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!
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!