My 10.5yo dog has back pain, caused by, we think, a trapped nerve in the neck.

She is on Metacam (dose for her weight), Robaxin (1 tablet morning and 1 evening, 24kg dog) and Pardale (1 tablet AM and PM).  Also chiro 2x weekly.  She improved last week and we seemed to be through it - but then we had a bit of a set-back.

I'm now debating whether to give it more time on these meds to see if we can get back where we were, or to take her back and ask for something more.  Going by earlier discussions with the vet, I think that might be gabapentin.

Anyone have any experience using gabapentin in these circumstances?  I'm a bit worried about side effects and the fact that you can't just stop it but presumably have to wean off it...

Our large breed dog who suffered with a degenerative condition with his spine was on a bit of a mix of drugs.

He didn't get on with metacam so that was changed to previcox. He was given tramadol for pain relief but rarely needed them as his condition wasn't one that came with any great deal of pain (he had slipped discs & hips dysplasia in his youth but the last couple of years he lost the use of his legs (other than in water) and ultimately had Degenerative Myelopathy, which is mostly a pain free ailment, so we only used the Tramadol if he seemed to be in pain at any time.

We also had him on Cosequin and Aktivait supplements as well as Green Lipped Mussel powder.

In the last years when he couldn't walk at all he used to get restless at night. That is when they added Gabapentin and Diazepam. However, the Gabapentin completely stopped any restlessness or discomfort at night (we never needed the Diazepam until the very end when he developed cancer). 

I think the Gabapentin worked well dealing with generalised pain/discomfort,  night anxiety or restlessness and the Tramadol was a handy pain killer which we could give as and when we saw any pain. I am pretty certain the gabapentin working so well is probably why we didn't need the tramadol or diazepam very often. The swimming also seemed to relax him afterwards as well as keeping his muscle tone up so he had no muscle wastage at any point.

We suffered no ill side-effects with Gabapentin but I can tell you - don't put it sprinkled into food or in anything the dog may bite into and detect & rupture the capsule because it tastes foul to them and they will spit it out - and if like our dog will also start wiping their tongue on the carpet to try to get rid of the taste.

I don't know anything about withdrawal from Gabapentin however as our dog only had it the last years of his life and did not have to stop taking them.

You do have to wean the dog off them but it's not a particularly difficult process.

What I would say is give it a try, if it doesn't work then try at a higher dose and if it still doesn't, then try something else.

I've had three dogs on it and not seen any effect but that's not to say it didn't work, just that it didn't suit them.  But, we weren't dealing with trapped nerves - all three dogs had mild slipped discs and the worst also has narrow nerve canals on top, so a lot of pressure on her nerve roots.  I honestly didn't expect the gaba to do much, even at the huge dose we tried last.  But she's much happier on tramadol.  Worked well for the other two, too.

If you can, I'd also consider taking the dog to a physio who does acupuncture as well.  The one who saw my guys is brilliant - she gave old Remy a good 6 months more life, and he'd have gone on for much longer if cancer hadn't got him.  Without her, I'd have had him PTS much, much sooner.  She is very good at identifying subtle pain signs that the vets and specialists all missed.

You do have to wean the dog off them but it's not a particularly difficult process.

What I would say is give it a try, if it doesn't work then try at a higher dose and if it still doesn't, then try something else.

I've had three dogs on it and not seen any effect but that's not to say it didn't work, just that it didn't suit them.  But, we weren't dealing with trapped nerves - all three dogs had mild slipped discs and the worst also has narrow nerve canals on top, so a lot of pressure on her nerve roots.  I honestly didn't expect the gaba to do much, even at the huge dose we tried last.  But she's much happier on tramadol.  Worked well for the other two, too.

If you can, I'd also consider taking the dog to a physio who does acupuncture as well.  The one who saw my guys is brilliant - she gave old Remy a good 6 months more life, and he'd have gone on for much longer if cancer hadn't got him.  Without her, I'd have had him PTS much, much sooner.  She is very good at identifying subtle pain signs that the vets and specialists all missed.

Thanks Nikita.  We haven't tried tramadol yet.  Or Prevocox...?

We don't know it's a trapped nerve for sure as we haven't had an MRI.  It could be a disc-issue.

There is a vet who does acupuncture at the vet's I use and that will be the next thing to try - once I just reduce her pain enough to actually get to the vet's and in the surgery without feeling like a dog torturer...!!  (She is best lying down and relaxing!). 

I saw a physio with her yesterday, who refused to treat her until her pain levels were addressed better by meds.  The chiro is great because she comes to the house (no travelling pain!) and does lots of relaxing soft tissue massage so that will be the first thing I start up again...

And thanks tinar, it's good to know you had no side effects with it.  I detect a certain reluctance from the vets to use stronger meds, but I think this is because she is better some times than other times, and I just don't know whether to medicate for the worst she is (ie when she moves in a certain way and hurts herself!) or for the best she is...(when she is lying down and not in much pain anyway!!!). 

Somehow she has to have a better quality of life than this, so I think we do need something stronger.  Poor dog hasn't had a walk in 2 months now.

> Poor dog hasn't had a walk in 2 months now.

Our dog didn't walk for the last 20 or so months - but we got him a quad cart so he could be upright and try to move any of his legs if he wanted - that way he could go out with us in garden etc (at the time I remember not liking seeing him in it but he loved it - if it was radio controlled I would've still taken him out on walks but sadly they don't make those yet!! lol)- but mostly he loved swimming so we took him swimming all the time - 5 days a week in the end to keep his spirits up.  He never got depressed - but I really do think that was down to his personality - when it comes to standard of life decisions it is really very unique to the dog - our boy was fine but I know if my boy westie went through anything like he did he most definitely would not be fine as he doesn't have that personality.  You can only do your best and try what you can.

Tramadol is pretty good and keeps dogs happy - plus point with Tramadol in particular is you can choose when to give it like we did rather than all the time - i.e. if you know your dog is relaxed after Chiro appointments etc or lying down at night then you don't have to give it and save it for mornings or whenever worse - but the best thing about Tramadol is really that it can easily combine with other drugs without too many problems.

The advantage with Gabapentin is that it is both a pain killer and a relaxant so good for distressed dogs or frustrated dogs especially at night etc.

Don't worry about the Previcox - its just another anti-inflammatory - our dog was on that one as he got sick on metacam.

Thanks tinar.... So I'm back from the vet now and it has been a very difficult day and the dreaded words "put to sleep" were used :( :(  So I've basically walked around crying all afternoon and stumbled about in a daze.

The vet says that we can use lots of meds to try to take away the pain, but the underlying cause which is putting pressure on her spinal cord, is still there.  We don't know what it is as she hasn't had an MRI, but suspect something disc-related around her C3 (in the neck).  He has added gabapentin.  So she's now on metacam, pardale, robaxin and gabapentin.

The upshot is that we might have to decide either for spinal surgery OR put to sleep, at some point in the near future.  Because the meds may stop working or the pressure on the spinal cord may worsen, causing paralysis.

I really thought, in this situation, that I would not want to put a dog through spinal surgery and recovery etc at 10.5yo.  But the alternative of having her PTS makes me feel awful, because she could live another 4yrs and we don't know of anything else wrong with her.  She is not in pain when lying down.  Am I crazy to think of spinal surgery, I just want to do what is best for her, and give her the healthcare that a human would have.  I can't put a price on her life.

So anything that anyone can tell me about spinal surgery, it would be great to hear.  Such as:

- Recovery times
- Time in hospital (after the op, before allowed home)
- Pain levels
- Success rate
- Recommended surgeons/vet hospitals to ask for referrals to, preferably in the south of the UK

Things are extra complicated because we live on an island, without an MRI machine.  One comes here every 3 months and it's not due for another 3 months as we just missed it.  So to get a diagnosis we need an MRI.  So surgery means a 5hr ferry to the mainland to take the dog and and MRI may mean a separate trip unless they can MRI and then operate (if they decide it's operable) in the same trip....or somehow we manage to wait till the next time the machine is over.  Although the vet today didn't think we had that kind of time.

Our dog didn't have spinal surgery although it was contemplated as he had a crumbled disc that was pressing on the spinal cord - however he had further degenerating discs around that one and therefore the op was not possible.

However - ours had 3 MRi's in his life all done by McQueens in Devizes Wilts which is in the south west.  He also is the only person around this area that can undertake (and specialises in) spinal issues aswell as joint problems etc.

He has his own MRi

I REALLY liked that vet - I even considered transferring to him because he was so amazing (only reason I didn't is because my normal vets is a vet hospital and only 1/2 a mile from my house which is obviously better in emergencies) - the vet Mr McQueen is really really helpful, explains things very well, is a total sweeties, and VERY soft with the dogs. However - he's a complete jolly eccentric and wears yellow check Paddington bear trousers that always made me laugh.

This is the website - I think he can sometimes do the MRi - discuss options with you and sometimes go straight ahead to operation if necessary and arranged.

http://www.macqueenvets.com/referrals/orthopaedics.php

Great thanks tinar!  The other vet which has been mentioned to me is Fitzpatricks in Godalming.  I think he's the 'super vet' guy.... anyone have anything to say about him??

Don't know anyone who has actually used him but there is a thread with a lot of peoples discussions and thoughts on him after watching the series here: http://forum.champdogs.co.uk/topic_show.pl?tid=145289

and his website is here: http://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/

if you go there & meet him - please give him a big ol smooch for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Lol

And me Rabid please!!! Pretty please!!

I haven't been watching any of this super vet stuff, and had never heard of him till a friend took her dog there a few weeks ago - so I approach it all with unbiassed eyes!!