Gabapentin For Dogs – How It Works, the Dosage and Side Effects

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gabapentin for dogs

Gabapentin for dogs is a prescribed drug that acts as an anticonvulsant and analgesic. Fascinatingly, the way that this popular seizure reducing and pain relieving drug works is not totally understood. But what we do know if that when orally administered it binds to calcium channels in the central nervous system, decreasing the release of neurotransmitters that create pain signals. This reduces the severity of seizures in epileptic dogs and helps with pain relief after surgery or in dogs suffering long term ailments like arthritis.

Gabapentin for dogs is given in varying dosages depending upon the condition it’s being used to treat. When on a course of Gabapentin your dog might be drowsy, unsteady on their feet and more sedate than usual. Withdrawal symptoms are common when this medication is stopped too, which is something you’ll need to consider with your veterinarian before you begin your dog’s treatment.

Contents

In this article we are going to help you get to know Gabapentin for dogs. We will look at the way it works, how effective it is, dosages and the potential side effects.

Is it an Approved Medicine?

In the US, the FDA has not approved gabapentin for use in animals. This isn’t cause for concern, though, as this is the case for many veterinary medicines. Use of gabapentin by vets is covered under the AMDUCA, an act allowing vets to use human drugs on animals where appropriate.

How Gabapentin for Dogs Works

There’s still an active discussion about exactly how gabapentin works. It is clear, though, that it blocks communication between certain nerves. This seems to have a beneficial effect when used to treat seizures, dog epilepsy and some kinds of pain.

Gabapentin for dogs has been shown to significantly reduce the severity and length of seizures, which benefits unwell dogs enormously.

At this point, gabapentin for dogs is widely prescribed for a range of issues. If your pup suffers from dog epilepsy, it’s very likely you’ll come into contact with this drug.

So what’s the standard gabapentin dosage for dogs? Does it differ from dog to dog, and based on what it’s being used to treat?

Gabapentin Dosage for Dogs

Ultimately, how much gabapentin your dog receives will be up to your vet. What the exact dosage should be depends a lot on what the vet is treating. Your dog’s size is also an important consideration.

gabapentin for dogs

Guidelines

We can look at the guidelines vets use for a rough idea of how much gabapentin we will be giving our dogs. It’s really important to only take a vet’s advice on this, though. They could be aware of extenuating circumstances that would restrict your dog’s ideal dosage.

Dosage Based on Size

One study reduced the symptoms of epilepsy in dogs significantly by administering 10mg (per kg of your dog’s weight) of gabapentin every eight hours. Under this protocol a 10kg dog with epilepsy would be given 100mg of gabapentin. A much larger pooch might be prescribed 300mg of gabapentin.

This regular dosage helps keep a steady level of gabapentin in your dog’s blood stream. Gabapentin for dogs is given every day, not just when seizures happen. Gabapentin takes 1 to 3 hours to reach its full strength in dogs, so needs to be consistently re-dosed.

Other Dosages of Gabapentin in Dogs

If your dog doesn’t have epilepsy but is in pain due to another condition like cancer, the gabapentin dosage will change accordingly. When it comes to post-operative pain, gabapentin seems to block some of the pain signals that the nervous system is creating. Gabapentin analgesia in dogs is widely documented, and it’s often considered by vets as a way to lower morphine intake.

Studies on This Use

One study found a single dose of 10mg/kg of gabapentin for a dog’s pain reliably reduced the amount of morphine needed after an operation.  Similarly, with chronic pain, studies have found a single daily dose to be very effective.

This type of pain is often associated with cancer and other really nasty diseases. So, the dosage can differ hugely from dog to dog, depending on their medical situation.

My Dose Doesn’t Match these Guidelines

Don’t worry if your dog’s dose doesn’t appear to match any of the examples we’ve given. Vets use guidelines, but they treat each dog on a case-by-case basis. Guidelines are useful, but only your vet will know how much gabapentin your dog needs.

How Long Does Gabapentin Stay in Your Dog’s System?

The length of time a drug stays in an animal’s system is usually discussed in terms of its half-life. The half-life is the time it takes for the levels of a given drug in the blood to drop by half.

In gabapentin for dogs, the half-life is the same as in humans and rats — a period of 2 to 3 hours. This means gabapentin doesn’t hang around very long, but still long enough that regular dosing helps it have a cumulative effect.

How Long Can Your Dog Take Gabapentin?

Canine epilepsy can be a life-long condition. Gabapentin for dogs can be taken as long as your pup needs it, which can be months or even years.

There are some risks in long-term use of gabapentin in dogs, such as an increased risk of cancer. But a dog suffering from regular heavy seizures needs this relief, so the trade-off is usually worth it.

In the short term, when correctly prescribed, gabapentin doesn’t seem to cause any real issues. Except for a bit of dizziness, most dogs do absolutely fine on this medication. So how will gabapentin affect your dog? Lets take a look at gabapentin’s side effects in dogs.

Gabapentin Side Effects in Dogs

Few medications are without side effects, but their severity can differ a lot from drug to drug. Side effects of Gabapentin in dogs can also differ according to the individual dog, its general constitution and its medical history.

The most common side effects for dogs taking gabapentin involve a loss of coordination. Gabapentin use in dogs can cause them to appear unsteady on their feet. They may also experience drowsiness.

What to do If You See Side Effects

Even if the effects seem mild, it’s worth checking in with your vet. They’ll be able to determine if the symptoms are harmless, or if different medication should be considered.

The Labrador Handbook by Pippa Mattinson(paid link)

Even if Gabapentin side effects, for dogs, are severe, it’s very important that you don’t suddenly stop giving your dog their gabapentin. If you stop your dog’s gabapentin abruptly, they can experience some pretty nasty withdrawal symptoms, including heavy seizures. This can potentially harm your dog long-term.

Overdoses

So, how much gabapentin can my dog take? Overdoses actually seem to be fairly rare when it comes to gabapentin for dogs.

Will Gabapentin Hurt My Dog?

There’s a high margin of safety, and though a dog that’s had a little too much might be dizzy and sick, overdoses are very rarely fatal. With this being said, if you realize your dog has had too much gabapentin, get in touch with a vet right away. The exact amount that constitutes an overdose differs from dog to dog.

gabapentin for dogs

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Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.

She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program 

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92 COMMENTS

  1. Vets don’t prescribe gabapentin to pets it’s usually the last resort I called and ask them I even said what about to calm them down before the checkup they said gabapentin is a human med not for cats or dogs they said only they would recommend a benadryl

  2. I have a 14 and a half year old palm mix
    She has back leg seizures on and off
    Vet prescribed gamapentin liquid 100 mg every 8 to 12 hours & prednisalone
    After reading all this I’m very reticent to give it to her now.
    She has great energy…. And I don’t want to make her totally lethargic… And make a matter worse!! So concerned about side effects!!!

    • Ive a nearly 11 yr old basset hound with inoperable tumours and spine fusion. 6 weeks ago she was paralysed back legs and severely constipated. I thought her time was up but her spirit was so great I was determined to do all I could. She’s not fit for operations etc so I was ready to say goodbye if I really had to. However vet was positive about her spirit and with lactulose and gabapentin she was back up on her feet within 3 days and spritlier than ever. I wouldn’t have believed it honestly and she’s back to her basset antics as if there nothing wrong with her. Takes her gabapentin on top of loxicom and is living life to full.

      • O wow my bassett has just been prescribed gabapentin for his pain in his spine/hips been on them now for 4days can’t see an improvement as yet, can you give them loxicom as well.

  3. My 9 year old cattle dog mix gets 200mg of gabapentin twice daily and 5mg if prednisone every other day because of two compressed vertebrae. These meds are end of life pain relief for her and are working. We want her with us until that’s not possible.

  4. My GS has an appointment to the vet and they prescribed her gabapentin 300mg and to give her 6 capsules along with trazdone 100mg and give her 3 capsules all together. I am worried about giving her these meds. What they said was from the last experience we had . She was very aggressive they just feel this will work better just to calm her down. So they sent me home with all this medication and I should give it to her today as a trial basis and see how she reacts. OMG I’m so afraid… I don’t know what to do. I have called the vet twice and I’m so unsure about giving her the meds but they assure me is harmless and we need to see how she reacts with the meds before the actual visit

    • That seems like a high dosage. My dog is 10kg and has been prescribed one 100mg capsule every 8 hours for pain and anxiety. Hope your dog is fine after that dose

        • Humans can be prescribed thousands of mg of gabapentin. I’m currently on 1,800mg a day, some amputees are on 5-8k mg a day.

          Gotta be careful when making public claims like this that go against medical professionals

    • Hello Hilda,
      My GS is 13 yes old and has been taking Gabapentin for 3 years for he ACL. Originally the vet had her on 300 MG morning, and then again at night. At first I did that, but I noticed she was very tired all day and night. Because I always believed that less is more, I cut her down (I did let the vet know) and started giving her just the 300 at night. What a difference. I have to say, the medication works. After 3 years, she does have the effect of unsteadyness but it’s ok. She is not in pain and is doing really well. The medication stays in the dogs system for 24 hours, so if you give it to your dog and see something you are concerned with, just stop the med and contact your vet. The medication comes out of there system quickly. But once you start giving on a regular basis, you would have to get vets approval before taking her/him off. Remember, less is more. Atleast to me. Hope this helps you and I hope your GS is doing better.

  5. Our 55-60lb GSD is on 200mg twice a day and I’m weaning her off! I don’t like the way it makes her act! She was so active (though she has arthritis) and now she just sleeps and just doesn’t seem “all there”, and is a bit unsure on her feet. I’m very disappointed my vet prescribed this because she’s had bad drug reactions before and I specifically ask about side affects! Now I’m reading so many things that make me so uncomfortable with this drug!

    • My 25 kg labradoodle has been prescribed 3x300mg per day for arthritis and we have noticed the same outcomes as you. We wanted to reduce her pain but are now wondering whether it is the best thing for her.

  6. I have a Shit Tzu mix that was put on Gabapentin & Prednisone for back problems. He couldn’t get up after laying down & had trouble walking. Being built pretty much like a Welsh Corgi, vet took xrays & said he had a herniated disc. He seemed to be doing ok at first on the meds but then he started just refusing to take them, so he effectively just quit cold turkey. I started him on Cosequin with MSM & he started doing really well. Then he started refusing to take that. We were lucky in that he didn’t seem to have any adverse effects from him going off the meds abruptly. Has been off of everything for probably a couple months & has started having trouble again. Put him back on a reduced dosage of Gabapentin & his leg control is again worse. He is +/- 22 lbs & they had him on 100 mgs 3/day. I put him on 50 mg in the am & 100 mg at night & was giving him a dog asperin 125 mg that I got from Chewy, late afternoon. I am going to try weaning him off the Gabapentin & starting the Cosequin maximum strength with MSM again in the am & the aspirin at night until hopefully the Cosequin will kick in. Hopefully I can keep him on that now. For anyone looking to put their animal on something for pain & arthritis, I would recommend that in lieu of any of the prescribed meds. I have not read good things about Tamsulosin, which they also prescribed at one point for pain. He didn’t have any problems with it but I didn’t keep him on it very long after reading about it.

  7. My Rottie/Black Lab started gabapentin after he has surgery on his leg to remove a tumor. But it was found that he has cancer on his heart and spleen during xrays after his surgery. My dog weighs 98lbs and takes 300mg of gabapentin 2x a day. He has been doing well on it and seems to be more active now. I am sure he was starting to experience some degree of discomfort but seems more lively now. We know he does not have alot of time left but as long as he does not appear to experience pain we are going to keep him around as long as possible. To me, I owe this relief to the gabapentin he takes.

  8. Thanks for everyone’s input. My 16 yrs young yorkie was on metacam for arthritis (cervical) now on gabapentin, won’t eat just 2 dose. Now falling over along with other symptoms. This stuff is not FDA approved. Seeing vet tomorrow, so scared my little doggie was doing fine considering….now he can’t even stand up to do his business. WHAT HAVE I DONE to my Bassie

  9. I take the drug myself for fibromyalgia, but have given it to a few of my dogs for pain and it is not a drug that you have to be weaned off of in fact it has to built up in your system in order to work and will differ on each dog just like Benadryl does, in humans once in your system it doesn’t make you drowsy or sleepy as when you first started taking it. My 50 lb mix breed took 400 mg twice a day and didn’t make him unsteady but 400 mg to my 90 lbs German Shepherd and he will be a little unsteady given just once, you just need to contact your veterinarian and work out a dosage for your dog other pain meds can have the same effect and usually pain medications are going to make them a little sleepy and off balance, if your dog can’t get up or walk maybe it’s to high of a dose for him and I’ve worked in veterinarian medicine for 22 years and with any medication, vaccines etc. they can all have a reaction to something that another may not.

  10. My 140lb Mastiff was given gabapentin (1,200mg daily) last Sunday at Emergency Hosp., by Weds, he’d lost total use of his hind legs. 5 days later, he’s minorly trying to move his right foot and his tail…no movement at all yet in his left foot.

  11. What was the medication for arthritis your dog was on?
    My german shepherd was on Metacam with terrible side effects and now experiencing bad side effects with gabapentin too. Looking for something that works on her knee arthritis without all these terrible side effects.

  12. Just gave my Vizsla his first dose of gabapentin For arthritic pain and when he tried to get off the sofa his legs collapsed. He had no control at all. Poor thing was so distressed by this. I am stopping it before it gets worse.

  13. My 11 year old pittie hurt his back. Carprofen did nothing for him. He just laid around all day and was very painful. My vet put him on 300mg of Gabapentin twice a day. A day later he was like a new dog! He was rolling around outside, taking the steps that hurt him before. He was trying to keep up with his younger fur siblings. No side effects either. Thank

    • Hello!! I am curious, as my dog is on Gabapentin now (he was on both Carprofen & Gabapentin for a while after surgery, but down to just the Gabapentin now), did your vet slowly take away the Gabapentin or did you stop suddenly? I am very concerned as my dog only has a couple days left on it, but then he is just done. I have been reading that suddenly stopping it is not good for them.

  14. Vet put my 15 year old canine on tramadol and gabapentin for arthritis. We started the tramadol with no problem. Once the gabapentin was added he started throwing up and almost choked to death. Make sure you plan to stay with the dog when you start that drug.

  15. Gave our old lab gaba…only 4 days for back pain per vet. 300 mg 2x a day and it’s been not good. She has deteriorated in those days from stiff to no control over her front paws (they roll over) and barely able to lift her head. Now she can’t squat in the yard without falling over. My husband and I are bummed. We were trying to add life, not take it away. Heads up on this stuff. Oversleeping and loss of coordination for an old dog is not the answer.

    • My 12 year old lab had same issues. He was doing very well for his age with daily walks that he would thrive on. We took him to the vet, not because of any problems, but just to get blood work and refill his arthritis medicine which was under control at the time of office visit. Doctor put him on Gabapentin 300 mg 2 X per day. 2 weeks later, he can’t walk without falling and cannot get up without having to be lifted up by us. We are going to wean him off the Gabapentin

      • Wondering if you ended up weening him off and how long it took for him to go back to normal again. We started out dog on it and she is the same way. We stopped giving it to her 48 hours ago and she is still acting disoriented.

      • My 12 year old lab was prescribed 400mg ever 6-8 hours, we are not really sure what’s wrong with her, she has been very anxious the last 10 days, but clinically the vet says she fine. Within 48 hrs of taking Gabapentin, she was so sleepy and after her walk started to loose her back end, I haven’t given her any thins morning, her back legs are fine and she has only now (pm) started panting again, so I may give her 300 mg with her evening meal.
        Has anyone else’s Lab been prescribed this for anxiety? And do you offer any advise?

      • What was the medication for arthritis your dog was on?
        My german shepherd was on Metacam with terrible side effects and now experiencing bad side effects with gabapentin too. Looking for something that works on her knee arthritis without all these terrible side effects.

    • I’m sorry to read what happening with this medication with your fur baby ,I have been doing a lot of research on Gabapentin and I’m truly shocked to be reading what I am,I was on this myself but had to come off it , My elderly dog has now been put on this but hasn’t yet started it as everything in me is telling me not to give it to him but then I don’t want him to have pain,it’s so hard what to do with the best but most of the things I’ve been reading has been so horrible 🙁 Can I please ask what happen after you posted with the Gabapentin,thank you for any reply given 🙂

    • My 16 yr old dog was prescribed it for anxiety and arthritis, but I hate what it’s doing to him. He sleeps all the time, can hardly walk because he’s so unsteady on his feet. He’s so much worse than before starting it.
      He is going to vet therapy this week for acupuncture, water therapy and anything else they suggest. I’m very disappointed in his pcp.

      • My 17 year old poodle is on Gabapentin and at night he would only sleep for about 2 hours and up for the rest of the night until like 8 am in the morning, so I decided to start weening him off and when I got to half of the dose that the vet prescribed, he is now sleeping for 6 hours at night….it was like the Gabapentin was causing him have anxiety, he seems to sleep a lot during the day, not sure if it’s the Gabapentin or age, he also can’t walk and falls over

  16. My GSD weighing in at 54.5 kgs has just been prescribed 400mg Gabpentin 3 times per day for arthritis. I’m worried that this is too high a dose??

    • Yes that to high dor sure my golden retriever is 85 lbs and get 300 mg in divided doses 150 mg am and pm for severe spondylosis deformans that pinches both sacral nerves it worked like a charm first dose at pm and she was painfree the next morning i opened the capsule and eyeballed a divided dose and mixed it in some yogart..she could move she was in such pain 2 week straight she was on hydromorephone she had to be carrried with a harness to pee…uug gaba is awesome so far but im worried that stopping can cause horrible withdrawls even deadly seizures..but she would have been put down if she didnt take it..she will have to take it the rest of her life ..but now shehas a life..

  17. this started as she never exhibited any health problems. The vet was shocked that she was surviving and exhibiting no effects of surviving on 2 kidneys were “the size a baby kitten would have”.
    During one of her 3 monthly scans, a year ago the doctors found growths in her liver. The vet said it looks fluid filled. He said at her age and because of her kidney problems, he cautioned against doing a biopsy as the anesthetic could cause her kidney to fail. He felt as she is currently doing ok, he did not want to shock her system and cause her to go into kidney failure. She had also developed jaundice – she was itchy all the time.

    The vet prescribed Tramadol and Gabapentin 100mg. The tramadol did not sit well with her, it made her constipated and I noticed it didn’t do much for her pain. He switched to Gabapentin only 100mg 2 x a day. She did show weakness in her hind legs (it would splay) and some coordination problems. By this time she had also developed full cataracts in both eyes and is almost 90% blind.
    6 month later, her jaundice has gone, the growths are larger and she has lost a lot of weight due to lack of appetite. Getting her to eat is a huge problem.

    It’s been a year now, she is on Theophylline 2x a day for her breathing and now on a higher dosage of Gabapentin – 2x100mg at 6am, 1x100mg at 3pm and 2x100mg at 9pm. She is woozy a little after she has taken the meds, but otherwise she is alert, wants to go for frequent walks, drinks well, eating is still a huge problem but we manage. She has been on this dosage for 2 months but it wears off after 3-4 hours, she will start panting very heavily.

    It seems to be worst at night, she wakes up every 2-3 hours at night and starts panting very heavily, she would than start barking nonstop until someone is with her. She paces and can’t settle. Usually it’s for food or needs a poo or just for some comfort. The vet said that it’s the onset of dementia. Also being almost blind does not help.

    My vet does not have any other suggestions as to what else can be prescribed for the pain. The next would be a morphine patch.
    Is there anything else that she can take?

  18. Gabapentin was subscribed for my 10 year old 67 lb. lab for leg pain. 5 hours after administering 300 mg. She was so weak she couldn’t stand on her own. 12 hours later she was no better. It took about 26 hours to get totally out of her system. Somehow within the first few hours she hurt her front leg and is unable to put any pressure on it. It is now 30 hours later and she is no better. Visiting vet tomorrow to see what she hurt while on this drug. Please be careful.

  19. I have a prescription from my vet for gabapentin for my German Shepard, how do I go about ordering this online.

  20. I was provided Gabapentin when I took my Charlie ( 11 years old) to the emergency room. She was diagnosed with pneumonia but in a matter of a few days she was up and walking. During the emergency room visit the Doctor took several x-rays and it was found that she has arthritis throughout her spine. He prescribed Gabapentin, a medication I immediately recognized as my mother is allergic to it. I usually do not like to pump myself as well as my fur baby with meds however her moaning got worst, as she began to moan all night in her sleep and whenever she laid down. I began to give her the meds differently than the prescribed instruction which were one to two as needed. I only give her one in the morning and one in the night and this has worked. No more moaning and she is walking faster, the only side effect is some diarrhea. But I always, and I cant stress this enough, I always make sure she eats before giving her the medication, even if it does not say give with food. I do this because anytime I take pills, even vitamins on an empty stomach, I get ill so I want to make sure that does not happen to charlie. Otherwise the medication has worked fine.

  21. Does anyone have insight on how Gabapentin affects the kidneys? I can’t find anything specific.

    My dog has chronic kidney disease so he can’t use NSAIDs and was prescribed Gabapentin for back pain/arthritis. I know it is exclusively metabolized by the kidneys so dosage needs to be lowered to account for slower clearing, but does the drug do any damage to the kidney itself like NSAIDs? Just wondering what the downside is.

  22. My dog is using gabapentin 3 times a day now at 100 mg each dose. I started giving it to him a bed time as he couldn’t get comfortable any longer. He is a 14 year old cocker/spring cross with arthritis in now 3 of his major joints. His legs shake most of the time. He was prescribed metacam but he can not tolerate it as it causes too many digestive issues. I know he’s near the end and when he starts to whimper regularly again we will say goodbye but till then the gabapentin is working.

    • Taylor,
      I am sorry about your Little Old Man. I hope the medicine is still helping his frail body and allowing you more time with him before Goodbyes need to come.
      And if your goodbyes & last hugs have come to pass, hold tight to those wonderful memories that will always make you smile.

      If only our precious critters could live forever. That would allow life to be truly something so much more sweeter than it already is??
      Take care. Brandy

  23. My malinois began having only occasional seizures at first. Over the months they progressed and was prescribed phenobarbital, which worked for awhile. Several months ago she had 5 seizures in 36 hours, so I gave her gabapentin 300mg to stop the seizures, as the prescribed Valium wasn’t working. Currently she takes phenobarbital 2xday along with gabapentin. Please be patient. My girl has adjusted to the meds and is mostly her old self. She socializes with other dogs or does her own thing. Thank you for the article. (Just to be clear she takes gabapentin capsules, not the liquid.)

  24. Many folks posting should read the article again, and many others available online, about Gabapentin before commenting because some of you obviously aren’t paying attention. The xylitol is found only in the liquid form for humans. That being said, you should also talk to a number of vets, not just one. This drug effects each dog very differently; not sure if it has to do with breed, size or gender.
    Do NOT stop giving this to your pet cold turkey. The results can be worse than all of the side effects combined. I’ve had two dogs on this medication and each of them reacted in totally different ways. I also think that there are side effects not mentioned.
    My vet seems to think this stuff is pretty harmless, but that is NOT the case. After reading comments on other sites, I’ve found it can be deadly to some dogs.
    It is best to start with a smaller dose than prescribed and work up to the full dose. And if you don’t want your pet taking it any more, reverse this process, gradually lowering the dosage.
    Though some of you have mentioned it helps with the pacing caused by dementia, I found that with one of my dogs it just amplified this problem.
    Look everywhere you can for information, check the side effects for use in both humans and animals, and be very attentive to behavioral changes. You know your pet better than anyone – otherwise you don’t need to have a pet – and if you notice a problem, don’t let your vet just brush it off or attribute it to something else. Seek out second and third opinions if you aren’t satisfied. And don’t let something go more than a week without mentioning it to your vet.

  25. My 16-year-old cocker spaniel died after taking this medication within 3 hours! He was 21 pounds and was prescribed 100 mg. I am devastated!!!

  26. My dog has a torn ligament and was put on this drug, 200 mg twice a day pending surgery. She is sleeping a lot, but I want to keep her quiet.

  27. My 50 lb 13 yr old mixed breed dog has been on 200 mg of Gabapentin Capsules twice a day for about three years. She use to get Novox too but that was changed to the new dog arthritis pain med., Galliprant, almost a year ago. The combo has helped significantly with her hip dysplasia and arthritis pain.

    The Gabapentin is gotten from a human pharmacy with the script from the Vet. The capsule version does not contain xylitol. That is in the human liquid form. The caps do contain a little mannitol but it is not toxic to dogs. Check with your pharmacy for ingredients. I had changed to human form to save some money as I am retired and the Vet charged triple the cost. I give her the capsules inside Greenies Pill Pockets for dogs.

    Although the meds help her pain, there is nothing to stop her joints from deteriorating. She limps more now on her front leg and her hind end is growing weaker. I know I will need to make that decision soon, but for now she is still comfortable and alert.

    • In 2 days ..my 9 year old standard poodle can’t walk any more after bringing him into vets ..just limping from a sprained leg. 1 capsules 100 MG every 8hrs. Hunched back …curled back hind legs posture, walking barely like that with help. Non of these symptoms prior to use. This drug has effected him to the point of which he may more then likely need to be put down. This is heart breaking. This drug is horrible. I read many other reverse from owners with same issues after their pet began taking this product. All over the internet is awful reactions to this drug

  28. My mixed breed 50 lb dog has been getting 200 mg x 2 daily of gabapentin for approx three years. Until last year she was getting novox too but we switched to new drug, Galliprant, which is specifically for dogs with arthritis and hip dysplasia pain. This combination has helped her pain greatly. The gabapentin she has been taken is capsule form and I get her prescription from the Vet faxed to a human pharmacy. The capsules do not contain xylitol, that is in the human liquid form only. The caps contain a little mannitol which is not toxic to dogs. I had switched to human version capsules to save some money as I am retired and the Vet’s was triple the cost.

    Although the meds help with her pain, nothing will slow down the deterioration of her joints. She is 13 yrs old and is limping more on an elbow and her hind end is growing weaker. I know I will need to make that decision fairly soon, but for now she is still comfortable and alert.

  29. We’re on a big dose, 400mg three times a day, 41kg blacl lab. The difference is noticeable in two days. She’s got chronic arthritis in her elbow and has been finding it increasingly painful to walk.
    Shes gone from being a 10 year old that had started refusing to go outside even and was sometimes peeing on the floor (presumably too painful to get up and walk if it wasn’t desperate), to a dog that’s spent most of the day outside eating windfall pears and playing with her sister. We’re also on Rimadyl max dose and we’ve tried Tramadol but it didn’t seem to do anything. I just knew this wouldn’t work because it’s ten times cheaper than the others, but it’s looking good.

  30. My 12yo lab mix was diagnosed with a bladder tumor 5 months ago. She is terminal, but she is still doing well eating, voiding (tho she squats often per pee) and poo-ing. She was in some pain and the vet prescribed 300mg gabapentin 2 times a day along with an an anti-inflammatory. It has done wonders for her, and I’m glad this is helping to maintain a decent quality of life for her until that dreadful day comes. I am thankful this has been available for her and I would recommend it to anyone.

  31. My vet just prescribed this and Trazadone for my 2yr old Dane, my dog has serious issues with anixity and fear. My vet is kind enough to make a house call to give Koda her vaccine, but wants to try these meds on her before she comes. My question is why the Gabaentin? There wasn’t much about it in this in relation to my dogs issues, it was all about pain and seziures????

  32. Hi. My 14 lb. Maltese was given Gabapentin 100mg. 2x a day. This seems so high. I have only given him one, yesterday and held back the second dose. It was prescribed for arthritic pain in his spine. Any thoughts about this?

    • I’d like to know the same as well – my 12lb dachshund was just prescribed 50 mg two times a day for arthritic and chronic back pain as well

      • It works to take away pain. My Dachshund has been given Gabapentin for chronic neck injury. It has truly made a difference. And it is safe. My baby was hurting so bad, and it was because I needed to up his dose. I am giving him conservative care for his neck injury. When I told his VETERINARIAN he told me to up the dose to 1 ml. 3 x daily.
        My dog weighs 17 lbs. This liquid Gabapentin has made such a difference. His pain pill Tramadol 25 mg. Twice daily wasn’t enough to control his pain. So..if your veterinarian said to give it do not be afraid. Just follow directions. If your dog is in pain they will appreciate the help!

    • My 16 1/2 year old 5.5 lb Maltese has been taking .25 ml liquid twice a day for a little over a month for spine pain. The vet had said to start at .25 ml and if it wasn’t enough to increase up to .5 ml. The .25 ml has worked wonderfully with my dog. She slept a lot before she started taking Gabapentin. I think she sleeps about the same as she did before. No whimpering from pain. I would also say I think her dementia has gotten better. She’s playing fetch; no accidents in the house

  33. Thank you so much for this article & the helpful comments! I need all the info & wisdom for my dog I can get! 🙂

  34. My vet just put my 12-year-old Malinois on Gabapentin, and Adequan injections,, she seems quieter than normal and I’m just wondering if they’re working to help her ease arthritis pain in her spine. Or should I call the vet and try something else. I do have some tramadol that was prescribed for her when she ripped her toenail off and I was wondering if I could give her the tramadol for the pain. Any help would be great thank you

  35. You may have just saved my dog’s life! She is a 82 pound plotthound and was bit on the nose by a rattlesnake. Among other things, the vet prescribed 300 mg of gabapentin twice a day. I gave it to her the first day. I knew I had some gabapentin and it was the same dosage. I was thinking I could give her mine if needed. But thankfully mine had expired. I know the dangers of xylitol having just written an article about it, but didn’t know it could be in my medication. I know a lot of human medications are used for dogs, but I’ll never do it. I will be mentioning the dangers of using human medications in the next article on her website at https://trixietellsall.com. Now I wonder about the human benadryl they say to give. She had two of them after the bite. Maybe it has been checked that it doesn’t have xylitol. I wonder why it is added in gabapentin that is a capsule and can’t be tasted?

  36. My brittany got prescribed 100mg twice a day for his calcified bursitis in his shoulder and I was wondering will this effect his hunting ability? He is an extremely active dog and I can’t get him to slow down even a little. I’m leery of putting him on this stuff just for the inflammation

  37. My 75 lb lab was just put on 10g 3 times a day. He was having back leg pain then suddenly today couldn’t stand up. Vet prescribed this and said let’s see how it goes. He’s almost 16 years old and otherwise eats and walks stiffly but he walks slow. Hoping for a positive result. Vet said should work quick. So guess we will see what quick is if it works.

    • It causes those symptoms.. it has taken my pet down .. unable to walk in 2 days!! He just had a sprained leg. Only gave him 5 pills 8 hrs apart 100mg. He walked into vets .. now hunched back , curled hind legs .. squatting position. Can barely function. 😫

  38. How do you get your dog to take the pills- he finds them in his food, my son refuses to hold him and force him.
    Taters can smell the heart pills and just won’t eat. He has stage 3 kidney disease:( He just got prescribed Gabepentin for dogs also takes Sidinifil for blood pressure . He is a rescue and 11 years old.

  39. How do you get your dog to take the pills- he finds them in his food, my son refuses to hold him and force him.
    Taters can smell the heart pills and just won’t eat. He has stage 3 kidney disease:(

  40. My vet just prescribed Gabapentin for my 10 year old lab for nerve pain. He is taking 300 mg twice per day. He seems to be sleeping a lot more, but it doesn’t seem to be helping with his mobility. He still whimpers, growls, and bites me if I try to help him stand up. I will contact the vet and see if we need to increase the dose; I just don’t want him to be sleeping ALL the time.

    • My German shepherd recently prescribed one and a half doses twice daily.Following her first couple of days on this drug, she would go off and sleep for hours.When I contacted my vet about this, the dose was reduced to one dose twice daily, as gabapentin side effects include drowsiness and lethargy.I cannot tell you if the reduced dose will help, as she has only just gone on the revised dosage.I hope this is some help to you.

      • Thank you….My 9 year old German Shepherd was just prescribed 300mg 3x per day for chronic hind leg pain, it’s been two days haven’t seen a big difference. I’m thinking I may just do 2x a day. I’m worried she’ll start to sleep to much also. I also have her on glucosamine and turmeric for 4months and that’s been great for her, I see a great difference!

  41. My 13 year old lab was put on Gabapentin for arthritis… and looks to be some stenosis. nerve pain… she weighs approx 94 lbs… so I wanted to start her on a low dose and ramp her up slowly,,, I started her on 100mg nightly,,, increased 2 100mg daily…. recently increased to 200mg twice daily after 2 weeks…. My question is,, for arthritis and nerve pain,,,,, does the gabapentin ever stop working, or Do we have to increase at different times??? how long does it take to work… thanks…

  42. My vet just prescribed Gabapentin 50mg. for my Pooshin, she had a problem with mobility. She responded to the 1st. dose by having improved mobility. Hopefully this will continue and she will continue to function without distress. She does to be sleeping a lot more than usual, but I am hopeful this too will improve as her pain subsides. She is a lot more comfortable and at 14yrs. old I guess she just needs rest.

  43. My 13 yr. old Maltese was very anxious, clingy, panting and had trouble sleeping at night. He was finally diagnosed with Pancreatitis and after a 2 night stay in the hospital he was prescribed
    30 mg. Of Gabapentin 3 x daily, later reduced to 2 x daily. He is on a few other meds as well but he is back to his old self thank goodness and will probably remain on it indefinitely.

  44. I was recently prescribed Gabapentin for my 12 year old Lab. One time daily, at night. He was becoming restless at night – constant pacing, barking, extreme clingy-ness, whining and whimpering… all signs of cognitive dysfunction – doggy dementia. My vet suggested giving Gabapentin along with Metacam. So far, it has been working. My dog sleeps through the night. It’s crazy how quickly it can work. I fed my dog the drug, and ten minutes later, he is sleeping.

  45. Summer, one of our four Retrievers receiving Gabapentin in recent years, has rebounded significantly from her chronic pain. She’d been on Metacam and Tramadol but it wasn’t enough to manage her pain. Our vet recently added in Adequan injections and twice-daily Gabapentin. Summer is much more mobile and self sufficient (and confident). The other three did not respond well to Gabapentin and so we ended that course of treatment. Like humans, it’s a matter of figuring out what works for whom…

  46. Gabapentin transformed my dog! He was put on Tramadol after an injury to his spine/hip, but it didn’t suit him at all – he spent the night prowling around and couldn’t settle. With Gabapentin he was back to his old self almost at once, although I took care not to over-exercise him, and he stayed on that for the rest of his life.

      • My 10 year old, 55 pound otherwise healthy lab was prescribed 100mg gabapentin 3 X’s a day along with Prednisone 2x day for a new onset cervical disc issue. The Prednisone seems fine but when I gave her one dose of gabapentin she got agitated and couldn’t get comfortable. This lasted a few hours. I’ve been reluctant to give her another dose. Anybody have similar experience with gabapentin and any advice. The gabapentin is in capsule form so can’t decrease the dose unless I open the cap.

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