized in dogs.
Also, as already mentioned, your vet may also need to adjust the dose for dogs with kidney dysfunction.
Remember too that liquid gabapentin can contain the artificial sweetener, xylitol. Unfortunately, xylitol toxicity in dogs can be fatal in some cases. So it is very important to ensure your dog’s gabapentin does not contain xylitol.
FAQ#4: Are there any long-term side effects of gabapentin for dogs?
Dogs may be prescribed gabapentin long-term for pain control or seizures. But thankfully at this point, it does not appear that there are any concerns with using gabapentin for weeks, months, or even years. Overall, gabapentin seems to be less hard on the body than some other pain medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs).
It is possible that over time a dog may develop a tolerance to gabapentin and require higher doses. However, this has not yet been conclusively demonstrated to be the case.
FAQ #5: How do gabapentin’s side effects compare to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)?
Vets commonly prescribe NSAIDs when they notice signs a dog is in pain. So, it would make sense to compare the side effects of NSAIDS (e.g. carprofen for dogs) to gabapentin since both are used as pain relievers.
NSAIDs are popular because they’re very effective at decreasing pain and inflammation. And they can also relieve arthritis pain in dogs to dramatically improve quality of life. However, the side effects of NSAIDs include vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stool, GI ulcers, and lack of appetite.
Additionally, NSAIDs can negatively impact kidney function. Thus, vets must use them sparingly in dogs with kidney issues. Since many dogs who need daily medication to manage joint pain are seniors, this population is also more likely to have pre-existing kidney disease.
Gabapentin is an attractive alternative for pain management in these dogs. Although dogs with kidney disease may need a lower dose due to slower excretion, gabapentin does not seem to have adverse effects on the kidneys like NSAIDs do.
One of the drawbacks to gabapentin as a pain medication, however, is that it does not have anti-inflammatory effects like NSAIDs do. This may make it less effective for conditions where inflammation is contributing to the degree of pain.
FAQ #6: How do gabapentin’s side effects compare to those of trazodone for dogs?
Trazodone for dogs is a popular anti-anxiety medication. And gabapentin also has some use in controlling anxiety. Therefore, it also makes sense to compare the side effects of trazodone vs gabapentin.
Interestingly, they have several side effects in common. Both can cause some sedation and GI upset. Plus, trazodone can cause agitation, aggression, and increased appetite, which debatably also occur with gabapentin.
One of the big differences, though, is the fact that administering trazodone with many other anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medications runs the risk of the dog developing a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome. And there is a list of other medications that trazodone doesn’t interact well with. However, gabapentin can safely be combined with trazodone and most other medications.
At the end of the day, though, the vet will select the medication that best fits the particular situation. There are a variety of potential anxiety-reducing medications. So the goal is to find the one or ones that work best for your dog.
FAQ # 7: How do the side effects of tramadol and gabapentin compare?
Another medication that gabapentin sometimes gets compared with is tramadol for dogs. Tramadol is an oral opioid medication, which means it provides pain relief. But like gabapentin, it does not have anti-inflammatory properties.
Vets sometimes use tramadol and gabapentin together. Or they may combine either one with an NSAID to provide better pain control.
When looking at side effects in dogs, the list for tramadol includes sedation, GI upset, constipation, panting, and dilated pupils. As is the case for gabapentin, these tramadol side effects are uncommon and tend to be mild.
Both tramadol and gabapentin lack enough evidence in the literature to prove their efficacy. But I do believe that they do a great job of helping decrease pain in dogs, especially when combined with another pain reliever. It is up to your vet to decide if gabapentin, tramadol, or both, is right for your dog.
Don’t let the concern about side effects of gabapentin keep you (and your dog) down
We all want what is best for our dogs and hate to see them experience any medication side effects. But the good news is that, as far as side effects go, gabapentin’s really aren’t so bad. They are unlikely to be harmful and usually go away within a week or so.
That doesn’t mean that it isn’t concerning to see your dog acting wobbly or sleepy. But it does mean that you can take some comfort in knowing that these side effects are par for the course and pretty easy to manage.
If your dog is experiencing side effects from gabapentin, please talk to your vet. Don’t let the short-term side effects make you think you should throw in the towel on gabapentin. Often the long term benefits that your dog will reap from being on gabapentin will far eclipse the stress and worry about the side effects. In the end, gabapentin may give your dog more good days, which is always a win in my book!
Good Day.
My 10-year-old Lab/Pit mix has been diagnosed with lung cancer. She is on Previcox -1/2 of 227 mg daily. This drug is a game changer for her arthritic issues. She was a rescue and has been shot a couple of times with buckshot, leaving hundreds of pellets behind. She also has had two CCL surgeries. She had slowed down so much on our daily walks that it was like walking a pull toy. She seemed short of breath and I typically let her set the pace. After several visits to the vet, and seeing two different ones, as mine retired in June, she was finally diagnosed. However, the office has failed me, and a promised 2-week return call after several calls and a written letter took 2 months to respond to, Our area is extremely short of vets, and most are overworked. She is also sleeping somewhat contorted at times. He suggested Gabapentin for sleep. 200mg per night. every other day for a week and then every day. She has been on it for about 2 weeks. She does sleep a little better but is not herself the following morning. She is still so happy to ride and walk. I see more energy and freedom due to the Previcox, after being on several other drugs that never gave the wonderful results this drug does. However, yesterday I noticed she was going to have a bad day. She woke with a distant personality. Not her smiling, loving self. I typically massage her when I wake and noticed her neck and the area between her front legs (sternum) were filled with fluid. She stayed somewhat distant and spaced out until about 2:00 . She continued her normal routine, but without expression like she was soulless. Her daily movements made the fluid go down somewhat. I had noticed some neck swelling the week before, but it would dissipate during the day, and then the next day she seemed fine, Hind site is telling me it was happening the days that she took Gabapentin. She has also had a couple of episodes of nausea and one she had a small amount of vomiting. Her appetite is great if not too good, Her normal bowel movements are fine, and most things are normal. Last night she was actually spirited like the Gabapentin had worn off and she came to life. I gave her only 100mg last evening instead of 200 mg. She slept fine but was nauseous when she got up and the fluid in her neck is minimal. She ate fine and is now sleeping. After reading several of the posts here I realize a lot of what she is feeling is normal and will take time to get used to. My question to you is can Gabapentin cause head, neck, and chest fluid along with nausea? Thank you.
Hi Brenda,
I am so sorry your senior girl is battling lung cancer and chronic pain. While the gabapentin may be causing some sedation and make her seem distant, I don’t think it is causing the swelling or fluid buildup you have noticed. Since I haven’t personally examined your dog, I can’t make specific conclusions. With that being said, I am very concerned that the fluid buildup may be due to progression of the lung disease or changes to her heart function. I understand it may be difficult to schedule an appointment for your pup to be evaluated by your vet due to high demand, but I honestly feel this is your best bet and may be urgent. I hope you can get the answers you need to make the best choices for you and your sweet girl. Wishing you both the best.
Hello,
Looking for some insight please. My 10 yr old bulldog mix was being treated for some arthritis in his hind legs, he was having trouble walking and using the stairs. In addition to rimadyl the vet suggested trying Gabapentin. He started off on 400mg 3x a day (80lb dog), still seemed just as Unsteady as before and had a few worse days. After about a week he was given the gabapentin 2x a day (instead of 3) due to the fact that I had to go away and the person watching him wouldn’t be able to get there for the 3rd dose late in the evenings. . So essentially he was cut back to two doses for the next 5 days. When we got back home we noticed a severe decline, he was totally unable to stand on his own. He was leaving droppings on his bed (unintentionally I believe), he couldn’t even hold himself up. It being a weekend we watched him overnight and carried him in and out of the house to use the bathroom. The next day again he could barely stand on his own. At one point he was whimpering on his bed for us to help him up because he soiled his bed and couldn’t get up. We again helped him outside and cleaned him up. As we sat there with him as he could barely sit and was panting and in visible pain we made the decision that we didn’t want to see him in anymore pain or have him go through anything worse than what was happening. Later that evening we decided to put him down in hopes that he would rest peacefully without anymore pain. I am now dealing with tons of guilt that we made the wrong decision after reading some of these stories. Could the medication have cause such a severe reaction? Even after lowering the dose and being on it for almost two weeks? How quickly would these symptoms show? We were never told to look out for such symptoms when taking it. I am heartbroken that we could have done the wrong thing in the moment thinking that something else was truly wrong.
Dear Marie,
I can only imagine the grief you are working through since having to say goodbye to your sweet boy. It is hard to stop thinking about the “what ifs” when you were left with more questions than answers. It sounds like you did everything you could to give your dog peace and take away his suffering. You made a difficult decision from a place of love with the advice from your vet. I probably would have done the same thing for my own pup. Please allow yourself some grace and know you did not fail him. I have no doubt he knew how much he was loved. I hope with time your heart will heal and his memory will bring you joy. ♥
Hello,
My dog seems to have a rib injury, according to our vet. She prescribed gabapentin and my dog is panting, shaking, pacing, staring off into space, walking backwards, and he just seems to be having a very bad reaction from it. This has been going on for about 4 hours!! I keep hearing how safe it is for dogs but this is not normal nor does it seem safe for him. I won’t ever let him be given it again and I’m concerned that my concerns are being brushed off by his vet.
Hi Carly,
I understand you being concerned about your dog and these worrisome symptoms. I agree that some investigating needs to be done to determine the cause. Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, it is difficult to make specific conclusions and recommendations. Did the symptoms go away once the medication was discontinued? How is your dog feeling today? If the symptoms persisted even without the medication being administered, it would have me suspicious there could be something else going on that was not apparent during your dog’s previous exam. Please keep your vet up to date on how things are progressing. You may need to look into scheduling a consult with a specialist. If you can, get a video of this strange behavior. Many times, dogs will act more normal once in the veterinary clinic due to adrenaline from being nervous and a video could be the bit of information that could crack this case. Praying for some answers and a full recovery.
Mt miniature dachshund is getting more and more restless as she ages. She has kidney disease and is on a special diet, metronidazole for her bowel issues plus probiotics. She is duper hungry all the time snd has s Hard time settling down ( we feed her enough btw). Vervains I decided to try gabapentin. Super low dose. First it seemed to work but after only one day she is even more hyper! Constantly asking for something we fo not know what! We taker her out almost every other hour, She doesn’t always need to it appears. we cuddle we try! No relief. What to do?
Hi Clementine,
I understand your concerns with the restlessness and anxiety in your senior pup. I am suspicious that these behaviors may be signs of canine cognitive dysfunction/dementia. Sometimes anxiety medications can help and for other cases there may not be much to do to offer relief. Make sure your vet is aware the gabapentin does not seem to be effective in controlling the restlessness. They may want to do more testing or try a different medication. I will attach links to other articles with more information and great comments from other readers. I hope you can find what works best for your girl. Praying for a good quality of life during her senior years.
1. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Solutions
2. Could Your Dog Have Dementia? Find Out With This Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Checklist
3. 5 Signs of Dementia in Dogs and What to Do About Them
My 24lb American Eskimo has been on Gabapentin for about a week now. I noticed him limping on his back leg yesterday and tonight he could barely walk. Fell over twice while walking on the kitchen tile. I’m giving it to home twice a day. Could this be too much or is there another pain medicine that would better than Gabapentin?
Hi Angela,
I understand your concern with these new mobility issues you have noticed in your pup. It has me a bit worried that these symptoms started a week after giving the Gabapentin. Usually, if ataxia or wobbliness occurs as a side effect of the medication it starts within the first couple of doses given. This may be a sign of progression of a neurological condition or uncontrolled pain. I think it would be best to call your vet as soon as possible and update them on your dog’s situation.
Hi Dr. Buzby,
Boy am I glad I found this article,,, I have a 15 year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever who was exhibiting signs of bloat LAST Saturday, 9/17 (he had it before in March 2019 and had a gastrectomy/gastropexy) so I knew the signs and rushed him to the ER. Turns out this time his COLON torsioned so he had surgery on Monday, 9/19 to untwist it and after 2 days of recovery in hospital I picked him up Wed 9/21. He was prescribed Gabapentin 300mg every 8 hours. He was a little unsteady when he came home but of course he also had major abdominal surgery – he was like that after his gastrectomy, too. But then it got worse…within 72 hrs of starting Gabapentin and coming home, on Sat 9/24 he could barely walk. He was struggling to stay upright and eventually just collapsed so I took him BACK to the ER, where he spent another night and found nothing wrong with him. His blood work, xrays, etc. all great. Of course, while I was waiting, I started looking into the meds he is on, and I saw the Ataxia side effect of Gabapentin. I brought it up to the ER doc but she said it’s a very safe drug, etc and to leave him on it. They had no explanation for why all of a sudden he can’t walk. He does have some arthritis in his lower back but that is managed well with CBD and Cosequin – he has NEVER collapsed like that, with his back feet turning out and sliding around so he can’t stand up or has to walk crouched and eventually just lies down – it was a very difficult day yesterday. This morning (since he hadn’t had a dose since last night) he was walking so much better. Walked around the back yard, had a poo, ate well. He was due for his gabapentin so I gave it to him and sure enough a few hours later he is looking like he did yesterday…can barely stand, dragging his back legs around. I have 2 questions: 1. Since it comes and goes, and seems to show up after his latest dose, could it be the Gabapentin even though the ER doc said she didn’t think it was? 2. Once a dog starts on Gabapentin, how long does it take for these side effects to show up? He started it the day he was discharged Wed 9/21 and the hind leg/weakness showed up Sat 9/24 so 72 hours later…would it take that long to manifest? THANK YOU SO MUCH for any info you can provide! At his age and with what he has gone through, I don’t want him to suffer anymore and I am just looking for guidance. I may cut it down to 1x a day and give it to him at bedtime since he is also on Meloxidyl suspension for pain and he is on day 7 post-op. THANK YOU THANK YOU! – Buddy’s Mom
Hi Allison,
I completely understand your concern over these possible side effects. I am glad you have reached out for advice and applaud you for taking such quick action to get Buddy the medical attention he needed. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. But I do think this sounds like a benign side effect of the Gabapentin. Usually, I see the ataxia start after the first dose, but it is possible it took a few doses to reach therapeutic level in the body. I think your idea of cutting back to once daily dosing is a good idea. Please let your vet know you are making this change to Buddy’s medication just so they can stay up to date with how his healing is progressing. I am impressed with how strong your pup is and how he keeps overcoming these obstacles. I hope he is feeling good today and will make a full recovery. Bless you both!
Veterinary behaviorist prescribed gabapentin for severe separation anxiety my 8-year-old standard poodle developed in the last year, but I told her twice I didn’t think it was the right choice and I didn’t feel comfortable with it. I’ve never heard of gabapentin being used prn or for separation anxiety, and I told her 2 other meds that are recommended for separation anxiety that I would be comfortable with. I feel like the vet didn’t hear my concerns, so I shoved it in the back of a drawer and don’t plan to give it to him. I feel like her aim is to just drug him to get him to shut up. I think I feel safer leaving for work and he has an anxiety attack rather than him being home alone and drugged. I had to take it myself after surgery for nerve pain and experienced a severe mood shift, and I’d never take it again. It’s really frustrating. I paid her $500 for an hour appointment that didn’t resolve anything.
Hi Stevie,
I am sorry you are in this stressful situation with your senior guy. I understand your concern, especially after having had unwanted side effects from this medication yourself. Luckily dogs don’t usually respond to medications the same way as humans. Did you try giving the gabapentin to see if it worked before putting it away in the drawer? You could always try a dose of the medication around bedtime while you are at home to see if you notice any issues with your pup. With all that being said, you have to find a vet that you can feel comfortable partnering with to manage your dog’s heatlh care. Not everyone fits well with each different personality type. I’d recommend reaching out to a different vet and see if you can find the perfect match for you. Even though most vets are general practitioners and not behavior specialists, all vets should be able to prescribe anxiety medications and follow up with how things are progressing, making changes if needed. I hope you can find the right help for your sweet boy that will allow him to rest peacefully and give him the best quality of life.
I think it’s awesome you are not just taking the vets word for something. I’ve heard “it shouldn’t “ or “I don’t think so “ before. EVERY pet reacts differently. If it were me I’d take your baby off it ASAP. I suggest a consult with a neurologist. I agree these could be neurological episodes, possibly triggered by drugs or just happenstance. . I had a GSD that on two occasions did something similar regarding the walking. His legs basically locked out and he couldn’t get up. It was awful to watch him try. He also had a blank look while it happened. One time his pupils were not the same size. Try and check your dogs pupils if it happens again. Long story short we never figured out what happened and only happened twice. I also strongly urge you to seek a holistic doctor that practices traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to compliment current treatments. You’d be surprised what herbs can do. They’ve been used 1000’s of years. They are not pushed by regular vets or human doctors bc they are not FDA approved. There is no money in it so there are no studies sponsored by drug companies. They could potentially help greatly with anxiety and pain. Also consider acupuncture from your holistic vet. It can also be used for a plethora of issues. Id also consider dog training for the anxiety. Anything to relieve the stress for the dog. One thing they say is to ignore the dog for about 10 minutes when you get home bs the high pitched voice reaction. And leave and come back at shorter intervals (can start at 15 seconds or less even) to condition the dog and work your way up to longer intervals over time. That way they learn you will be back. I love the “behaviorist” just drugs your dog. However, do know that gabapentin has a lot of off label uses. I could see how it would be given prn for anxiety.
Hi Doc,
First, thank you for the reassurance this article instilled in me regarding dosing our pup.
Our (now 6 month old 40lb) pup had an accident with a TBI when she was <2 months old. (Punctured brain, broken skull, eye socket, eyeball, etc…) and has overall recovered well. She was prescribed gabapentin by a specialty hospital across the state, and our local vet(s) doesn’t seem to be very knowledgeable (small town). We were told it should alleviate some of the side effects she would have from such a traumatic injury of the brain.
She was 14lbs and was prescribed 50mg 3x a day, and now at 40 lbs taking 150mg 3x a day. It seemed like complete (math in the head) guessing on the dosage. Does this seem low, high, or right on for preventative care?
She no longer seems to be in any pain, so I would assume the seizure treatment would be the best dosage for her.
The specialty hospital won’t see her again to give a proper dosage, as they are an emergency ICU only..and our local vet has admitted to being unfamiliar with using gabapentin.
Could you advise on if this dosage could be safely increased?
She is completely blind from the trauma, and her gait has always been wobbly since the accident. I just feel as she grows the wobbliness and falling gets worse, and was hoping an increased dosage would help.
Local vet’s advice was to” play around “ with the dose to find what (we) “are comfortable with.”
We just love this little lady so much and want her as comfortable as possible.
Thank you so very much.
Constance
Hi Constance,
I understand your concern for your pup and her ongoing needs related to her previous TBI. The original dosage that was prescribed for your girl was the standard starting dose for neuropathic pain. The current dose of 150mg every 8 hours is at the high end of the recommended dosing range in the version of the veterinary drug formulary that I currently use. With that being said, your vet may be able to increase the dosage of the Gabapentin a bit, but if it is not working as expected at this level then it may be time to investigate other alternatives. Also, one common side effect of Gabapentin is ataxia (wobbling) and mild sedation. So, if your dog’s wobbling and falling is increasing around the same time the Gabapentin dosage is being adjusted, it could be side effects of the medication and not an indication that the severity of your pup’s condition is worsening. There should be a veterinary neurologist that could offer some advice even if just by phone consult. Your vet can call specialty hospitals in other cities if needed. I hope you can find the answers you need to offer your special pup the best quality of life possible. Best wishes to you and your sweet girl.
Thank you so much, doc! I’ll be purchasing some toe grips now. If she could get traction, it would be much easier for her to move about. Thank you again!
Hello! My 15 yr old chihuahua has been on gabapentin for pain for some time now and had done really well. He’s also on an NSAID once a day, Metacam. He was boarded at my vet last week, and when we picked him up, it was clear he had kennel cough. They wanted me to give him doxycycline and temeril-p. They said to take him off the NSAID for a couple of days before starting the temeril-p, but I’ve had some issues with my vet and worry that’s not enough time. Also, will temeril-p interact with gabapentin? He’s also on selegiline for dementia and Hycodan for trachea collapse. Although he take a lot of meds, he’s active and in good health for his age. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Alex,
I understand your concern for your senior pup and the addition of these new medications. In general, 2 to 3 days is a long enough washout period when discontinuing NSAIDs and starting a steroid containing medication. If you are still worried, it is fine to wait an additional day. My gut reaction was that temaril-p should be fine to give with the gabapentin. Just to be sure I looked both medications up in the veterinary drug manual and there are no contraindications or interactions listed for these medications when given together. I hope your little guy will respond favorably to his treatment and can make a full recovery from his kennel cough infection. Keep up the good work and give your sweet boy a hug for me.
Thank you so much for the advice!
I brought my 12 yo, 60 lb Chow Chow home today from an overnight stay after a surgical removal of a mass on his liver. The pain medication prescribed was 300 mg of gabapentin. The hospital gave him 1 pill at 7 AM and he is due for another at 7 PM. However, at 12:30 PM when we picked him up while he walked to the car OK, he laid down on the ground before he got into the car and had a terrible time getting back up, as if his back legs weren’t working properly. He has arthritic hips so I thought maybe that was it. He had a terrible time getting into the house and has been sleeping ever since then except for one time and moved 4 feet with great effort and help from me. Now he’s due for another one and I’m not inclined to give him one. He lifts up his head now and then but it’s as if he has vertigo. I realize sedation and wobbling are side effects, but this seems pretty severe.
(BTW: We are a new customer of your toe grips and he’s only been wearing them a week but wow what a difference!)
Hi K.A.,
I understand your concern for your big guy and this extreme sedation and wobbling. From what you describe it does sound like gabapentin side effects. I recommend you talk to your vet and see if they want to decrease the dosage or frequency of administration. Although the vertigo like symptoms can be worrisome, it is probably best your boy is somewhat sedated the day after surgery. You would rather have him wobbly than painful from his abdominal procedure. Thank you for sharing your experience with ToeGrips! I am so glad you have noticed an improvement in your dog’s mobility and quality of life. Praying he makes a full recovery and is resting comfortably at home. Best wishes to you both.
I have not read thru all of the comments, but have any recent readers posted anything about their dog slinging its head and slobbering excessively as soon as the syringe releases the gabapentin liquid into the mouth?
It doesn’t matter how large or small the dose is, my 18-year-old rat terrier ALWAYS does this. I think it doesn’t affect the positive results the med is giving us…..other than she may not be getting the entire dose due to some of it being flung and/or slobbered out of her mouth.
Hi Candace,
I have not noticed any of the other readers mention this issue with their dog. However, this sounds like a typical behavior I see frequently when dogs just don’t like the taste of liquid medicine. It is nothing to be concerned about except, like you mentioned, your pup may not be getting the full dose. Make sure your vet is aware of your dog’s distaste for her medication. There might be an option to have it flavored differently! Best wishes and good luck.
My 10 1/2 year old boxer, Chara, recently started losing a tremendous amount of weight and come to find out he had pancreatitis. He has been treated for this and now we are focusing on his arthritis in his back legs. Our Veterinarian has started him in Gabapentin. He seems to be doing well and we are able to increase his does in 2 more days. The one thing we have notice however, he is drinking a lot more and urinating all the time. We will be contacting our vet in the morning with concerns of diabetes. Just curious if this is a possible side effect from the gabapentin??
Hi Angie,
I am sorry Chara is having so many issues and now dealing with urinary problems as well. I am not aware of gabapentin causing increased thirst or urination. I would be concerned these new symptoms could be due to something unrelated that has not been diagnosed yet. I am glad you are planning to contact your vet. Feel free to leave an update when new information surfaces. Hoping for quick answers and a positive outcome.
My 2 ur old rottie has been taking gabapentin 400mg for a week for a torn ACL just until his vet appt next week. Seems to be doing better but still not able to walk without my help. But, it concerns me this morning I notice his right eye kind of rolled back into his head. I’m not reading anywhere that that’s a side effect. Should I be concerned bc I am!
Hi Angie,
You are right to be concerned about this new and strange symptom. I am not aware of this being a side effect of gabapentin. Without examining your pup myself, it is hard to say for sure what the cause could be and if it is of concern. It may be that your dog’s 3rd eyelid is protruding or there is some orbital swelling that makes the eye look rolled back when it is actually still in normal position. The possibilities are endless. My best advice is to have your vet evaluate your dog and see what they recommend. Best wishes!
Hi! Is a protruding 3rd eyelid common as a result? My dog is taking 100mg after a surgery today and her eyes aren’t fully closing while she sleeps and we can see her 3rd eyelid in both eyes. Looks creepy but is it normal?
Hi Lorraine,
An elevated 3rd eyelid is usually a sign of discomfort or sedation/sleepiness. I would guess that your pup may still be under some effects of the anesthesia used for surgery. The gabapentin can also cause some sedation like effects. If the 3rd eyelids continue to stay elevated for more than a day or two, it might be a good idea to let your vet know. They can examine your pup and make sure she is not painful and rule out any other issues that could cause this same symptom. I hope your girl is resting comfortably at home and makes a full recovery. Best wishes!
Hi Dr. Buzby,
I have a 12 year old Golden Retriever named Summer. The vet said that she may have a peripheral nerve disease. We are testing the dosage for Prednisone for her. On the first week, we were giving her half tablet everyday and she was doing well. On the 2nd week, we taper off to once every other day. She was not doing well on the skipped day but got back up when there is prednisone. On the 5th day on that second week, it seems she weakened greatly so we decided not to skip on the 6th day. We brought her to the vet on that 6th day. The vet recommended we give her gabapentin. He told us to give it on the 7th day. When we went home on that 6th, Summer was doing well up to the 7th day morning. We gave her gabapentin on the morning of the 7th day and she weakened on the afternoon. On the 7th and 8th day, she was not able to walk and she looked groggy. We decided to stop giving her gabapentin on the 9th day and brought her to the vet. The vet also agreed not to give gabapentin because it might not be good for her since on the 6th day, she was doing well without the gabapentin. On the 10th, 11th,12th day, she still can’t stand although not groggy. Our vet told us that the gabapentin may not be the culprit but why was she ok on the 6th day before we gave her gabapentin? Could this be a case of a misdiagnosed drug for her? It seems she did not need gabapentin. I am just worried since they are already giving 2 dose per day of prednisone since the 9th day. I am really blaming gabapentin for what happened. It may be a good drug but it may not good for some dogs like Summer. Should I expect for Summer to stand and walk soon? Or gabapentin has a long effect? Hope you can help me. I don’t want her to stay long on the hospital for health and financial reasons
Hi Jayson,
I am sorry Summer is struggling with neurologic symptoms and mobility issues. I understand your concern and am glad you are proactively advocating for her health and wellbeing. Since I haven’t personally examined your dog, it is hard to make specific conclusions. I would think that the grogginess and maybe some of the limb weakness you noticed initially could be contributed to the gabapentin. Gabapentin has a relatively short half-life and doesn’t stay in the system for long. This is probably why you noticed the grogginess resolved. I am suspicious that the reason for the continued limb weakness may have to do with your dog’s underlying peripheral nerve disease. I wouldn’t say that the gabapentin was prescribed by mistake as it is a known pain reliever specifically for neurological conditions. This medication is considered very safe and is also used to treat seizures and help with anxiety. Honestly, I cannot say if Summer will start to walk again without knowing her specific diagnosis and prognosis. It might be a good idea to schedule a consult with a veterinary neurologist. They may have ideas about additional testing or other treatments to try. The specialist can also give you insight on what to expect in the future with Summer’s specific case. I hope you can find the answers you need to give your sweet girl the best quality of life. Praying for a positive outcome.
Jayson – we just experienced a similar issue. Dog put on Gaba for pain in foot (suspected sprain). He didn’t get drowsy but did get wobbly and clumsy. So stopped the Gaba 2 days ago and he still is having issues. Calling the vet today. But your case isn’t isolated!
We had the same issue with a Belgian Sheepdog. He was unable to stand and walk after 2 low doses of gabapentin and never did recover . Our very said it could not be the gabapentin, but he went downhill within an hour of the 2nd dose and was still not able to get up, stand, or walk 5 days later. We ended up euthanizing him. He was struggling and trying so hard and not improving.
Dear Beth,
I am so sorry you lost your Belgian Sheepdog in such a tragic way. It sounds like you made the difficult decision to say goodbye from a place of love and to prevent suffering. I can only imagine the grief you must be feeling without your sweet boy by your side. I hope with time your heart will heal and it will be comforted knowing you did all you could for your pup, and he was well loved. May his memory be a blessing as you continue life’s journey.
Our 14 Year old German shepherd chow mix buster recently had dental surgery to remove a tumor under his tongue and two teeth. The first day after anesthesia he did seem pretty out of it but the vet insisted we give him his carbapentin 300 mg every 8-12 hours. He is approximately 57 pounds. But a very active social jumping running very active dog. The next morning he could hardly stand his back legs weren’t supporting him or would support him only for a few seconds and he would gradually lower himself to the ground. He could walk a little enough to go outside and P and come back in but when eating would start out standing and within a minute be Sitting or laying on the floor eating his food. I called our vet only got the vet tech in the morning and explained this and was told this is normal your dog has just had anesthesia 12 hours ago don’t be concerned. By Friday night around 430 I was getting worse he still had no strength in his back legs could barely walk just enough to go out and P or walk around the house and then lay down I again called our vet around 430 but only got to speak to the vet tech who said again not to worry you can get a little muscle weakness with this medicine but don’t worry. She also told me our vet would not be in on Saturday that they would have another vet there but covering their appointments. Saturday all through the night early morning Buster could barely stand up was pulling his back legs from behind him almost looked like he had been hit by a car we could get him outside to barely P and then have to carry him Back inside. This went on all night 1:00 AM 2:00 AM 3:00 AM 4:00 AM getting worse and worse and we’re starting to see like a little tics going on in his head. He was anxious and panting a lot he didn’t want to drink a lot of water and did seem that he wanted to eat but within a half hour could not get up off the floor at all he had no strength to carry him out he could not even walk he was just flat and limp on the floor and started having seizure like ticks constantly and yelling like an animal in distress with his tongue hanging out. Of course our vet didn’t open till 930 that morning and this was about 630 we decided to take him to the emergency vet we had to carry him in he wasn’t able to walk and he was a seem to be in an extreme pain and having these seizure like symptoms. We had already traumatized him by being at the vet all day Thursday for his dental work and now taking him back to the emergency vet was another huge trauma for him. The vet said she could give him seizure meds to help with the seizures but would not know if he was able going to be able to walk again or be out of the pain he was having. We can’t understand what happened the vet never spoke to me on the phone Friday after his surgery even though I expressed concerns I only got to talk to the vet tech I also was never given instructions That this medicine could produce this type of extreme side effects were they can’t bear weight or or extremely I guess I must drunk that they are staggering around and not able to stand for more than 20 or 30 seconds it was horrible to watch a strong healthy dog lose all his body functions mobility wise. We ultimately decided to put him to sleep to not have him to have to go through another day or two of anxiety and exhaustion being in a strange place in an emergency hospital not knowing what’s going on with the big question of the outcome. I am so consumed with guilt that I did the wrong thing that I should’ve taken him off the medicine and looked to see if that helped with the side effects or lowered the dose at least but neither the vet or the vet tech ever instructed me on that. I’ve lost the best dog I’ve ever had over dental surgery and a pain med this is got to be fixed there Hass to be more instructions on side effects of this medicine either from the manufacture or from the vets that are administering it I would gladly of taken him off of it after the first dose or cut it in half to see if that would help but was told to keep him on the med so that he would not and be in any pain is being uncomfortable better than being dead I don’t think so I could’ve judged how bad his uncomfort level was but when they can’t walk and they’re having seizure like symptoms and yelling out in pain you’re only thought is to put them at peace was the worst weekend of my families life
Patty
Dear Patty,
My heart aches for you and this tragic loss of Buster. You made the best decision you could with the information you had and with the advice of the ER vet that was taking care of him. Since I did not examine your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions about what happened or possible causes. I wouldn’t think the gabapentin would have caused seizures as it is a medication that is actually used to treat seizures in dogs and humans. I will admit that what you described is strange and confusing and we will probably never know the exact details of what happened and why. He could have had a completely unrelated neurological issue or condition affecting his brain that just didn’t show up until after the anesthesia event. Please know that you made a loving and unselfish choice to give Buster peace and rest and end his suffering. You did not fail him. I would have made the same choice if I had been in your situation. I hope with time you will allow yourself some grace and let go of the burden of guilt over the “what ifs”. I am praying for healing for your heart and that Buster’s memory will be a blessing.
I am so grateful to have found this article! A couple days ago, my 12 year old Chihuahua/Terrier mix (Snickers) suddenly cried out in pain. She continued crying for several minutes, started shaking, and then tried to hide under a chair. I wasn’t sure what had happened but I knew something wasn’t right. I rushed her to the ER and the vet suspected that she may have a slipped disc (IVDD). We have an appointment with the neurologist in less than 3 weeks from now. In the meantime, they prescribed Meloxicam (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication) along with Gabepentin (liquid dose – every 8 hours) for the pain. Since she started Gabepentin, I’m noticing a lot of the symptoms you mentioned – drowsiness and ataxia. But she is also trembling, not eating as much, hasn’t had a bowel movement in 1 1/2 days, and tries to hide. She’ll also stand in one spot and just look up at me. I’m just not sure if she’s still in a lot of pain or if she’s scared about having these symptoms. I was considering stopping the Gabepentin until I read your article. She’s a little under 10 pounds (4.44 kg) so I’m wondering if I should reduce the dosage by half or change the frequency from every 8 hours to every 12 hours. Would these changes prolong the time it takes for her body to get used to the medication? Should these side effects subside after a few days? She’s only been on the medication for two days and it’s already worrying me. Thank you!
Hi Nancy,
I am glad you are reaching out about Snickers and these new side effects from the gabapentin. I am a little suspicious that the trembling and lack of defecating may be signs of pain. If her back is hurting, then it can be hard to posture correctly to defecate without causing more pain. I do think the drowsiness and ataxia will subside with time (possibly a couple weeks) and I hope her pain will be better controlled as the inflammation around the spinal cord is decreased. I am not sure your vet will want to decrease the gabapentin dosage since your pup is still showing signs of pain. It is still a good idea to call your vet and let them know what you are seeing at home and discuss your concerns. They may have ideas about how to change up the medications to better help Snickers get comfortable and rest until her appointment with the neurologist. I hope your sweet girl is feeling better today and will be able to make a complete recovery. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
My 11 year old lab mix has been taking 300 mg of gabapentin and 50mg of carprofen twice a day for what we believe is a herniated disc. She also goes to physical therapy once a week. PT has suggested we cut down the gabapentin to once a day to see if it increases the feeling in her back legs. She has had some diarrhea since I cut back 2 day ago could this be a side effect?
Hi Mary,
I would not think that decreasing the gabapentin would cause diarrhea. I would be more concerned with diarrhea as a side effect of increasing the dosage of medications. With that being said, I guess it is possible. If your dog is more painful or dealing with greater stress and anxiety since decreasing the gabapentin, then diarrhea could be a side effect of the pain and stress. Ultimately, it would be a good idea to make your veterinarian aware of this development. They may want to check a fecal specimen or run some other tests just to make sure nothing is being missed. I hope the medications and therapy will be able to restore your sweet girl’s quality of life. Best wishes to you both!
My dog who is a 10 year old pittie. She had hurt herself on the stairs when she went down them too fast. She was fine and got up but 2 days later she got worse. And was very sore I took her to her vet on Monday of this week. He determined she indeed hurt her hip and was suffering from some arthritis.
He prescribed 300 mg of gabapentin to be taken at once. I gave it to her at bedtime. I went to work and my husband was home with her said her gait was very wobbly and she didn’t want to stand up without help. She was very wobbly so I tried dosing it throughout the day and see if that helped. She got worse, so I waited until late afternoon and gave her a 100 mg dose. She could barely stand. She us still eating and drinking and going out but my husband has to carry her down the stairs and we have now put a harness on to help assist her in walking. I will be calling my vet today as I think we’re ginna take her off gabapentin. She doesn’t seem to be getting any better just lays there and stares off or just sleeps. When she’s walking she will stop and it’s almost like she zones out and has to be reminded to walk. This has been very stressful on her and she seems scared. It’s scary to see our active pup who loved playing to doing nothing and seemingly depressed. It gave us a real scare and both of us are stressed and worried about our Duchess. We won’t be administering anymore. I have a natural pain relief I was giving her before her vet visit that seemed to help so we will be trying that later to help with pain temporarily until I speak with our vet. This is very scary to watch our happy girl become depressed and scared to walk
.
Hi Tracy,
I am sorry your pup has injured her hip and I understand your concerns with the exaggerated side effects from the gabapentin. As the article states, the wobbling, stumbling, and incoordination usually resolves over several days to weeks as the body adjusts to the medication. I know it can be frightening to watch but it isn’t causing any permanent harm. With that being said, it is always ok to ask for an alternative treatment. Your vet should have options of other pain medications or anti-inflammatory medications to try. How is your girl doing today? I hope you can find the right therapy for your dog that will improve her quality of life and leave you feeling comfortable as well. Best wishes to you both.
Are there any ways to distinguish if the hind legs ataxia is caused by the gabapentin or pain/progression of disease (IVDD). My guy has been on gabapentin for a while, but recently increased from every 12 hours to every 8 hours, initially met with no issues, but a few days later we began to slow taper him off prednisone (with vet approval) due to side effects (starting to look like cushings syndrome). He does seem a tad dysphoric as well. I am hesitant to go back to every 12 hours incase he is in pain (a very stoic chihuahua lol) . Are there things to look out for that point towards the gabapentin causing it vs more inflammation on the spinal cord?
Hi Britt,
These are great questions, and you are right to be concerned about these new symptoms. I will be honest. It seems odd to me that if the increased dose of the gabapentin was causing the dysphoria and ataxia, that the symptoms did not start right away with the first day of increased administration. I guess it is still possible that it could be the gabapentin, but it worries me a bit. This might be the time to seek a referral to a veterinary neurologist. The specialist should be able to let you know if the IVDD is worsening and may have ideas about additional treatments to pursue. I hope you can find the right options for you and your little guy. Praying he will improve and can get back to living his best life!
Hi,
Great article! On Gabapentin. My vet just prescribed this for my senior dog, who is suffering from anxiety. When I leave the house, he pants, paces, poops and pees. I now have to band and diaper him when I leave the house; otherwise he is ok as long as he’s not alone.
I wondered if using gabapentin is common for anxiety. Have not started him yet, weaning him off Prozac, which he broke through.
He will also start analpril once off Prozac for his dementia. I also give him .2 ml Ellevet 2x daily, a CBD product.
He was given 100mg caps for 2x daily gabapentin for the anxiety. Just wondering if you have used gab this way since it’s not mentioned in article.
Thanks!
Hi Pamela,
I have prescribed Gabapentin to dogs with anxiety, but it is usually not necessarily for the anxiety and rather for arthritis pain. In my hands, gabapentin usually works better combined with other medications rather than using it alone, and I am more apt to try Trazodone for my anxiety cases. I am curious to know if you have noticed benefits and a reduction to the anxiety behaviors since starting the Gaba? I can see how it might be a good option since it works on the nerves and nervous system. I hope you can find the right combination of therapies for your senior boy that offer him the best outcome and improvement to his quality of life. Feel free to leave an update at any point. Wishing you both the best of luck.
I’m seeing a reoccurring side effect of the heavy panting which . Is still being referred to by the author as unusual and is still not listed on the medication itself . Two of my dogs now have been prescribe gabapentin and the worse thing about this particular side effect is that is a worse version of the symptom they already suffer with so I find it hard to know if the drugs aren’t working and my dogs are panting because of pain or if they are easing the pain but causing more distress . I’m great full for the comments that have reassured me that it’s not been in my head .
Hi Chantal,
I understand your concern with this increased panting in both of your dog’s since starting the gabapentin. Since I have not personally examined your dogs, I can’t make specific conclusions about whether this symptom is due to pain or related to the medication. I looked through every research article I could find and read over discussion panels from internal medicine experts and could not find a link between gabapentin and panting in dogs. The only mention of respiratory issues with this drug that I did find, was in a statement released from the FDA in 2019. The statement was about humans who are taking the medication and it warned about combining it with other CNS depressants. If combined with other depressant medications, it was causing a decrease in breathing in humans. Some studies have shown that dogs are much less sensitive to the respiratory side effects of gabapentin than humans are. But if a dog were to show the same symptoms as humans, it would be a decrease in breathing instead of an increase like panting. I can’t deny that several readers have experienced this same panting issue as you describe. I am not sure what the cause could be. I highly recommend you let your vet know about this change so they can decide if this medication is right for your pups. This might be a good topic for further research in the future. Maybe your vet can pass along this info to the drug manufacturers so they are aware and can investigate. I hope you can find the treatment that works best for both of your dogs. Best wishes!
My 10.5 year old bulldog gets excited when we have company to the point he has trouble breathing (also has COPD which he’s on Terbutaline to treat). I gave him a 300 mg Gabapentin to see how well it works so I know if I need to give it to him 2 or 3 times a day when our guests arrive next week. He did really well, sleepy and relaxed. Once it wore off, the rest of the day he seemed very clingy to me. Every time I got up and moved, he jumped up and followed me around the house. Is this something that will happen until he gets adjusted to the meds? Part of the time he will be on Gaba I will be at work.
Hi Jill,
I am glad the gabapentin is helping to keep your senior guy calm and prevent breathing issues. I am not familiar with clinginess being a side effect of this medication. It is common for gabapentin to cause ataxia (wobbling) and weakness of the limbs when first starting the medication. Maybe being clingy is your dog’s way of dealing with feeling a bit wobbly and weak? I do think it would be a good idea to let your vet know about these symptoms you are noticing. If nothing else, they can monitor the situation and will be aware of possible issues if the dosage should need to be increased at any point in the future. I am hopeful that you will notice a decrease in these side effects as your dog’s body adjusts to the gabapentin. If not, your vet may decide to try a different medication to help reduce anxiety. Wishing you both the best and good luck!
Very helpful article, thank you for posting! My 80 lb Lab was started on gabapentin a few days ago at a dose of 200 mg 2x/day for a new episode of limping/pain in her front leg (she also takes Galliprant for hind-end arthritis). X-rays only showed very mild arthritis in her elbow, so waiting to do more diagnostics. So far I’d say her limping has improved about 40% on the gabapentin which is great – but she is also showing a multitude of mild to moderate side effects. She is both drowsy and sort of wired, and more distracted/unsatisfied/less responsive to me. Does she want more activity/attention, or less — I can’t tell! Also on the more charming side – she is rolling on her back in the grass WAY more than usual and has suddenly become that sort of dog that makes the funny face and kicks her leg when you scratch her – possibly because it affects the nerves? In any case – I believe its helping her pain but I also want my dog’s regular amazing personality back! I’m glad to know that these side effects may go away soon as she adjusts. Unfortunately my vet just left town so I can’t ask his opinion on this, but we need to leave her home with our dog sitter next week and I’m trying to decide whether it would be better for her to stay on her 2 doses a day for pain relief, or maybe try switching to just the evening dose as suggested in this post, so she might feel more secure like her usual self while we’re away. Thoughts?
Hi Melanie,
I am glad you have noticed an improvement in your dog’s pain level since starting the gabapentin. I understand how worrisome these side effects can be, especially when thinking about having to leave her with a sitter for several days. As long as the symptoms are manageable, and your sitter has no concerns, I think it would be best to continue the twice daily dosing. If you decide to reduce the dosage next week then the side effects may subside. But when you increase the dosage back to twice a day, the side effects will probably return, and you will start the “adjustment period” all over again. I hope these issues will resolve quickly and am hopeful that you may return from your travels to find a more normal pup waiting for you. Wishing you both the best and good luck!
Hi I have a 12 year old malti poo and we took her to the vet and they think she has a pinched nerve so they gave us two different pills and liquid gabapentin. We have to give her the gabapentin every 12 hours along with the pills. Well she takes the pills just fine but she absolutely refuses to take the gabapentin by the syringe she’ll growl and start yelping she’s never done this before with other oral medications. Also i’m unsure if this is a side effect but is it normal for dogs to breathe really heavy on gabapentin? The reason i’m asking is because it’s the weekend and our vet is closed and we won’t be able to contact them til Monday. I don’t know if we should take her off it for the weekend or not because of the difficulty of giving it to her and her breathing heavy.
Hi Patrick,
You are right to be concerned about the changes to your dog’s breathing. I have had a few other readers experience something similar with their dogs, but I do not have any personal experience with this issue in my patients. The behavioral issues with taking the gabapentin are probably due to its taste. If you think the breathing heavy is any form of respiratory distress, then yes, I would stop the medication until you can talk to your vet tomorrow. I hope your girl is stable and feeling better today.
This article is very helpful. Our vet told me yesterday that being wobbly was a possible side effect, but it was still disconcerting to see it this morning in our 15 year old “mix of everything” girl. It’s the beginning of a holiday weekend, but this article and the comments reassure me that I can wait to give her body a few days to begin to adjust before calling the vet. Her follow up appt is one week, so we’ll definitely talk to the vet then.
Hi Jill,
I am glad you found the article to be helpful and reassuring. I hope your girl is feeling better and her side effects have resolved. Best wishes and good luck!
Thank you so much for posting this! It’s very helpful!
First off, we have a vet appt later this week and will ask there too but figured a second opinion doesn’t hurt!
My dog has been on Gabapentin for about 6 weeks (300mg twice daily, 72lb). It seems to really be helping her pain level! She gets ESWT too but we wanted to give her something in addition to Galliprant until the pain relieving effects of the ESWT have a chance to kick in (she’s had 2 of the series of 3 treatments so far).
Within the past few weeks, we’ve noticed INSANE shedding. True it could also be due to the fact that it is summertime but we’ve never seen her lose this much and she’s actually getting some bald areas (belly, armpits, legs). In other areas, the hair is getting very, very thin and continues to fall out. Additionally, her stools are formed but not as firm as they used to be. Her belly has been looking a bit bloated too. I’ve heard of these potential side effects in humans but can’t find anywhere that they could be possible in dogs. Thankfully, I think the pain relieving benefits outweigh the side effects. I am curious though, have you heard of any of these side effects in dogs? Do you think they could improve with continued use or since she’s already been on it for so long that maybe not? Thanks!!
I should mention also that she has been on Galliprant for almost a year. The only thing that has changed is adding the Gabapentin.
My 80lb lab has also been on 300mg every 12h of the same medication and has an insane amount of hair loss. I mentioned it to the vet and they said it was regular shedding for this time of year. I can assure you that this is well above the normal amount. Hope this info helps.
Hi Mandy,
That is very interesting. I am glad you reached out about these new strange symptoms. Since I haven’t personally examined your girl, I can’t make specific conclusions, but I am highly suspicious about Cushing’s disease. When is the last time your pup had blood work checked? I highly recommend you talk to your vet about these new developments and see if they want to do some testing. Here is an article with more information about Cushing’s: Cushing’s Disease in Dogs: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Medications
I am glad your pup’s pain level seems to be responding well to the gabapentin. I hope you can find the answers you need to get everything under control and let your sweet girl live her best life. Feel free to leave an update if you get a chance!
I was also wondering about Cushing’s! She last had bloodwork done in April and all looked good. I will be sure to mention this on Friday! Thank you so much for your reply. It is greatly appreciated and I will post an update as soon as I know anything!
Vet did not notice any noteworthy bloating/pot belly issues and shedding likely due to summertime + allergies. Could be possible that Gabapentin is contributing but unlikely. Guess we will know for sure when we wean her off Gabapentin in a few weeks! Will update again then.
Hi Mandy,
I am glad your vet is not suspecting Cushing’s disease. Maybe everything will resolve once the Gabapentin is discontinued. Hoping for a positive outcome and wishing you and your girl the best! Looking forward to your next update.
Just another update: she’s back on 300mg q12h because when we tapered her off initially, I realized how much it was helping! Once back on it, we are not seeing any of the original issues so must’ve either been something else causing the shedding and bigger belly or her body finally adjusted to the Gabapentin. Either way, she’s doing great on it now with no concerns! 🙂
Hi Mandy,
Thank you so much for this update! I am glad the hair loss has resolved, and your girl is very happy with her Gabapentin on board. I hope she will continue to thrive and live her best life. Bless you both!
Hello, my 14 year old Min Pin has developed extreme, what we believe, is anxiety at night recently. She is not sleeping well. Just wants to pace the house. She seems she can’t get settled. We have tried CDB, benedryl, anxiety meds and now we have Gapapentin. I gave her the 100mg dose the first night we received the meds (I’m desperate for sleep) …. During the night we gave it to her she woke me up with her super super heavy breathing. She was asleep and her breathing was so heavy. Her lungs were expanding so big and fast it scared me to death. She did stop after a few mins. Not sure if it is a side effect of the meds? I have not given her a full dose again. She sleeps for a few hours then paces on the bed wanting down. As soon as I put her down she sits and scratches on the side of the bed acting like she wants back up. I put her back up and she will not/can’t get settled. Needless to say we end up with a lot of sleepless nights.
Hi Michelle,
I can only imagine how tired you must be after so many nights of interrupted sleep. I am sure your little pup is exhausted as well. Since I was not there to witness the heavy breathing myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. I am suspicious that what you are describing could be normal dreaming behavior. It sounds like your senior girl slept well the night you gave the full dose of gabapentin, and you would have too if her breathing hadn’t woken you up. If you have any concerns that a breathing problem might be occurring, don’t hesitate to have her examined by your vet. Otherwise, it might be a good idea to try the full dose of gabapentin again and see how things go. Hoping the entire household will be resting comfortably soon. Best wishes!
I’m so grateful for the comment section of this article. My dog can’t stand up anymore without help and is so unsteady on his feet. I had a feeeling it was the medicine but could not find any articles stating these side effects, until I happened upon this one. I’m immediately taking him off this. Thank you all.
Hi Don,
I understand your concern for you dog and this worrisome side effect. Please talk to your vet and discuss these issues. They may want to change the dosage or try a different medication. Any changes to how or when a medication is administered should be made under the supervision of your vet to try and prevent additional unwanted side effects. I hope your pup is feeling better and back to living his best life.
My 10 year old GSD has just been prescribed gabapentin for arthritis and she is showing many of the wobbly symptoms related above. I see your advice to give at bedtime for a few days to see if that helps. Since this is prescribed for pain, does it not wear off during the day? Would surely like to see my girl feeling more chipper.
Hi Bobbie,
You are correct that if gabapentin is only given at night, then the pain relief may wear off during the day. This nighttime only administration is just in hopes to give your dog’s body some time to adjust. Once the adjustment period is completed, the goal is to work back up to the twice a day administration.
This post was very helpful and reduced some of my worries regarding my dog’s behavior. My dog is an 8 year old lab/healer mix about 55 pounds. She has been experiencing limping and pain for about 2 or 3 weeks from her elbow. Not sure how the injury happened. Anyway she was prescribed 300 mg of the gabapentin twice a day. It’s been 5 days since starting the medication and she’s been still limping, very lethargic, weakness in her back legs, wobbly, and overall confusion especially with commands she knows like going outside, lying down, and food commands. She is still eating, drinking, and using the restroom fine but won’t walk. My husband has been carrying her down 3 flights of stairs, sets her in her pee spot, she uses the restroom And then hobbles over out of the pee and lays down. To me, it seems the behaviors have increased. After reading other responses and this article we are going to try to giving the medication once a day and only at night. We are also going to consult the vet to be safe.
Hi Arianne,
I am sorry your girl is experiencing such severe side effects. It sounds like you have a good plan for how to proceed. I hope you were able to talk to your vet and discuss your concerns. Praying all is well today and your pup is feeling more like herself and on the road to recovery. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance!
Hi
My daughter in law is a vet and prescribed GABA for extreme anxiety. Since my other dog passed a couple years ago he has to be by my side. When I try leaving him he bark and howls for hours til I come back. I can’t leave him cause I’m in an apartment and neighbors aren’t pleased. He had him first dose tonight of 300 mg and after a couple hours he went to get up and his back legs gave out. I’m sitting with him while he sleeps it off I hope. I couldn’t get ahold of my daughter cause they are out. But I think I should cut his dose to half. He only gets it two hours before I leave but she wanted me to try it when I’m home to keep an eye out. I hope he sleeps it off.
Hi Debra,
I agree that reducing the dose of gabapentin initially may be a good idea. I hope you were able to get in touch with your daughter in law and discuss your concerns. Praying your sweet boy is feeling better and anxiety free. How are things now?
Dr Buzby: Thank you VERY much for this page, helpful info, and your personal responses. We have Jack, a 15+ year old male Labradoodle, about 51 lbs now, quite elderly, rear hips not great. We just moved to NC, so new environment, hotter temps and higher humidity. New local Vet put him on Doxycycline (for long-established Lyme exposure) and 300 mg Gabapentin 2x/day for his arthritis. First doses given with dinner tonight, and very quickly Jack got lethargic and weak – unable to get himself up. Walked a bit loopy, like he was drunk. During tonight’s late walk, he frequently laid down and would not get up. Even when I lifted him onto his feet, he took a few unsteady steps, and laid back down. Very disconcerting! But he didn’t seem to be in any discomfort. But he hasn’t peed or pooped since this morning. Reading your article helped alleviate most of our concerns; we will check with the Vet in the morning, maybe reduce the dosage or make it evenings only. THANK YOU for your care and sharing.
Hi Tom,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us. This is exactly what other readers need to see to help them through a similar situation. Also, I really appreciate all the kind words about the article and my comments! I agree that this new weakness in your senior guy does sound like side effects from the Gabapentin. I think you have a good idea about how to proceed and I hope your big boy is back to feeling his best in no time. I wish you both the best with your new life in North Carolina.
Hey there, your post has been reassuring as I’m having a bit of a hard time with my dog’s condition. Our 10 year old medium sized rescued terrier mix recently experienced lethargy and difficulty with stairs. It was a Sunday night so we took her to the emergency vet; turns out she has a herniated disc in her vertebrae. The vet prescribed her gabapentin and galliprant for pain relief. The day after beginning her medications, her hind legs began to get worse. She’s very wobbly when she walks, she crisscrosses her hind legs and can’t support much of her weight when she pees and poops. Everything else seems to be fine with her, she eats regularly, no diarrhea, no vomiting, etc. After two days, we called the vet again and she said it’s a bit hard to say if it’s the side effects from the meds or some of the symptoms of the herniated disc/IVDD. We’re just now a bit anxious and patiently waiting to see if she adjusts to the gabapentin medication since we don’t want the herniated disc/IVDD to get worse. The vet said to give it a couple more days and see how she does, but any advice would be great! Thanks.
Hi Frank,
I know how worried you must be about your senior girl and these scary symptoms. I agree with your vet and would have given you the same advice. As long as you aren’t noticing worsening symptoms then I would give it a few more days. You can always talk with a veterinary neurologist in your area if you have any lingering concerns or need additional advice or information. Praying your girl will continue to heal and make a full recovery. Wishing you both the best!
My 9 yr old Boston terrier has been having seizures for the past two years; a couple of months ago our vet put her on Kepra and gabapentin (phenobarbital was not working for her); she started having these skin issues with big sores that dry up and skin starts peeling. We are giving her 300mg gabapentin once a day and I read the skin issues may be due to the gabapentin. Is this something that should be of big concern? I don’t want her having seizures either so I am trying to figure out what to do. Thank you!
Hi Nicole,
The skin issues you are describing do not sound like a typical side effect of gabapentin. Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, it is difficult to make specific conclusions and recommendations. I think it would be best for you to call your vet and let them examine your dog. They can let you know if you need to discontinue the gabapentin or if there is a treatment for your dog’s specific skin condition. Anytime new symptoms or issues pop up, it is always a good idea to stay in contact with your vet. I hope you can find the answers you need to get this condition resolved. Wishing you and your sweet girl many happy days ahead.
Thank you very much for this article, I found it very helpful when my bulldog was prescribed gabapentin a couple of weeks ago for arthritis pain. I have to say that I was still a little concerned after reading the comments and stories about gabapentin from others, and did start at a lower dose than what was prescribed. However, my dog responded very well and he had no side effects. He seems to be more comfortable and has been walking further. Very happy that he was prescribed this medication.
Hi Kate,
I am glad the Gabapentin has improved your dog’s quality of life and is allowing him to be more active. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Just as a side note, make sure your vet is aware of the dosage change. Little things like that can be very important. Best wishes to you and your bulldog boy!
I’ve found the information on this page extremely helpful. I have an 8 month rottie pup, Mabel, who has recently had 2 elbow arthroscopies to flush out dysplacia and an external fixator fitted to her back left hock in an effort to correct tarsal osteochondrosis. Everything went well with the op, and Mabel was coping really well. Two weeks post-op she started limping – three separate times, each time on a different limb. X-rays have revealed she’s suffering with growing pains, panosteitis. It’s just been one knock after another. Vet has prescribed gabapentin, which she has been taking now for 5 days. Since starting the medication my pup is extremely lethargic, almost zombie-like, off her food and not drinking much water. I want to give the gabapentin enough time to work, but hate to see her the polar opposite to her normal self. How do I know when it’s no longer side effects that are causing her to be like this?
Hi Julie,
I am incredibly sorry Mabel has been through so many difficulties in her short life. She is lucky to have someone like you to keep advocating for her health and wellbeing. I think it would be a good idea to go ahead and call your vet. Let them know about the severity of these side effects and how lethargic your pup has been. Your vet may decide to lower the dosage of the gabapentin for a few days and then gradually increase the dosage again to see if she tolerates it better. Also, this may be a medication that just doesn’t work well for your girl and your vet may end up discontinuing it and trying something else. I still feel like what you are describing is just side effects that will eventually resolve but I have seen it take 2-3 weeks for the body to adjust. It may not be worth it to wait it out since your girl is so severely affected. I hope you can find a treatment that works best for you both. Best wishes for a healthy and smooth sailing future.
Hi, My dog has a torn acl and she was percribed Gabapentin 300mgx2 every 8-12 hours and not long after the 1st dose she started having diarrhea. She’s only had 2 doses. She seems restless and pacing now as well. Any in sight into this?
Hi Lynn,
The symptoms you are describing may resolve on their own with time as your pup adjusts to the medication. With that being said, I highly recommend you talk to your vet and let them know what you are seeing at home. They may decide to adjust the Gabapentin dosage or discontinue the medication all together. I hope you can find a solution that minimizes the side effects but still offers great pain control for your sweet girl. Wishing you the best of luck!
Hello! My dog Charlie is a 13 year old pit bull / Aussie mix. He has bad arthritis and the vet prescribed 300mg of Gabapentin every 12 hours for 2 weeks. Is it OK if he stops after the 2 weeks? We are starting the Adequan injections so I’m hoping once those kick in he’ll start to feel better. I’ve been seeing a lot of stuff about not stopping the Gabapentin abruptly, but is 2 weeks that long ? I’m worried!!
Hi Mia,
I understand your concern about abruptly stopping the gabapentin. Two weeks really isn’t very long in the grand scheme of things, but each situation is different and comes with its own special considerations. My best advice is to talk to your vet and let them know about your concerns. They can let you know if a taper is needed, and any medication changes should be made under the supervision of your vet to avoid possible complications. I hope you can find the right combination of mediations to keep your boy pain free and comfortable. Wishing you both the best of luck and many happy days ahead.
My 12 year old pit became very confused panting pacing and bumping into things. I actually thought she was going to die. She is resting and I am praying this medication wears off. I gave it to her at 2 pm it is now 12 am and she is settling down. I am very scared and am going by later this am she will be okay. This is the healthiest dog usually and I agreed to the gabapentin over novox because I thought it would be safer for her age. This is a terrible drug for her. I am praying to God she is ok through the rest of the early am hours. This is terrifying.
Hi Cheri,
I am sorry for the scary night you had with your girl yesterday. The symptoms you are describing do not sound typical for what we usually see after Gabapentin administration. I hope your dog is doing better today and is back to her normal self. I highly recommend you call your vet and let them know what you experienced yesterday. They may need to do some more testing or change the medication dosage. They might even discontinue the Gabapentin all together and try a different treatment. Hoping for a positive outcome. Best wishes to you both!
My nearly 2 year old Akita was prescribed Gabapentin for a neck muscle injury. He has been on the medication for 4 days, and has increasingly gotten more and more wobbly. As of this evening he is walking into things and is most def having trouble with his vision (as well as his motor skills). My vet is closed (Saturday) and the emergency vet is on an 8 hour wait, and would not even consult with a vet tech re: my situation. I am stopping the administration of this drug immediately and hoping with it’s short half-life, he improves. This incredibly nerve-wracking. From everything I have read re: gabapentin (other websites), it has extremely mixed results at the very best. Neither of my pups will EVER be given this drug again.
Hi Brooke,
I am sorry your Akita is struggling with these worsening symptoms. Have you noticed any improvement since you discontinued the medication? I hope you will be able to talk to your vet tomorrow and figure out a new course of treatment. I am slightly worried that what you are describing could be due to the original injury and not related to the medication, but since I haven’t personally examined your pup, I cannot say for sure. Praying your sweet boy is feeling better soon and will make a full recovery.
As a word of caution, I learned the hard way that Gabapentin can be taxing (and harmful?) to dogs with kidney damage. My dog had CKD and was prescribed Gabapentin after dental extractions. He seemed to be very sensitive to it and had trouble walking or standing after getting the Gabapentin, and also would be extremely sleepy. I read this post and figured the side effects were normal. He was a 60lb dog and was only taking 100 mg once to twice a day. Well it turned out that he had suffered an acute kidney injury from the dental anesthesia. I fear the Gabapentin may have taxed his kidneys further, or caused him to be so tired he did not eat and drink as much as he might otherwise have. I also wonder if there is a chance that the Gabapentin itself caused the kidney injury rather than the anesthesia. Is that unlikely? A few days after the dental I had new bloodwork done, which revealed the kidney values had all crashed. He died the next day despite IV fluids. At a minimum maybe it reduced his pain during those final days?
Hi Tim,
My heart aches for you with the tragic loss of your dog. You were trying to do what was best and get his dental issues resolved. While Gabapentin is primarily eliminated by the kidneys, it is considered to be much safer for the kidneys than other medications commonly used for post-operative pain. Since I did not examine your boy myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. I would suspect the anesthesia was more to blame for the acute kidney injury rather than the Gabapentin. Acute kidney injury is an unfortunate risk of anesthesia even if pre-operative lab work has been performed and every caution is taken to prevent complications. I am sorry your pup was not able to recover, but I do think the Gabapentin probably helped relieve any discomfort he may have had during those final days. Thank you for sharing your story with our readers. I hope the memories of the good days will be a blessing and a comfort as you continue on life’s journey.
I’m sorry to hear about your loss. My dog Max who is older(rescue so age is unknown, has to be over 10 for sure) has arthritis, and has started to be weak in the back leg. He slips every once in a while. Now on gabapentin he is always panting and slips constantly throughout the day and can’t get up alone. He gets the dosage twice a day. I know before he had elevated kidney count of something that I can’t remember. Next week he is getting blood work before a dental cleaning. I’m pretty worried now after reading this. He is also taking rimadyl and apoquel. I think I should stop the gaba for now. Thank you for posting your experience despite your horrible loss.
Hi Harley,
I understand your concern about anesthesia and your senior pup. I am glad your vet has recommended lab work prior to the dental procedure to try and prevent possible complications. Gabapentin is considered very safe for dogs and does not affect the kidneys like most other pain medications do. Of the medications you listed, I would be much more concerned about the rimadyl than the Gabapentin. I highly recommend you talk to your vet about your concerns. Any changes to medications should be made under the supervision of your vet to prevent unwanted side effects. I hope Max’s dental procedure goes smoothly and he has an uneventful recovery. Best wishes to you both!
Is Gabapentin okay for dogs with liver disease? My dog took gabapentin for arthritis for a few days and it really helps. She barely moves without it.
My dog has elevated liver enzymes (mild) but the vet isn’t sure if it’s mild or serious. She is taking supplements for this. She was vomiting on gabapentin so I withdrew it, but now I think this was probably related to the liver disease and not gabapentin as she has been off it two days and still vomiting.
I see there is conflicting advice about whether Gabapentin is metabolised in the kidneys or liver, so I’m not sure if I can try it again? I will double check with the vet but I’m just interested in your opinion.
Hi Sarah,
Gabapentin is mostly metabolized by the kidneys, but the liver does help in a minor way. It is generally considered safe for does with mild liver dysfunction. Since I haven’t examined your girl myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions about her medications and the symptoms you are seeing at home. It might be a good idea to schedule a consult with a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They can review your pup’s case and offer additional testing to determine the extent of her liver issues. They may also have different treatment options and recommendations that could lessen the side effects and symptoms that are causing your girl to struggle. I hope you can find the answers you need to restore your dog’s quality of life. Praying for a good prognosis and many more happy memories together.
Hello,
I’ve been researching the liver question too. My 14 year old 50 lb Cur, Sally, has just been upped to 100 mg 3x/day (from 100 mg 2x/day). She does have elevated liver enzymes but the vet said the same thing as you; it metabolizes mostly in the kidneys, and her kidney’s are fine. We are on 6 month blood work monitoring.
My question/concern: After 5 days of 3x/day, she vomited once at 5 am, the longest time in between dosages which I thought was odd. She hasn’t since, but I’ve been monitoring. Also, she gets in a deep sleep and starts twitching, I have to moderately rub her to get her to wake up, could that be a seizure? I have continued the 3x/day dosage because I desperately want her to have pain relief, but should I be worried? Or discontinue back to 2x/day? My vet mentioned Adequan as a supplemental drug, although it’s much more costly than Gabapentin; what are your thoughts on that? Thanks for any info, feedback. NSAIDs are not an option with her liver.
Hi Lindsey,
Sally is lucky to have you advocating for her quality of life. I am glad the Gabapentin seems to help relieve her pain. Since I have not examined your dog myself, it’s difficult to make specific conclusions. I do think since Sally only vomited once after the dosage had been increased for 5 days that the vomiting probably was not related to the gabapentin. Also, the side effect of sedation that can occur when first starting this medication can also happen when increasing the dosage. The deep sleep you are noticing may be due to this temporary side effect, but it would be a good idea to mention it to your vet so they can monitor it closely and advise you on how to proceed. I will attach a link to an article about Adequan to offer additional information. It is a great treatment to help with arthritis but would probably be added in conjunction with the gabapentin instead of in place of the gabapentin. I hope this helps a bit and you can find the answers you need to keep your sweet girl feeling her best. Give Sally a hug for me!
Adequan for Dogs: Don’t Just Treat Arthritis, Slow it Down
My nearly 13 year old boy had surgery yesterday and was prescribed gabapentin (2 capsules every 8 to 12 hours) in addition to the Galliprant he has been on for a few years. He is beyond drowsy. I am guessing that is part of the reason for giving post-op? to keep him calm and quiet? We were given a 5 day supply with no instructions to reduce dose gradually. Is that OK for short term use?
Hi Susan,
I hope your pup is comfortable and his recovery is going smoothly. Gabapentin can definitely be used short term to help with anxiety and post-operative pain. Since I don’t know all the details about your dog’s case, it is hard to make conclusions and recommendations about his medications. It might be a good idea to call your vet and talk about your concerns. They can tell you the exact reason the gabapentin was prescribed and confirm if there needs to be a gradual taper before discontinuing the medication. Wishing you luck as you help your sweet boy get back to feeling his best!
Hi , my 11 year pug Lola has DM finds it’s hard to walk but is still happy in herself , vet has just given us gabapentin , she is not in any pain but I just don’t understand how this might help her legs , she is slightly Inconteneint too , after reading comments I’m really worried and confused .
Hi Karen,
I am sorry Lola is struggling to use her back legs. DM can be such a difficult diagnosis. Often it is hard to assess if a dog is truly painful as they don’t always display obvious signs of discomfort like we would expect to see in humans. I recommend you talk to your vet and discuss your concerns. They can answer any lingering questions and let you know if there are alternative medicine options to try. I hope you can find the answers you need and enjoy your time with sweet Lola.
My 7 year old shin tzu has been on Gabapentin 1 week for weakness in hind legs. He is becoming progressively worse everyday. Sleeping constantly, loss of appetite, now he is unable to stand alone. Wet bed during night. Headed to veterinarian right now
Hi Retta,
I am sorry your boy’s condition is declining so rapidly. These symptoms could be side effects from the sedation that Gabapentin can cause when it is initially started, but there could also be something more serious happening unrelated to the medication that needs to be addressed. I hope you were able to find some answers. Praying all is well. ♥
Retta, I would like to know the outcome of your situation? My 14 year old Dachshund started with a small dose of Gabapentin for weakness in his hind legs. He seemed to tolerate it well. He went in for his teeth cleaning and since he was still having trouble walking they gave him a stronger dose of gabapentin. Now he will not eat or drink, his back legs collapsed completely yesterday, this morning he is able to stand and walk a little but still no eating or drinking. We were with the vet yesterday for IV fluids and exam. We return this morning to determine what could be causing his rapid decline. Our dog isn’t really sleeping which is odd to me. Leads me to believe his problem could be vestibular? I would like to know what happened with your pup?
My 14 yo Standard Poodle was prescribed Gabepentin for intermittent severe pain in the lower back causing her to jump up and move around with her back legs (looked like) spasming. 300mg twice a day, she weight 30kg.
After a few days because I was busy I only gave her one tab in the morning
She seems relaxed and restful more than too sleepy – she is 14yo she slept a lot before the medication her sleep does seem deeper, she is now deaf so her sleep isn’t disturbed noise
She is still keen for her 2 walks a day, I let her dictate how far we walk.
The one tab a day seems to working for her, no pain spasms since starting the drug it’s only been a few weeks I will monitor her and adjust accordingly.
So far I am pleased with the result I feel she must have been in a bit of lower spine pain before but didn’t show it, as I said now she is just more relaxed.
Hi Jasmine,
I am glad your girl is feeling so much better and is resting easier since starting the Gabapentin. Thank you for sharing your experience with our readers. I wish you and your senior girl many more happy days together!
Hi Dr. Buzby!
Thank you so much for this reassuring article on Gabapentin. It’s so scary to give an off label drug to any creature but maybe it’s worth the risk. My Shih Tzu Pomeranian Truffle was diagnosed with probable IVDD about 3 weeks ago. I’ve kept her on strict pen rest and she’s doing so much better now. Vet had prescribed the Gabapentin for her but she was regurgitating so vet said to stop it ( she has an iffy tummy and also can’t be in anti-inflammatory meds) I went off it for two weeks and as she continued to improve I increased her activity, allowing her to walk for short distances when going potty. Well, I think she over did and seemed to be in some pain again so I restarted the Gabapentin. I give it to her hours after her regular food in just a pill pocket (.75ml liquid) and so far so good. It seems to have quelled her pain again. My long winded question is, can I taper her off after a week to see if her pain is gone? Is it bad to only give for a short duration? I may prefer trying CBD if this is an ongoing situation. Fortunately, I think her IVDD is mild at this juncture. Thank you for any advice!
Hi Alyssa,
I am glad to hear the gabapentin has helped relieve Truffle’s pain. I am not sure that it is necessary to taper the medication prior to ending the course gabapentin. Since I haven’t personally examined your girl, it is hard to make specific recommendations. With that being said, I do recommend you talk to your vet and seek their advice. They can let you know if it should be given for a longer period of time or if they have any concerns with CBD. I hope Truffle has a quick recovery and I wish you both the best!
Thank you for your article!! My 10 year old doxy was put on Gabapentin 100mg a week and a half ago for nerve pain (constant licking of the arm, even jolting awake to lick) his vet thinks it’s nerve/arthritis pain.
We are at the ‘mommas worried’ point where the side effects of lack of energy (even when given at bedtime) wobbly and a little vomiting have given me second thoughts and certainly don’t want to go to twice a day!! He’s very active dog and I hate to see him like this!!
I talk to his vet tomorrow and your article has given me much peace of mind that I’m not doing something wrong by even starting him on this to begin with!
Hi Jamie,
I understand your concern with the extreme sedation and ataxia that gabapentin can cause. You definitely didn’t do anything wrong by giving this medication a try and it may turn out to be a great option for your little guy. I hope the conversation with your vet went well. I wish you the best of luck for a happy future with your sweet boy.
Hi there. I have a Staffordshire bull terrier old lady approximately 14 years. She is a rescue who has owned me for nearly 6 years now. She struggles with anxiety and in the past has been on selgian. We stopped that as she didn’t really improve. She has been diagnosed with subcutaneous mast cell cancer but this is well looked after. In 2020 during lockdown she unfortunately had to have her tail taken off due to a big lump that kept having to be drained every 2 days. She has arthritis in her hind legs and is on loxicom for pain. Since her amputation her anxiety for so bad she was being sick all the time. Vet suggested gabapentin as it helps with anxiety and also possible nerve pain she’s having in her stump. Wow us all I can say. She takes 200mg morning and night and they are helping so much. However apart from the sedation effects she seems to be starving all the time. She was never a big eater since I’ve had her. She’s been in the gabapentin now for 6 weeks and it’s not getting any better. Any advice?
Hi Helen,
I am so glad the medication has helped with your senior girl’s anxiety and pain. I am not familiar with gabapentin causing a ravenous appetite, but I guess it could be possible. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations. I do think you should talk to your vet about this new side effect. They may need to do some additional testing or change up the medications a bit. When looking at the overall picture of your girl’s health and wellbeing, if increased appetite is the only downside, it may be a side effect worth dealing with to keep her happy and comfortable. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decisions for your sweet girl. Best wishes to you both!
I have been on Gabapentin for 10 years 300mg 3 x day people dose haha same dose same intervals….but I do remember when starting about a hour after I took it I would get crazy munchies like lock the fridge munchies…just thought I would share and it only lasted a week or so…..
Our cavapoo was put on gabapentin for pain at the end of December for pain due to a ruptured CCL in her left knee. We can’t see the Ortho vet until 3/1. She is getting 200 mg every 8 hours without any side effects described above. Her urine, however, has a very odd odor. She is also on Temaril-P for a mild collapsed trachea and Denamarin for her liver. I assume the urine smell could be one of those as well. I am just starting my quest for information with the gabapentin.
Thanks!
Hi Sue,
I am glad your girl seems to be doing ok while waiting for her orthopedic appointment in a couple weeks. I am not familiar with gabapentin causing the urine to have an odor although it can’t be completely ruled out. Make sure to let your vet know about this new development as this could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or other issue that might need to be addressed. I hope the CCL surgery goes well and the recovery is quick. Best wishes to you both!
My 11-year-old chocolate lab was recently placed on gabapentin, 300 mg. She received her First dose yesterday morning and her second dose with dinner. By 2 AM she lost control of her bowels and was leaking urine. We initially chalked it up to somebody forgetting to let her out overnight. But again this morning, on her way up the steps, she pooped AS she was walking up the steps, she had no idea she pooped. We also noticed puddles under her bottom while she was sleeping throughout the day. Later on she had another accident while she was walking and looked back at us looking absolutely mortified. We have pulled her off the drug for now until we are able to talk to her vet. She was placed on the medication for potential nerve pain as she is constantly dragging her back left foot.
Hi Palmermia,
I understand your concern with the severity of these new side effects in your Lab. Since I haven’t personally examined her, it’s hard to make specific conclusions. It is common for dog’s when initially starting gabapentin to see some sedation and ataxia (wobbling) which can be extreme in some cases. I am curious to know if the urinary and fecal incontinence could be due to some of the sedation effects of the drug. Also, I would be wanting to make sure the original neurological issue hadn’t progressed and is now affecting the nerves to the bladder and colon. I highly recommend you talk to you vet and let them know about these new issues. They may want to change the gabapentin dosage, try a different medication, or even recommend a referral to a veterinary neurologist. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for a find a treatment that works for you and your sweet girl. Best wishes to you both as you navigate this difficult road ahead.
I just had this happen to my chocolate lab as well, but he fortunately had just gotten outside. He was very wobbly and usually walks quite a distance before he does his job. He was trying to hurry and lost control. I’m sure it was from the gabapentin. He is almost 13 years and is having problems with his left leg as well.
Hi Dr Buzby. Thank you for the informative article! I, too, have a gabapentin question. My giant lab mix (now down to 97 lbs) had a slipped disk at 6 years and was very paralyzed in his hind end. After a surprising but difficult rehab, he is almost normal! Now, at 10, he does have some pain. The gabapentin seems to make his hind end much weaker. I have tried it intermittently, and it always does this. Tonight was severe, with his back toes dragging and back legs almost collapsing. Would this go away if I were to give this med consistently? I do not want to do galliprant because of the stomach issues, but because of his nerve damage don’t feel that glucosamine would help. Thank you in advance for your answer.
Hi Jenniffer,
I am glad to hear your big boy did so well with his rehabilitation therapy and has done well for several years. It is very possible that the severe hind limb weakness would resolve if the Gabapentin was given on a consistent basis. In my experience, if ataxia and wobbling are noticed when Gabapentin is first initiated, with time, the body acclimates to the medication and the unwanted side effects resolve. I understand you are most concerned with the nerve damage, but I do think joint supplements would be a beneficial addition. A slipped disk causes inflammation in the joint space of the spine just like a torn ligament in a knee joint would cause inflammation and pain. Anything that helps reduce inflammation will help reduce pain, such as laser therapy and other rehab exercises. It might be a good idea to reconnect with a rehab vet in your area! I hope you can find the answers you need to give your big guy the best quality of life possible. Wishing you both many happy days ahead to keep making memories.
My dog has some mild form of PTSD. He was attacked at a petco by another dog as a puppy, and he exhibits some fear and anxiety about certain things which kills my husband and I to see. Loud noises or people he doesn’t know making strange gestures sends him into an anxiety attack, where he just wants us to hold him and hide under the covers. Gabapentin has been an absolute lifesaver, in that it greatly helps his quality of life so I can say for certain it helps his anxiety attacks. I also take it for pain and to help with sleep. It’s a good drug with minimal side effects when compared to say an ssri…so I highly recommend people try it for their dogs to at least see how they react!!
Hi Mikal,
I am sorry your sweet boy has struggled with anxiety since puppyhood. It can be hard to watch them struggle especially when they are so young. I am glad to hear the gabapentin has helped in such a big way. Thank you for sharing your experience with our readers! Best wishes. ♥
My dog (3-4 year old poodle-mixed) have started to take the gaba medicine for 2-3 days, and he has been vomiting after every meal. It’s difficult for him to keep any food. He is also wobbly and experienced sedation. Is the constant vomiting a normal side effect of this medication? How can we make him eat something and not vomit it out again?
Hi Kelly,
Sorry your boy is having so much trouble with vomiting. Nausea is a possible side effect of almost every medication available but in this case, it may be caused by the ataxia and wobbling. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I really can’t say for sure exactly what the cause could be. I recommend you talk to your vet and discuss your concerns. They may be able to prescribe an anti-nausea medication or change the dosage of the gabapentin to see if the vomiting resolves. I hope you can find a solution to help your sweet boy feel better quickly. Good luck!
Hi! My Shih tzu Pomeranian Truffle was prescribed Gabapentin for Suspected Ivdd. She too was regurgitating after eating food if given the Gabapentin either shortly before or right after eating. I have been waiting 2 hours after eating her regular meal to dude her- she gets 75ml in liquid form inside a pill pocket. This seems to have done the trick. No more regurgitation. Hope this may be of help in your situation. Good luck!!
Hi Alyssa,
This is such great advice! Thank you for sharing your experience with us! Best wishes to you and Truffle. ♥
Our Great Dane (128 lbs)had taken 2 doses of 800mg and has had some disturbing side effects. She is completely unable to walk without support and hasn’t eaten in 2 days. She is drinking. We’ve carried her outside and she is urinating with us holding her up with a makeshift sling towel under her hindquarters and a harness for her frontal support. Our vet doesn’t seem too concerned, but advised to not give her any additional doses. Is this level of side effects fall within the normal range? I just can’t believe it has lasted this long. She has had issues recovering from anesthesia where she remained groggy for at least 24 hours. Is she simply more reactive to drugs? There isn’t much information regarding this drug for dogs..
Hi Janice,
I understand your concern for your big girl and know how scary it is to watch them struggle. Fortunately, this does sound like a typical side effect of gabapentin when it is first started. While the sedation and ataxia can be extreme, it is usually temporary and resolves over the course of several days as the dog adjusts to the medication. Some dogs adjust better if the medication dosage is started lower and gradually increased and if it is given at night, so the dog is asleep when the sedation is at its peak. You can always reach out to a veterinary internal medicine specialist for advice. They may have a standard protocol which they recommend initiating gabapentin treatment or may have ideas about other medications to try. I hope your girl starts to feel better soon and can get back to her normal routine. I wish you both the best.
I was recently prescribed gaba for my dog. I haven’t used it yet a bit afraid to after reading some comments. My dog has severe anxiety and noise fear. He mostly hides in closet. I recently had his blood tested because he has started to tremble from fear I assume . He has been on Sertraline and Diazepam for many years just to be able to cope. His cortisol was 1800. He doesn’t have Cushing he has been tested for that several times due to the high level. I was hoping to find something that would help to lower his fight or flight hormone. Maybe the gaba will help but am afraid of the ataxia and the sedation part. Any thoughts?
Hi Susan,
I am sorry your dog struggles with anxiety and fear. I know how difficult it can be to watch them deal with such debilitating emotional issues. The gabapentin should help with this and is probably why your vet wanted to try it for your guy. I understand your concern with the sedation and ataxia, but it is usually temporary and should resolve after your dog adjusts to the medication over the course of several days. As always, if you have any concerns, be sure to discuss them with your vet so you can work as a team to come up with a solution that is best for everyone involved. Best wishes to you and your sweet pup!
Hello! We have had my 15.5 year old 80lb dog on Meloxicam in the AM and gabapentin in the PM for his arthritis which has gradually gotten worse with age. He has tried other pain relievers but they all end up giving him restlessness and anxiety. He was doing so well with this combo for about 7 weeks until recently we noticed the restlessness again. Waking us up in the middle of the night to go outside, pacing, whimpering. At first we thought it was just because he was feeling great but now it’s just constant. He will have one or two days a week where he is his normal self, walk in the morning and evening with his naps between but the restlessness has been increasingly worse, almost like he can’t settle. Surprisingly because he was so sedated initially with the medication. He is on the lowest dose for his weight. Any tips? I don’t want to take him off completely but this change in behavior seems to be happening with all medication eventually. Thank you!
Hi Holly,
I am glad you are reaching out for advice about your senior guy. It can be so difficult to navigate multiple issues, medications, and symptoms and try to find the best balance. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific recommendations about medications. I do think that the nighttime restlessness you are describing sounds a lot like canine cognitive dysfunction or dementia and may not be related to the arthritis or the medications. I will attach some links to other articles that may offer new insight to this condition. It is common for Gabapentin to cause sedation for several days when it is first administered but then usually the sedation gradually wears off. I am suspicious that the sedation caused a brief halt to the anxiety just because your boy was too sleepy to pace. I highly recommend you talk to your vet about the anxiety and restlessness. They may be able to add on another medication (such as trazodone) to help relieve the anxiety and stress. I hope that with the help of your vet you can get your sweet boy’s medications adjusted to allow him to live his best life during these precious senior years. Best wishes to you both!
1. Senior Dog Anxiety at Night? 6 Solutions for Better Sleep
2. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Solutions
3. 5 Signs of Dementia in Dogs and What to Do About Them
Hello. I have a 9 year old girl. She is a mix of pekinese and shitzhu. Two months ago she was diagnosed with Cushing disease. She was abs still is on vetoryl. Last weekend she was acting weird and I could tell she was in pain. Took her to the Er and they prescribed Gabapetin 100mg for pain in her back ( she is 26 pounds ). Since she is taking this med I can tell her apetite in the morning is a little off I give her the Gabapetin at. Night. Is normal that Gabapetin affect her appetite ? I have 6 more days for this med but I’m worry bc I have to give her the vetoryl with breakfast abs 12 hours later the other dosis of vetoryl abs she has to have something in her belly.
Hi Carolina,
I understand your concern with your girl having a decreased appetite and needing her to eat so she can take her other medication. The appetite issues may be due to the sedation and ataxia side effects that Gabapentin can cause in the first several days of administration. I do think it would be a good idea to talk to your vet about your concerns. There are appetite stimulants that can be used if needed or your vet may decide to try a different pain medication if the Gabapentin is causing problems. Also, your vet can make sure that the decreased appetite is actually a side effect of the medication and rule out any possibility of a more serious issue that hasn’t been diagnosed yet. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for and get your girl feeling her best again. Best wishes to you both!
Hi there, Our 7-year-old Aussie shepherd-Poodle cross (NOT an Aussiedoodle! LOL) had been limping with her front paw for a few days so took her to the vet last week. We started her on 600mg Gabapentin 2xdaily. She had been showing some signs of sedation then early yesterday morning she started stumbling around and her back end kept kicking out from under her, even her front end did! She was showing signs of ataxia (we didn’t know that’s what it was at the time and thought she was on her way out) and back to the vet we went. her dosage had been reduced to 600mg once a day and she’s been given 3×1 medicam once per day starting today. Kind of surprised that it built to this point a week later. The vet told us today he’d gotten her x-ray results back and she’s got osteoarthritis in her hips and lumbar region. Really hoping this combination of meds works for her as she’s our special needs daughter’s companion and best buddy!
Hi Joe,
I am glad you reached out to your vet about the extreme ataxia you were seeing in your dog. It can be quite alarming with the degree of stumbling that can been seen on this medication initially. Luckily, the ataxia usually goes away after several days and doesn’t cause any lasting issues. I am glad your vet was able to reduce the Gabapentin dosage to allow the side effects to dissipate faster. I hope your girl gets some relief from her pain and can start living her life to the fullest again. You may want to check out my supplement Encore Mobility to see if it could be an additional benefit in her pain relief regimen. I will attach some links to other articles that might offer new information. Good luck to you and your sweet girl!
1. Deer Velvet Supplement for Dogs: One Veterinarian’s Guide
2. Green Lipped Mussel for Dogs: Our Planet’s Gift for Arthritic Joints
3. Osteoarthritis in Dogs: Everything You Need to Know
My 25lb miniature pinscher dislocated his knee and was put on gabapentin 3x a day, I quickly noticed on the first day that he was extremely loopy and couldn’t close his mouth all the way. After the second day I stopped giving it to him as he became wobbly, we are 5 days completely off and he can’t hold himself up without assistance. He flinches at every sound and will walk in to walls if I don’t stop him, he also has a bright yellowing green discharge coming from his penis. His eyes sometimes flutter and doesn’t blink much. We are going to a neurologist this week. Just putting this out there in case someone else has these issues. I wish there was more info out there on the toxic side effects. Has anyone had luck with the side effects going away. I feel horrible that I did this to my baby.
Hi Aquila,
I am glad you are taking your little guy to the neurologist this week. The wobbling and ataxia are pretty normal for starting gabapentin and usually go away after a few days once the dog has adjusted to the medication. I am more worried about the fluttering eyes, flinching, and walking into walls. Hopefully the neurologist can shed some light on this mystery and rule out seizure activity as a possibility. As for the green discharge from your dog’s prepuce, this can be normal in intact males but should be evaluated if it has started suddenly and has not happened in the past. Please don’t feel guilty for giving your boy this medication. You and your veterinarian made the best choices you could with the information you had, and it came from a place of care and love. I wish you both the best as you navigate this uncertain path. Keep us updated!
My almost 11 year old lab was given then medication for knee issues. He constantly drools and throws up most nights. Not going to give him anymore until we visit the vet again.
Hi Bc,
I am sorry your pup has been dealing with nausea issues. I hope your vet was able to change up the medications to help your senior guy feel better. I wish you both the best.
Our 15 year-old Dalmatian mix was recently put on Gabapentin for arthritis pain, leg swelling and tumors. We were not informed about the side effects and we thought she was dying the first weekend she was on it. We had our children come home to say goodbye we were so convinced that she would not make it. She was very unsteady and barely left her bed. She could hardly get up to go out. Now she has made a significant turn around and she wants to go for walks (slow ones) again and she is much more active. One thing I have noticed is intensely yellow urine. Could this be a side effect?
Hi Terri,
I am glad to hear that your Dalmatian girl has adjusted to the Gabapentin and seems to be feeling better. I am not aware of yellow urine being a side effect of Gabapentin, although some medicines can do this exact thing. Dark urine can also be a sign of dehydration or other disease processes that allow a high concentration of certain proteins to pass into the urinary tract. Just to be safe, it is probably a good idea to let your vet know about this new symptom. I hope you can make the most out of these senior years with your girl. Best wishes to many happy memories to come.
Our 11 month old Schnauzer (Reggie) was given gabapentin for post op cryptorchid orchiectomy pain. Some of the typical symptoms occurred but also noticed paraphimosis rather regularly. He ended up having to be re-opened 4 days post op for peritoneal inflammation and almost died. 3 gauze pads were left in his abdominal cavity and he spent another 4 days in the doggie ICU recovering from the second surgery. He is home now and the paraphimosis is constant. Our vet recommended KY jelly every 4 hours to eliminate dryness. Could this be an obscure side effect of the gabapentin? As he has been on gabapentin and rimadyl constantly since the first procedure 12 days ago and now the paraphimosis is constant.
Hi Donna,
I am sorry you and Reggie have been through such trying times lately. I am glad he is home and feeling better since his ICU stay. I am not familiar with Gabapentin causing paraphimosis but can’t say for certain that this couldn’t be an extremely rare side effect. It might be a good idea to have Reggie seen by a specialist to narrow down a cause for his issue. Your vet should be able to refer you to someone in your area that hopefully has experience with cases like your pup. I hope you find the answers you are looking for and can help Reggie get back to living his best life. Best wishes to you both!
My 12 year old pug has been on Gabapentin, 100mg, twice a day, for several months. It has made a world of difference in her mobility. She has pretty significant arthritis in her right hip, and she has pulmonary hypertension. Gabapentin has really improved her quality of life.
Hi Julia,
I am glad to hear that Gabapentin has improved the quality of life for your sweet girl! Best wishes for many more happy days together.
My 16yr old Pug mix has been on Gabapentin for a little over a month. Vet prescribed 100mg every 12 hours. First time I gave it to him, could barely stand all day. Mentioned this to her, she said give him 50mg in the AM and 100mg before bed, tried this and he was still having issues. I spoke to her again and she said to lower the dosage again. He’s been taking 25mg every 12 hours for the past couple days and seems even worse! He also started on Selegiline a couple days ago for his CCD. I’m at a loss. I don’t feel comfortable leaving him home alone even for short periods. He falls over and then needs help getting up. He’s been struggling so hard to get up he’s pooped a couple times.
Hi Jamie,
I am sorry your dog doesn’t seem to be tolerating the Gabapentin well. While this medication works great for most dogs, your boy may not be a good candidate for Gabapentin. It is also possible there could be an underlying condition that has not been diagnosed yet that is contributing to your dog’s symptoms. I recommend having an honest conversation with your vet to address your concerns. Also, you could reach out to a holistic vet to see if they have any recommendations on supplements that may be of benefit. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for and restore your dog’s quality of life. Best wishes to you and your pup.
Hi my Dogue de Bordeaux Boris has just started taking gabapentin, he has DM and is bladder and bowel incontinent, he was constantly scratching himself raw on his side’s and underneath, as though the nerves in his saddle area were firing off wrong, I have started him off on a very low dose of just 300mg at bedtime, it’s day 3and the scratching has almost stopped, he is sedated and does have some increase in back feet swaying and knuckling, but I am going to give him at least 2weeks to get used to it and see what happens.
Dear Julie,
Thank for reading and commenting. It sounds like your veterinarian has Boris on a good plan! I hope he has continued improvement in symptoms. Bless you both!
My dog has been on gabapentin 200 mg bd , has developed severe ataxia to the point she can’t even stand up , absolutely heartbreaking, rang vet was told to just give 300 mg od pre bed , woke this morning changed dose last night she is worse , just waiting for callback from vet ,will not use again , feel so guilty putting her through this …
Hi Diane,
So sorry to hear that your dog has gotten so ataxic on the gabapentin. You definitely did the right thing by talking to the vet about these side effects. I hope they were able to get back to you today so that you can have a bit more peace of mind about the outlook going forward. I know it is hard to see your pup struggling but I hope that in time you can release yourself from the guilt you are feeling. There was no way you could have known that she would get this ataxic, and the vet couldn’t have known either. You started her on the gabapentin in hopes it would make her more comfortable and have done everything right with following up with your vet when she started developing the ataxia. Hang in there!
Hi my 13 yes cocker spaniel had siezure on Friday morning she had reaction to other suezure meds bromide so moved to gabapentin
She is a lot calmer but wobbly gait refusing use her legs and sleepy she will be on 3 tablets 100 mg each as a loading dose which the vet would taper it down as we progress further
She still at the clinic under observation
Hello!
I am sorry that your dog didn’t respond well to the first seizure meds and I hope that gabapentin does the trick for her. It can be so scary to watch a beloved dog have a seizure. I’m glad that she is being monitored closely by your vet for now. Hopefully she is able to come home to you soon and the gabapentin continues to control her seizures well.
We haven’t had a good experience with gabapentin at all. Our 12 year old staff cros rodijan ridgeback. He has suffered from fatty lumps most his life, we have had some of the worst removed over the years. He currently has 3 under his front right leg that now cause him issues walking or standing for long times. Our vet put him on 300mg twice a day. We gave him him 3 doses (Thurs eve, Fri morning, and Fri eve) and he quickly suffered from severe ataxia and was wobling around and falling over on Friday, by Saturday He couldn’t walk more than 3 steps on his own without collapsing. Me and my partner had to carry him out to the toilet and try and support him with a towel making a sling underneath him. We decided to stop the gabapentin on Saturday so he had his last dose on Friday nite its now Sunday morning and we are still at the same point of him being able to take a few steps on his own then collapsing.
Hi James,
Sorry to hear that your dog is having trouble walking and hasn’t made much improvement after stopping the gabapentin. It is a bit concerning to me that he still hasn’t changed much even after several days off the gabapentin, so I would recommend checking in with your vet if you haven’t already. It is possible that he could have something else going on besides just gabapentin side effects, and the best way to determine that would be an exam with your vet. I hope you are able to get to the bottom of his issues and get him back to walking normally again soon!
Hello Dr. Buzby,
My 160 lb 8 year old Great Dane had an emergency trip to our vet this week, 5 days ago and was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in her hip and spine area. She was put on Gabapentin, Rimadly and Dasuquin. This morning I noticed that the very large skin tag my Dane has that dangles on her chest and is usually very flat and light pink with blue veins is extremely swollen and bleeding. She also has a small growth on he face that is also bleeding today. I have been texting with my vet and sent pictures and she said this should not be a side effect of any of the drugs. But when I looked up the side effects in humans, the less common side effect of the drug Gabapentin is unusual bleeding. She (my Vet) has decided to go ahead and remove the skin tag next week but I’d like to know your thoughts and if you have seen this before. This blog was very helpful because we have had a little bit of loopiness and getting confused which way to go to get back in the house, which I thought was more of a pain issue.
Thank you for your help!
Hi Doris,
Sorry to hear that your dog had to take an ER trip recently and was diagnosed with arthritis. It sounds like the vet did a great job of hitting her pain from multiple angles with the different medications. I haven’t had any dogs experience unusual bleeding with gabapentin either and couldn’t find any reports of it in the drug handbook or on some of my veterinary message boards. Sometimes NSAIDs like rimadyl can change the way platelets clump together, but again we don’t tend to see abnormal bleeding with it in most cases either. I could see your dog getting one of the skin tags caught on something or rubbing it and causing it to bleed but it does seem a bit odd that both were affected. It is possible that your vet may want to check some clotting information on your dog prior to surgery, especially if you happen to notice any bruising or abnormal bleeding elsewhere. Best of luck to you and your giant sweet pup!
As a side note, we do have a wide variety or articles on arthritis that you might find helpful:
8 Ways to Help a Senior Dog with Arthritis at Home
How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
Is It Canine Arthritis or Aging? Learn 7 Signs of Arthritis in Dogs
She would also be a great candidate for ToeGrips. They could help her gain more traction and walk confidently, which is huge for dogs with arthritis! Our customer care team would be happy to talk to you more about them and help you ensure you get the right size for her. You can also learn more about ToeGrips here: https://toegrips.com/what-are-toegrips/
We have been using gabapentin for 7 months for bulging disc in my 13.5 yr yellow lab. She also has arthritis. She does have heavy panting for at least 1-2 hours of dose. Like she is fighting the medication or scared of the feeling… if this makes sense. She needs support when this is happening, petting or just to be near. We had to adjust dosing and time to match our daily routine. This way we could still have walks and car rides.
Leesa and Mahi
Hello Leesa and Mahi,
Thanks for sharing your lab’s experience with gabapentin. I am glad you were able to figure out a way to support her and make the necessary adjustments so she could benefit from the pain-relieving properties of gabapentin and still be able to do her walks and car rides.
Hi,
The same thing – panting and almost like anxiety happens to my 13 year old after giving the Gabapentin dose. It lasts for about an hour, and does seem like he’s fighting the effects of the medicine. . It does help with pain, but I hate seeing him like this.
Vicki
My senior dog has mammary cancer. She has had several surgeries to remove tumors from mammary cancer over 8 years, but unfortunately this time she isn’t a good candidate for another surgery. Her vet put her on gabapentin for the pain caused by her tumors and it has been great for pain control. I watched her turn from a scared pup that would hide and cry to a pup that was acting much younger than her age, happy, and you couldn’t tell she has cancer! She takes Gabapentin twice a day (1mL liquid 2 times a day). She sleeps really well on it and she does get wobbly on her feet from time to time even after being on it since Feb 2020. I was hoping that side effects would be short lived, but here it is Sept 2021 and it is still happening. I’m thinking about reaching out to her vet for advice and thoughts when I go pick up her Gabapentin again soon.
Hi Jennifer,
I am very glad to hear that the gabapentin is working so well for your sweet pup! It is fantastic that she is acting like a happy young pup and her pain is well controlled. I would definitely suggest following up with your vet like you said as it is possible that your dog is intermittently getting wobbly for a reason unrelated to the gabapentin rather than as a gabapentin side effect. Having her evaluated could potentially put your mind at ease about what is causing her to be wobbly sometimes. Thanks for sharing your pup’s gabapentin story with us!
BRAVO! Thank you Dr. B, this so clearly explains everything that we would like pet parents to know about Gabapentin for their Tripawd. I particularly appreciate how you mention the wide range of dosages available to work with when it comes to solving a problem like phantom leg pain. We will be sure to share this with the Tripawds community!
As for side effects of Gabapentin with our Wyatt Ray, none whatsoever. He was 85 pounds, taking 400 mg 3x daily and it really helped him out during his last couple of years.
Hi Rene,
So glad to hear that you found the article helpful and think it will be good for the Tripawds community too! Thank you for all you do to help support Tripawds and their parents!
Gabapentin really is a fantastic tool in our “pain control toolbox” for many dogs. I’m so happy to hear that Wyatt Ray did so well on gabapentin during his last few years! ❤
Thank you for the fantastic run-down of benefits and dosing of this drug. My 10-year old lab has a hip injury and arthrosis. He is taking this med with tramadol and Rimadryl and is quite sedated. Vet says that he will re-dose next week (after Rex has had some time to rest and move about signficantly less). It is 9 days past initial injury date and Rex has yet to put weight on his paw. Hopefully, physical therapy at the beginning of Sept. will render p0sitive results.
Hi Kathleen,
Sorry to hear that your lab hurt his hip. It sounds like your vet is doing a great job of using a combination of medications to attack pain and inflammation from multiple angles. Hopefully Rex will start walking on that leg soon. I’m glad you have a recheck scheduled for next week and think that physical therapy is a great idea too! Best of luck to both of you!❤