This calculator provides an estimate, but your vet will determine if Gabapentin is appropriate for your cat and the exact dosage needed. How should I give Gabapentin to my cat? Gabapentin is typically given orally, either as a capsule or liquid. In a study of 20 cats, a dose of 10 mg/kg gabapentin every 12hrs was used and compared to a placebo. 3 The outcome metrics were client-specific outcome measures (CSOMS), mobility assessment and owner-assessed quality of life (QoL). Cats received either gabapentin or a placebo for 2 weeks and then switched groups for a further two weeks. With use of a liquid gabapentin we can dose our cats really accurately with that optimal dose of 20 mg/kg. In a recent study (Gurney et al) we evaluated the efficacy of 20mg/kg gabapentin in hyperthyroid cats, given 1-2hrs before coming to the clinic. How much Gabapentin for Cats? According to pet experts and veterinarians, the safe dose of gabapentin for treating seizures in cats is 2-5mg/lb or 5-10mg/kg every 8 to 12 hours. For feline pain, the ideal amount of the medicine is 1.25 to 2 mg/kg every 12 hours. Gabapentin Dosage for Cats. The dosage for gabapentin may vary depending on a cat’s size, as well as whether it’s being used as a pain medication, as part of seizure management, or as a sedative before vet visits or travel. In cats, the gabapentin dose is 50-200 mg/cat (not per kg) depending on the size of the cat and the fear/fractiousness level. The dose for dogs is 10-20 (up to 40) mg/kg. Gabapentin (50 – 100 mg per cat or 150 mg if big cat, PO, 2 – 3 hours before arrival) • Sprinkle the gabapentin powder on 1 TBS wet food and add flavor enhancer (eg, FortiFlora, tuna juice, etc). NOTE: Gabapentin is also commonly used for behavior modification, especially in cats, before stressful events such as trips to a veterinary clinic. 23 The dosage for this indication is 50 to 150 mg/cat PO at least 2 hours before the scheduled stressor will occur. In very anxious or fractious cats, the same dose is often administered the night Van Haaften and coworkers at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis devised a random, blinded cross-over study of twenty healthy anxious and/or fractious cats to determine whether oral administration of a single 100-mg dose of gabapentin by cat owners prior to a veterinary visit would be effective at reducing (see label for dose) Effective for mild calming Unlikely to be potent enough for aggressive patients FDA-approved for noise phobia, not fractiousness and aggression GABAPENTIN Dog- 10-20; Cat- 50-100/cat High safety margin No major concerns Effective for calming, mild to moderate sedation TRAZODONE Dog- 5-7 (up to 15); Cat- 50 mg/cat Give oral anxiolytic at home 2-3 hours prior to visit. Options: Gabapentin 20 mg/kg PO 2 - 3 hours prior to leaving home. Trazodone approx. 10 mg/kg PO 2 hours prior to leaving home. Liquid preparations can facilitate administration of the medication and accuracy of dosing. NB: The sedative dose (>20 mg/kg) is higher than the analgesic dose of gabapentin in cats (gabapentin for analgesia in cats = 5 – 10 mg/kg or 25 – 50 mg per cat, PO, BID) The use of pre-hospital gabapentin has been the single most effective tool for reducing fear and anxiety in healthy cats that I and many clinicians have used. Expect that A randomized, blinded, crossover clinical trial of 20 cats demonstrated that a single dose of 100 mg/cat given 90 minutes before transportation was safe and significantly reduced client perception of transportation stress and veterinarian perception of handling compliance. 8 Studies of gabapentin in community cage-trap–confined cats given 50 Dose for petite or geriatric cats: reduce dose to 50 mg per cat NB: The sedative dose (>20 mg/kg) is higher than the analgesic dose of gabapentin in cats (gabapentin for analgesia in cats = 5 – 10 mg/kg or 25 – 50 mg per cat, PO, BID) The cats were randomly divided into 4 study groups, based on the dose of gabapentin (5 mg/kg versus 10 mg/kg applied every 8 hours) and the location of gabapentin application (e.g., the ear pinna versus a shaved area of skin in the cervical region). Key Takeaways: Quick Answers About Gabapentin for Cats 📝. What is gabapentin used for in cats? Pain relief, anxiety reduction, and seizure control. What is the standard dosage? 💊 5-40 mg/kg depending on the condition. Can gabapentin cause side effects? 🚨 Yes, sedation and ataxia are common but mild. Is it safe for long-term use? 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. Results of this study suggested that gabapentin is a safe and effective treatment for cats to help reduce stress and aggression and increase compliance for transportation and veterinary examination. Gabapentin 50–150 mg/cat PO, 20–40 mg/kg PO (dog) Alpha-2 agonist Dexmedetomidine gel OTM. Use label dose for patient size** ** Administer to fractious . cats (gabapentin for analgesia in cats = 5 – 10 mg/kg or 25 – 50 mg per cat, PO, BID) The use of pre-hospital gabapentin has been the single most effective tool for reducing fear and anxiety in healthy cats that I and many clinicians have used. Expect that cats will be ataxic and slow but not overtly sedate on this dose of gabapentin.
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