Experience with gabapentin?

[SaraMV]

We've been using bupe, but the vet wanted us to switch over to gabapentin at a dosage of 1.5 mls. Taz wasn't feeling good earlier, so I gave him 1 ml. Since I'm not familiar with this drug, I didn't want to give him the whole dose. He ate at 7:30 and got his insulin at 7:45. He's been pretty quiet, and when I got up and called him at 8:20, he started walking towards me like he was drunk. I was scared he was going hypo, so I took his reading and he's at 274. My husband started researching the medication and it says it can cause incoordination. Has anyone else used this before and is this normal?

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Ruby stumbled around like a drunken sailor when I gave her gabapentin. It will leave Taz’s system and he will recover so not to worry. It freaked me out too when I saw this and never gave it to Ruby again, though I have been told it’s a matter of finding the right dose. 1 ml might be too much for him. Ruby tolerated bupe a lot better.

 

[Chris and Checkers]

I have given gabapenten to Checkers a number of times as an anti-anxiety medication before vet visits. The dosage is usually 0.5ml and it was 100mg/ml. The only thing I noticed was he was a bit drowsy.

But I guess cats can respond differently, and that is a larger dose. Would you be able to call the vet and ask. Hopefully, other people around here have more experience.

 

[SaraMV]

Thank you both for the replies. You've made me feel so much better! He is currently resting on the couch with us and being watched like a hawk. I'm sure glad I didn't give him the full 1.5 ml. Our vet is closed for the weekend, so I didn't know who else to ask. Thank you again!

 

[Jill & Jade]

We've been using bupe, but the vet wanted us to switch over to gabapentin at a dosage of 1.5 mls. Taz wasn't feeling good earlier, so I gave him 1 ml. Since I'm not familiar with this drug, I didn't want to give him the whole dose. He ate at 7:30 and got his insulin at 7:45. He's been pretty quiet, and when I got up and called him at 8:20, he started walking towards me like he was drunk. I was scared he was going hypo, so I took his reading and he's at 274. My husband started researching the medication and it says it can cause incoordination. Has anyone else used this before and is this normal?

.25 mls throws Jade off for days! Not a fan at all.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

If you are giving it on a regular basis, at least with humans, there can also be some pretty impressive side effects if you stop it abruptly.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

switch over to gabapentin at a dosage of 1.5 mls. Taz wasn't feeling good earlier, so I gave him 1 ml.

What is the concentration (mg/ml) of your gabapentin?
Others have siad there are 100mg/ml but yur may be different.

My civi Moxi has been getting 50mg twic daily for years because of joint degradation.
Two of my cats get 100mg before vet visits to reduce stress. One, 17lb aero guy get 150mg before vet visit.

 

[SaraMV]

His gabapentin dosage strength is 50mg. 1.5ml twice a day as needed.

 

[Jessica A]

We give Callie 50 mg of gabapentin twice a day for seizures/feline hyperesthesia. She was very sedated and wobbly for the first week or so but by the second week her body had adjusted to it and she was back to normal. Hope Taz starts to feel better soon!

 

[Ashleigh & Ares]

I abhor gabapentin. Nebr had a cat on it, but i was on it for a while. Began forgetting to stop at stopsigns, got tunnel vision, stopped having true emotions...it was not a good thing, and just barely helped with pain...im talking very SLIGHT relief. I Slowly! Tapered and stopped it when the stop sign thing happened 3x!

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

I abhor gabapentin. Nebr had a cat on it, but i was on it for a while. Began forgetting to stop at stopsigns, got tunnel vision, stopped having true emotions...it was not a good thing, and just barely helped with pain...im talking very SLIGHT relief. I Slowly! Tapered and stopped it when the stop sign thing happened 3x!

I hate Gabapentin too- at least for humans! My daughter was put on it, and she literally was having very disturbing hallucinations! I took her off of it. If you read online you will find a lot of disturbing side effects in humans. Now, of course, cats aren’t people, and I know a lot of people use it for pain or stress. From what I have read, it’s a matter of finding the correct dose, which for many cats is quite small.

 

[SaraMV]

I haven't given it to him since. I'll call the vet today and see about getting him more bupe. It was really scary seeing how he was responding to being on it.