Can gabapentin cause urinary incontinence in cats? Yes, although rare, gabapentin-induced urinary incontinence has been reported. This usually occurs after several weeks of treatment and the condition typically resolves with medication discontinuation. Side effects of prazosin appear to be uncommon in cats at commonly prescribed dosages, and mostly seem to appear in the cases of overdoses. While there are no available studies specifically looking at side effects in cats, overdose exposures reported to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center between 2009 and 2013 showed low blood pressure as the most common finding, affecting less than half of Results Thirty-five cats were presented with urinary incontinence. Of these, 18 cats with complete medical records presented urinary incontinence of non-neurologic origin. The most common clinical signs at presentation were urine leakage while resting (12/18), urine-soiled perineum (8/18), urine dribbling (8/18) and no spontaneous micturition Does anyone know if there is a correlation between gabapentin and urinary incontinence in cats? Or has heard anything from their respective vets, own research, etc? Haven’t been able to find much online. It is important to differentiate incontinence (involuntary urine leakage) from behavioral urinary issues (submissive urination), simple lack of housetraining, territorial marking of anxious cats or unneutered males, or the senile loss of house training from canine cognitive dysfunction. Animals may urinate in the house voluntarily, and this is I know that urinary retention can be a side effect of gabapentin but I also know that urinary obstruction happens in male cats and is extremely emergent. an acidic urine, blue for a basic pH urine, red for blood in the urine, and yellow for a neutral pH urine. Normal cat urine should be somewhat acidic at around 6.6 (neutral is 7). Depending on what your cat ate most recently, though, her urine might be slightly basic in pH. Urine pH is just one factor that your veterinarian uses to He gets Methimazole and Gabapentin daily. My parents had a cat that lived until age 23 with kidney disease but did not have this level of incontinence. I love my cat, but the idea of potentially dealing with this for five more years is causing me so much anguish. Abstract. Gabapentin is a first-line agent for neuropathic pain management and has a favorable safety profile. The literature includes a few cases of gabapentin-induced incontinence, and most of them involved patients with epilepsy who were between the ages of 12 and 43 years. Answer: Gabapentin should be used with caution in cats with liver or kidney disease, as these conditions can affect how the medication is metabolized in the body. Your veterinarian may recommend adjusting the dosage or exploring alternative treatment options in these cases. Urinary incontinence is the involuntary (accidental) leakage of urine. In cats, it can be a congenital (birth defect) or acquired (occurring later in life) problem with either storing urine or urinating. In normal function, the bladder wall will relax to allow urine to collect until a certain point. I took my cat to the vet today for possible UTI/urinary issues. He basically said she seemed to be having a stress related urinary issue (I had been out of town for about 9 days) and gave me liquid Gabapentin to give to her to manage her pain until the problem resolves itself. His overall symptoms are improving but when he peed in his sleep he was pretty much a ragdoll. Very lethargic. I called his vet right away and she said to pay attention and that if he did it again to go get bloodwork. But he’s showing no signs of incontinence anymore. I took him off the gabapentin since he no longer seemed stressed. Cat urine normally dicourages bacterial growth. Only cats that are producing abnormal urine are prone to developing lower urinary tract infections. Cats may develop a urinary tract infection if they have very dilute urine from chronic kidney disease, glucose in the urine from diabetes, or blood in the urine from stones or tumors. My cat Ravan started leaking urine a few months ago & I had Blood work done & was sad to find out he also has Kidney disease. Vets usually start the kitty on too high a dose I know that with Lantus we usually start at .5 units 2 times a day at the same time i.e. 8am -8 pm. then we hold that dose for 3 days to see what his bg will do. Cats may also vomit or drool, but these side effects should resolve within 8 hours of receiving the medication. Diarrhea has also been reported. Gabapentin can cause a false positive reading on urine dipstick tests for urinary protein. Interactions with Other Drugs Gabapentin, a medication often used for pain management, seizures, and anxiety in cats, also plays a valuable role in addressing certain urinary problems. For cats experiencing Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), which can involve painful urethral muscle spasms and neuropathic pain, gabapentin can be a crucial part of their treatment plan. My cat had one more bladder episode, but he’s been good for a few weeks after a couple runs of an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory medication. As I mentioned, the vet put him on gabapentin to manage his cystitis and his full body tremors that were happening as he falls asleep. Urinary incontinence will happen involuntarily, without the cat’s knowledge. Symptoms of involuntary leakage of urine (urinary incontinence) include: Not squatting or in position to urinate. Cat unaware of urination. Urine found in bed during sleep or rest. Urine staining or smell near the urethral opening (under the tail). This can be seen Answer: If your cat experiences side effects from Gabapentin, such as drowsiness or digestive issues, provide a quiet and comfortable environment for them to rest. Contact your veterinarian for guidance on managing these symptoms.
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