Dawson's Cancer Diagnosis

[Dawnnziggy]

Well, Dawson was diagnosed with bone cancer. He is about 12 years old. We have been managing his pain with Tramadol and Rimadyl but they do not seem to be doing the job like they did at first. I read on line that you can add Gabapentin. Do any of you know anything about this? I am not ready to say goodbye to my sweet boy who never hurt anyone. Any advice would be appreciated. I see the writing on the wall but I want as much quality time as I can get first!

 

Thanks!

[GreyPoopon]

Yes, you can add Gabapentin. Sometimes it helps; sometimes it doesn't. It's definitely worth asking your vet.

 

I'm sorry about your boy.

Edited November 6, 2017 by GreyPoopon

[KF_in_Georgia]

Gabapentin is available by prescription at people-pharmacies in 100mg capsules. Greyhounds can take 900mg/day, sometimes more, depending on the dog's size, but you want to start at the lower dosage and gradually increase. If it doesn't seem to help and you have to stop it, talk to your vet first; you don't want to stop cold-turkey.

 

It has a short life in a dog, so you will want to give the capsules every 8 hours or more frequently. (I used to do two capsules at a time, every six hours, and saved the ninth capsule for emergencies.) Gabapentin originally was developed to help block seizures in people with epilepsy, but doctors discovered that cancer patients taking gabapentin to prevent seizures were experiencing unexpected pain relief. If I'm understanding it properly, it's not a conventional opioid. It short-circuits or misdirects pain signals from the dog's nerves to the brain.

 

Good luck.

Edited November 6, 2017 by KF_in_Georgia

[Walliered]

I gave DaVid and Lady on 900 mg of Gab. a day along with Tramadol also 3 times a day. It kept him mobil for about 2 years. He had a really bad hips/back and corns on front and back feet. Lady had bone cancer. I also lost Huck to bone cancer. If I had to do it over again, I would have let Lady go much sooner than I did.

[MaryJane]

I've used Gabapentin for my dog successfully. it comes as 300 and 100 mg- we have been using the 300 mg and I have given up to 1 pill every 6 hours for pretty severe pain before Adam's amputation. I also gave deramaxx and tramadol.

[greysmom]

Yes, gabapentin seems to be a good addition to medication therapy for osteo pain. Dr Couto recommends giving it at least every 8 hours due to the high metabolism rate in greyhounds. It's usually used is conjunction with and nsaid and an opioid pain reliever. I've had good success with it for a variety of nerve-related pain issues. In our house it's gabapentin, usually meloxicam, and codiene sulfate (instead of tramadol).

 

You may see some ataxia and lethargy until your dog gets used to the dosage. It can take 24-36 hours to take full effect.

[MP_the4pack]

How is the rest of him physically? Can he be a tripod?

 

I went the amp route with my 12 year old girl. She did great for 6 months chasing deer into OS hit another leg.

[Dawnnziggy]

Well, the vet completely changed his meds. Now he gets a 100 mg capsule of Gabapentin once a day and one 100 mg tablet of Galliprant a day! He is still in pain. I thought they would just add something to what they had started. My hope had been that he would feel better but it didn't seem to work. I don't know what else to do.

 

He is happy and he still tries to play. He eats good and is gaining weight. His eyes look good and not like he's miserable. I don't want to put him to sleep when he is doing so good! He still had a good quality of life. He lets me rub his bad leg. He doesn't cry or whimper when I rub it. I am truly confused!

[Remolacha]

One 100 mg capsule of Gabapentin once a day is not nearly enough! I am not familiar with Galliprant, but Conner gets two 100 mg Gabapentin twice a day, and he doesn’t even have cancer. I think you need to talk to your vet again, it sounds like Dawson isn’t ready to go yet.

[Batmom]

Don't know galliprant.

 

We have given rimadyl + tramadol + 900-1200mg gabapentin a day. So I would agree with others that you should speak with your vet.

 

I will say that at a certain point, no combination of anything would control our osteo dog's pain. And the farther the disease progresses, the higher the risk of breakage.

 

Hugs and best thoughts for you and your boy.

[Walliered]

Agree with Batmom..Mine were taking 900 mg of Gab a day along with Tramadol and I believe that was 150mg 3 times a day...But, it does not work forever..I have lost two to bone cancer and if I had to do it over I would let them go earlier than I did..It is extremely painful for them to have this.