Gabapentin is often given to cats before vet appointments to help reduce anxiety, stress, and aggression, making the visit less stressful for both the cat and the veterinary staff. 13. Can gabapentin cut a cat’s nails? Yes, gabapentin can help calm an anxious cat enough to allow for nail trims. However, it doesn’t directly facilitate nail The short answer is no, you should not intentionally put your cat to “sleep” (meaning inducing a deep state of unconsciousness) just to trim her nails. While the idea of an easy, drowsy nail trim might be appealing, inducing full-blown sleep with medications designed for that purpose carries significant risks and is generally unnecessary The first would be to bring in a large log from outdoors - cats often cannot resist climbing them and scratching on them, and this will effectively help blunt his claws without any stress at all. 2. Get The Right Clippers. Some owners use human nail clippers to cut their cats’ claws. This can work, but you need to turn the nail clippers on their side to avoid crushing the claw. Important - I only trim the very tips. I think this hurts them less. I could safely cut them shorter, but they will let me cut more nails at a time if I only do the tips. Sometimes they'll let me cut their nails when they sleep in their beds. 1 cat doesn't mind and just let's me do it. My other cat hates it. I can only do a few nails at a time I have 7 cats and use gabapentin for a lot of different things. Most cats get 100mg before vet trips but I've got 2 that are extra spicy and will get 150mg or 200mg (on my vet's recommendation). I have also given the medication just to do nail trims at home. Regular nail trimming every 10 days or at least every two weeks is vital for cats because having overgrown nails causes discomfort and even health issues for the cat. Curved and overgrown can grow into the footpads and cause intense pain for your kitty and can also result in damage to household items and furniture. Generally, reports show that a lot of cats respond well to Gabapentin. This gives the veterinarian a little help when performing a thorough exam. As well as in cases where drawing blood is necessary or simply a nail trim. Most importantly it makes the experience more comfortable for the cat. Generally, for grooming, a dose of 100mg to 200mg of gabapentin per cat, given 1.5 to 3 hours before the appointment, is often recommended. This is supported by practices following FEAR FREE principles, a method endorsed by Dr. Marty Becker. Don’t feel silly about calling your vet about this. You can use it for this but definitely call and let them know so you can get refills early if needed. They also might be able to adjust your dose for vet visits if needed. Trimming their nails is not necessary, your other cat is safe, in the wild nobody trims their claws. They just need scratch posts they'll use. You said you have six but if they don't like them (and it happens) that could be a problem. Cat claws don't grow like our nails, old sheaths of nail fall off, aided by scratching, as new nail grows But the anesthesia for nail trimming is a bit over the top, given there are other less extreme options, such as gabapentin that was mentioned above. It is often used to help calm a cat for a vet visit. Unless your cat's nails grow like crazy, nail trimming could likely be stretched out to 4 or 5 weeks, maybe even longer. 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. I've always managed to trim their nails at some point, not always frequently but to some degree. Once I tamed my feral cat he even let me trim his nails. I currently have two cats one lets me trim his nails and is absolutely perfect for it so I trim his nails probably once a month. No issues. He's 11 and I've had him since he was 3 months old. One of my cats flips out every time I trim his nails. I typically can only do a couple at a time before he starts growling and letting me know he's at his limit. I have the vet do his if I'm having hard time keeping up with only doing a couple. They tell me he's a complete angel when they trim his nails and it's only $10. If your cat is taking gabapentin in capsule or tablet form, mix the prepared powder with a small amount of your cat’s favorite food or a bit of water so they can swallow it easily. If using the liquid form, use the syringe to carefully administer the medication directly into your cat’s mouth, slowly squirting it near the back of the tongue. I don’t have a cat. But we recommend GABA to our fractious feline friends and it works on 90% of them. We recommend 1 capsule the night before and then 1 capsule 1-2 hours prior to the event. We’ve been able to draw blood on cats we previously boxed down so it’s been successful for the most part. 1401 4th St N St. Petersburg, FL 33704 email: vetteam@northeastanimalhospital.com phone: (727) 822-8501 fax: (727) 821-4952 Gabapentin is a commonly-prescribed medication for cats, used most often for chronic pain conditions, and as a pre-medication to relieve stress or anxiety before veterinary exams or travel. Also Read: Cat Separation Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment Long nails can cause pain in cats, and nail trimming is an effective alternative to declawing which can contribute to behavioral and health issues in cats. 2 Overgrown cat nails can become so long that they grow into the foot pad, causing pain, discomfort, and even the potential for infection. If the nails are growing into the foot pad, they'll
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