May I ask how Tina is coping with 50mg Gabapentin? Kozmo is quite ‘zoned out’ on 25mg twice daily and we suspect it might lower his blood pressure slightly and cause a syncopal episode here and there.
She does well with the higher dose of Gabapentin. We started at 25mg like you did, but she needed more help, and thankfully she is NOT zonked out. I didn't even notice much of a difference. It doesn't sound like your baby needs a higher dose if he is already tired from 25mg at a time, and of course you are smart to keep his BP in mind.
However, and here is our secret that bothers me quite a bit: I also give Tina Metacam (NSAID), .25 to .3ml daily (always with food). Without it, she cannot walk normally, and with it you can hardly tell she has arthritis. The Black Box warning came about as a result of seriously overdosing animals. Very small doses are not so dangerous. It's still a tough topic, and most people I've seen around here, avoid it like the plague.
I've read a lot about the pros and cons of Metacam, and keep choosing quality of life over potential worsening of kidney disease. I get labs regularly. Her kidney disease has been stable (especially after starting subq fluid) for quite a while. Some studies even show Metacam could help with CKD at certain stages. I do still worry about stomach problems with NSAIDS. I follow the absolute lowest dose possible rule and only give after she eats. She's been on it for over two years, with a couple short breaks.
Once again, I'm going to ask the vet about a
tiny dose of Buprenorphine to replace the Metacam (in the past I've always been told it would zonk her out, or it was only used in an emergency), but an opioid would not be any good for constipation, right?. The Balance of health management sure is a challenge!
I sure was wordy; just hope any of the above can help some. If anyone ever sees something better, smarter, I can do, please tell
His name is Barkley, a Springer Spaniel. They hug and rub and Tina even grooms the dog.