Whining, Pacing, Panting. Metacam And Tramadol Reaction?

[galgrey]

've had greyhounds since 1993 and have never had one have to have teeth pulled until now, so I have no experience with extractions of this magnitude. Princess had a dental today and lost 12 teeth. I've had her home less than an hour and she's pacing, panting, and whining horribly. Vet said the Metacam would make her sleepy, but she won't settle. She's had a dose of Metacam Oral suspension and 150 mg of Tramadol per vet's instructions (she weighs 69.8 lbs) and is not supposed to get any more meds this evening. Vet said she shouldn't be in a lot of pain on this combination of medication. Seeing her like this is breaking my heart. Does anyone know if the pacing, panting, and whining is a side effect of meds? Help!

[a_daerr]

Certain pain meds can have an opposite effect. It makes the dog seem almost drunk physically, but very agitated and restless mentally. The side effects should wear off in a few hours, but I'd ask the vet for an alternative type of pain medication. If you're really concerned, call the e-vet.

[Batmom]

Can be a side effect of Tramadol. If you're scheduled to give further doses of that, might try starting with just 25-50mg, then another 25-50mg an hour later, etc. up to the dose you were supposed to give all at once. Joseph couldn't take a high dose all in one go.

 

Hugs and hopes she is feeling better in an hour or two.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Batmom

[Guest dobiegrey]

Tramadole did the same thing to Betty I only gave her one dose and she did that most of the night

[galgrey]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I know she's exhausted and needs to sleep, but after closing her eyes for just 20 seconds or so, she seems to startle awake and starts whining again. I will call in the morning and see if they can give her something else for pain. Looks like it going to be a long, sleepless night for both of us.

[Shaysmom]

My guy is like that after a dental but it is more from coming out of the anesthesia than the pain meds. He pants and whines for hours but usually gets less disphoric and is able to sleep by 9 or 10 in the evening. Poor sweetie. I hope Princess is able to settle down tonight.

[greysmom]

Probably a combination of tramadol and anesthesia, especially if they used more opiates to knock her out for the dental. Once this has all worn off, she should be OK with Tramadol pills, but start with a lower dose as someone above suggested, just to make sure.

 

In the future, talk to your vet about the anesthesia protocol before this dog goes under again. They don't have to use opiates, it's just what they normally do. I have one dog who reacts badly and her chart has NO OPIATES in big letters across the top.

[tbhounds]

Probably a combination of tramadol and anesthesia, especially if they used more opiates to knock her out for the dental. Once this has all worn off, she should be OK with Tramadol pills, but start with a lower dose as someone above suggested, just to make sure.

 

In the future, talk to your vet about the anesthesia protocol before this dog goes under again. They don't have to use opiates, it's just what they normally do. I have one dog who reacts badly and her chart has NO OPIATES in big letters across the top.

This was my thought

[kickchick2000]

Tramodol can have some wonky side effect. I hope she's feeling better today.

[DesiRayMom]

Desi weighs 80 lb and if he takes more than 100 mg of Tramadol, he's whiney, panting, and pacing......worse than he is with no pain meds at all!

[galgrey]

Probably a combination of tramadol and anesthesia, especially if they used more opiates to knock her out for the dental. Once this has all worn off, she should be OK with Tramadol pills, but start with a lower dose as someone above suggested, just to make sure.

 

In the future, talk to your vet about the anesthesia protocol before this dog goes under again. They don't have to use opiates, it's just what they normally do. I have one dog who reacts badly and her chart has NO OPIATES in big letters across the top.

I don't know what they used with Princess. My other girl, Carly, is having her dental on Friday. Carly's never had Tramadol or had anesthesia since I've had her, so I don't know how she'll react. What should I request in lieu of opiates?

 

Princess is much better today. After panting, whining, and pacing most of the night, she really started wailing around 4 AM, so I gave her the Metacam, but no Tradadol. She seems much better today and is sleeping pretty peacefully right now. I don't think I slept more than 2 hours total last night. I'm thinking about turning in shortly and catching up.

[tbhounds]

Regarding the opiate question---every hound is different but, in general they really don't tolerate opiates well. It's a shame because many don't tolerate pain well either ;-). I would ask your vet what they use as a pre-med. Many times Morphine or hydromorphone is used-I find those to be less tolerated than perhaps Buprenex or Butorphanol (Torb). Now, that said even one of mine doesn't even do well with Buprenex. Sorry, there's not an easy answer--your vet will need to find the lesser of evils so to speak and perhaps just go lightly on the dosages.

One thing that will help is if your hound needs extractions is to ask if they perform oral blocks with marcaine--that's will can keep the area numb and pain free for hours post extractions.

Glad Princess is feeling better! (Love the name)!

[galgrey]

Regarding the opiate question---every hound is different but, in general they really don't tolerate opiates well. It's a shame because many don't tolerate pain well either ;-). I would ask your vet what they use as a pre-med. Many times Morphine or hydromorphone is used-I find those to be less tolerated than perhaps Buprenex or Butorphanol (Torb). Now, that said even one of mine doesn't even do well with Buprenex. Sorry, there's not an easy answer--your vet will need to find the lesser of evils so to speak and perhaps just go lightly on the dosages.

One thing that will help is if your hound needs extractions is to ask if they perform oral blocks with marcaine--that's will can keep the area numb and pain free for hours post extractions.

Glad Princess is feeling better! (Love the name)!

 

Thank you! This is so good to know. I wouldn't have even known to ask about pre-meds and didn't know about oral blocks at all. I really appreciate the information so very much.

 

Princess is a Fish dog and Greysandmoregreys named her. Heather got her name so very right.

[Guest OPointyDog]

Our guy had the same reaction to tramadol after a dental - crazy restless panting, weaving, searching, sniffing. He would leap up and go searching through the house as if he had lost something. I wondered if he was having hallucinations. Once we stopped the tramadol and it got out of his system, he returned to normal. It is scary when that happens! He barked all night and we got very little sleep. We then used an NSAID instead - rimadyl.

 

Our other grey had no problems with tramadol - it makes her sleepy and seems good for pain. But the rimadyl makes her sick to her stomach. Makes me realize the reactions are very individual!

[galgrey]

Our guy had the same reaction to tramadol after a dental - crazy restless panting, weaving, searching, sniffing. He would leap up and go searching through the house as if he had lost something. I wondered if he was having hallucinations. Once we stopped the tramadol and it got out of his system, he returned to normal. It is scary when that happens! He barked all night and we got very little sleep.

 

I thought Princess was hallucinating too! She would jump up with her ears erect like she heard something and go searching through the house while just crying her heart out. And this went on all night long! She's been fine on the Metacam by itself once the Tramadol got out of her system. They really are individuals though. I called a friend whose greyhound had a large number of teeth pulled several months ago and she said he did fine on Tramadol, but she'd had an experience similar to the one I had with Princess with her female greyhound a few years earlier.