Gabapentin is a go-to medication for several conditions in cats due to its effectiveness and relative safety when used appropriately. Primary Uses: Chronic Pain Relief: Often prescribed for arthritis, cancer-related pain, or post-surgical discomfort. For sedation and calming, vets usually prescribe 40-70mg for smaller and old felines and 75-90mg for adult cats 2-3 hours before a vet visit or travel.. Like other medicines, the safe dosage of gabapentin depends on the size of the cat, body weight and overall health condition. Gabapentin is a prescription medication not FDA approved for veterinary use; however, it is a commonly accepted practice for veterinarians to use this medication in dogs. Gabapentin is available as 100 mg, 300 mg, and 400 mg capsules. The usual dose to treat seizures in dogs is 4.5 to 13.5 mg per lb every 8 to 12 hours. Gabapentin is safe for cats and is commonly prescribed by veterinarians to treat pain, anxiety, and feline hyperesthesia syndrome. It has a low risk of side effects when taken at the correct dosage. Mild sedation and lethargy are the most common side effects but these tend to get better with continued dosing. What is gabapentin used for in cats? Gabapentin has many useful properties for treating cats beyond use as an anticonvulsant. It is used off-label in cats to reduce situational anxiety, provide pain relief, and is the preferred treatment for a condition called feline hyperesthesia syndrome. Gabapentin is a pharmaceutical drug that may be prescribed to your cat by a veterinarian after a thorough physical exam. The primary use of gabapentin for cats is to help reduce pain, specifically chronic or acute nerve pain. Gabapentin is also used as an anticonvulsant to help control seizure disorders in cats. A cat needing 50 mg of gabapentin would receive 1 ml of a 50 mg/ml solution. A cat needing 100 mg would receive 2 ml of a 50 mg/ml solution. A cat needing 25mg would receive 0.5 ml of a 50mg/ml solution. Always double-check the concentration on the label of your specific medication, as this may vary. Importance of Veterinary Consultation Gabapentin is a medication used to treat pain in cats. It is also used as a sedative to help reduce anxiety during stressful situations, like car travel and vet visits. Here’s what you need to know about this common feline medication. What is gabapentin for cats, and how does it work? Gabapentin Oral Capsules & Tablets: 100, 300, 400, 600, and 800 milligrams. Gabapentin Oral Solution: 250 milligram per 5 milliliters (50 mg/mL). The oral solution contains xylitol so it should not be used in dogs, as xylitol is quite toxic to them. Medication should not be abruptly discontinued and gradual weaning is recommended. This study set out to investigate the effect of giving a single dose of gabapentin for fear-based aggressive behaviors in cats during veterinary visits. The researchers compared a dose of either 100 or 200 mg/cat to placebo capsules 2 hours prior to the vet visit. Correlations between favorable outcomes were measured based on compliance scores. In cats, gabapentin is most often used as a pain medication for chronic pain, such as from arthritis. Gabapentin is also recognized as beneficial in reducing the fear responses that a kitty may have to the stress of handling and being examined at the vet. The cats were randomly assigned to receive 100 mg of gabapentin or a placebo capsule containing lactose powder before the first visit. The capsules were given 90 minutes before they left for the vet. The treatment was reversed for each cat prior to the second visit.
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