Gabapentin questions?

[Djamila]

Sam has to go to the vet tomorrow and we're going to try some gabapentin to help keep his stress level more manageable (last visit he bit, peed on the tech, stress pooped, and vomited - then had a pancreatitis attack).

I just want to confirm dose and timing with all of you wise folks: does 100mg an hour before the appointment sound right to you all? I thought I read two hours before somewhere?

Also, the capsules are way bigger than I've ever tried pilling before, so nervous about getting it down his throat. It's too late to get it compounded, so any hints or suggestions if I can't pill him in the morning? Sometimes he's great for pills. Other times, not so much. I'd like to have a backup plan just in case. Can the capsules be opened and mixed with food? Is the taste prohibitive?

Any other thoughts or feedback are welcome!

 

[Phoebes (GA)]

We give Phoebe 50mg as maintenance dose for inflammation and pain. I just open the capsule and use #4 capsules. Not sure about the taste. You can get it compounded into an oil like substance to put in food, Phoebe wouldn't eat it. Good lucK with your baby, wish they knew we were helping them by going to the vets.

 

[SpotsMom]

One hour may be too close. My vet says 2-4 hours before the appointment. With Spot, I open the capsule and sprinkle into a small amount of food with some fortiflora for flavor. Starting 4 hours before gives him time to pick at it.

 

[Djamila]

Thanks for the ideas! And for confirming that it should be more than an hour before the visit. Hopefully he’ll let me pill him, but if not I’ll try the fortiflora trick. He tends to be pretty sensitive to meds, so even if he doesn’t get quite the full dose, I imagine anything will help!

 

[Kris & Teasel]

I'm sorry I'm just seeing this now, Djamila. Teasel has received gaba capsules many times. Yes, they're 100 mg and relatively large. I'd give him at least an hour, preferably two before the vet visit. He might be a bit sleepy but it doesn't seem to hit as hard as bupe.

I don't know what the gaba tastes like but a vet recently told me she opens the capsule, adds the powder to a little water and syringes it in. I don't know if it dissolves in water or just gets suspended. This is a way to fraction the dose - for later reference.

Why is Sam seeing the vet?

 

[Djamila]

Just their annual physicals. Nothing wrong (more than usual anyway ). The vet actually told me when I was picking up the gaba yesterday that it wouldn't hurt to give some to both boys since they are coming in together. Might help make crating/car ride a little less traumatic for Atty. So I went ahead and gave them both some this morning. Atty took almost all of his dose. Sam is at about 1/2 right now, but I'm hoping I can get the rest into him soon. I mixed it with crushed freeze-dried treats and a tiny bit of water and they both took it relatively well. It appeared to dissolve very quickly into water, so I might try just syringing it next time. Especially since I don't imagine they'll be duped a second time once they realize how this is going to make them feel.