Tramadol

[gryhnd_adoptee]

Since our osteo diagnosis a few weeks ago in our Lulu, I have spent a lot of time online looking up foods, treatments, meds, etc. While looking up Tramadol, I read somewhere that the way it works is by making the brain perceive pain in a different manner.

 

Now I'm not saying stomach upset is not an issue with the meds, we all know ourselves that pain meds can cause stomach issues too. However, if Tramadol changes the thought perception with regards to pain, what is the possibility that it also skews their thought process with regards to the fact that food tastes or smells unappetizing, or that it just overrides their perception that they are even hungry??

 

Just thinking out loud

Edited February 1, 2009 by gryhnd_adoptee

[Guest ChasesMum]

I dunno... interesting thought

[Anne]

Phantom was on Tramadol at the end and I fed him lots of odd things, like salmon and jack mackeral and lots of canned food that's not really good for him, but he loved it! Cheap tuna was good for him too. I put parmesan cheese on his food too. I fed him a food snack at night because I didn't want his rimadyl to go into an empty tummy. Cat food was a favorite too.

Tramadol can constipate, so it kind of countered the strange diet Phantom ate. He got lots of pizza too since that was his all time favorite food. Burgers and chicken and at the very end a couple of Micky D double cheeseburgers and an extra large fry. Phantom never lost his appetite. At the end he was getting 100 mg. of tramadol 3 times a day with 75 mgs. of rimadyl twice to 3 times a day. His weight was approx. 65 pounds. And he never once had a tummy upset with any of it. Scritches to your Lulu.

[Guest MonsterMomma]

I take tramadol, and it does interfere with my appetite. It's not the most effective pain medication, but it sort of makes you not care so much about the pain...or much of anything else. It's a synthetic opioid, similar to morphine, but not nearly as strong.

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

My Coach has been on a low dose of Tramadol (1/2 tablet 2 times a day) for a month + and her appetite seems fine. She actually had some disinterest in food prior to the meds and the limping, but I switched her from Diamond Naturals Large Breed to Nature's Recipe Venison & something (healthy skin formula) and she is loving it. We are on our second bag and I'm still mixing in the old stuff with the new and if she gets too much old, I have to add cottage cheese before she'll chow down on it.

 

I've also noticed she has a lot more interest when I am eating a snack at night or drinking something smelly like hot chocolate or green tea w/ cranberry. She'll come over sniffing and start chattering.

 

I've never claimed anyone in my house is normal so who knows. Right now, from your description of the effects of Tramadol, I'm picturing Coach hanging down in the basement with Ashton Kutcher and the rest of the gang on That 70's show.

 

 

[Guest agroshong]

I didn't notice any changes in Axel's appetite when he was on Tramadol twice in the last year. But pups can be funny fellas.

[Guest DebR]

I take it, and it does nothing to my appetite or taste of food. Helps dull some pain, doesn't take it away though. (nothing does for me) Our 95 lb Bloodhound took 3 at a time (plus valium) and still ate like a horse.

[NeylasMom]

Neyla's on 50 mg 2x/day with no affect on her appetite. Not saying it couldn't affect some though. I also think it would depend on the dosage.

 

Although I always thought being high made you hungry. Maybe I'm thinking of that other cancer drug.

[gryhnd_adoptee]

I take tramadol, and it does interfere with my appetite. It's not the most effective pain medication, but it sort of makes you not care so much about the pain...or much of anything else. It's a synthetic opioid, similar to morphine, but not nearly as strong.

 

I know Tramadol is a people med, but never knew anyone who takes it. Your point of view is very interesteing as you can tell me how it makes you feel, where as the pups cannot. Now I wonder if there really is any truth to my out loud thinking that it indeed can affect the dogs appetite by changing the way they percieve food along with the way they perceive pain.

 

 

Neyla's on 50 mg 2x/day with no affect on her appetite. Not saying it couldn't affect some though. I also think it would depend on the dosage.

 

Although I always thought being high made you hungry. Maybe I'm thinking of that other cancer drug.

 

LuLu is currently on 100mg 4X a day, so indeed the dosage may make a difference. I hope we don't have to go any higher, but if necessary we do have room for adjustment if it's needed.

 

I take it, and it does nothing to my appetite or taste of food. Helps dull some pain, doesn't take it away though. (nothing does for me) Our 95 lb Bloodhound took 3 at a time (plus valium) and still ate like a horse.

 

Ok.....so your reply blows my theory!

Edited February 6, 2009 by gryhnd_adoptee

[NeylasMom]

Neyla's on 50 mg 2x/day with no affect on her appetite. Not saying it couldn't affect some though. I also think it would depend on the dosage.

 

Although I always thought being high made you hungry. Maybe I'm thinking of that other cancer drug.

 

LuLu is currently on 100mg 4X a day, so indeed the dosage may make a difference. I hope we don't have to go any higher, but if necessary we do have room for adjustment if it's needed.

 

I take it, and it does nothing to my appetite or taste of food. Helps dull some pain, doesn't take it away though. (nothing does for me) Our 95 lb Bloodhound took 3 at a time (plus valium) and still ate like a horse.

 

Ok.....so your reply blows my theory!

 

Hey, meds can affect everyone differently. Even if it's not the standard side effect, I can certainly see it happening. And that's a high dosage. Each one of us is only giving our own opinion. I wonder if you couldn't find more info on people. Wouldn't be surprising if it affects multiple people that way that it would dogs do. Might be as simple as calling your human pharmacist and asking them, or look online for human side effects.

[Guest jettcricket]

My girl Cricket is on Tramadol (osteo) and she has no problems eating. Thank God.

[Guest LoveSeniorGreys]

We recently had to up Sally's Tramadol doseage to 50mg 4/day. Now she won't hardly touch her food. Was wondering if could be related...and does seem that way now.

[fourofem]

I've had Lewis on Tramadol (100MG x twice a day) since he was diagnosed with osteo about 7 weeks ago. It hasn't affected his appetite at all even though I've been adding all kinds of new things (tumeric, garlic, etc.). The only time he balked was with the liquid Metacam...he didn't like that at all. Once I switched to Meloxicam, he's back to his hungry self.

[Guest alannamac]

I give Bandit tramadol off and on for arthritis and a knee issue (he can't tolerate Rimadyl) and it definitely puts him off of his food. He's 75 lbs and after a 50mg dose I have to wait about 4-5 hrs for his appetite to appear.

It seems more like a "too stoned to care" sort of response than an upset tummy. When his stomach's upset, he's off his food for days, with no convincing him to eat..... not hours.

Best wishes for your Lulu.

Edited February 8, 2009 by alannamac

[Guest mike]

I prescribe Tramadol frequently. I have not known it to have an impact on many dogs appetites. Usually, owners complain of their dogs not liking the taste. It is very bitter so needs to be put in something that the taste can be masked.

 

One of my owners, GT Devotion, swears by fig newtons. Her Scooter was up to almost 15 fig newtons a day before he lost his battle to osteo. She had tried everything from cream cheese, peanut butter, meat rolls and then finally fig newtons worked best.

[dmswartzfager]

Carrie's appetite is much better on tramadol, but I suspect that's more because Deramaxx, and now Previcox, make her tummy upset. So we're taking her off Previcox (took her off Deramaxx three weeks ago, switched to tramadol during washout period, then switched to Previcox) and switching her back to tramadol (arthritis issues).