# Luc starting gabapentin



## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Hi all,

It's me who never posts!

Well, earlier this year (late May) Luc had laryngeal tie-back surgery for his laryngeal paralysis and has done well out of that. He has the associated polyneuropathy in his hind end so his back legs are wasting and there's not a lot we can do about it unfortunately (which I have trouble accepting). It was windy last Thursday and he was getting blown over but luckily now we take him out on a 'Help em up' harness which has a hind end handle so I could keep him up. 

He's had fairly significant arthritis in his spine for quite some time. We took him off pain meds for awhile as we didn't notice a change, but our vet felt very strongly he should go back on metacam so he's on the 10kg dosage (he's 49lbs, which is low-20s kgs). 

Then he got sick a few weeks ago. Pukes, diarrhea, temperature. He went to emerg and got a bunch of stuff, then we followed up with our vet (elevated WBC, all other bloodwork GREAT). Two antibiotics for 10 days, including metronidazole for his gut. His poops improved and we were happy again. 

Starting late last week he started having diarrhea in the house. It was around the time we increased his metacam dosage to 15kg (our vet felt he should be up around a 20kg dosage). We decided to take him off metacam, then thought, no, let's stop the B-complex because he's having diarrhea during the day too (he got the b-complex twice a day) and metacam only at night. Still upset stomach. We stopped everything but his thyroid tab (so no fish oil/B-complex/metacam) last night and started him on probiotics. His poops are still soft (he's also getting pumpkin) but formed though covered in mucuous. He did not have an accident overnight last night nor while we were at work today. That's faster than I would expect a probiotic to work so I think it's the removal of the metacam. 

Talked to vet some more and they said to start him on gabapentin for pain. We pick it up tomorrow. I take gabapentin for anxiety (off-label) and my husband has taken it successfully for nerve pain. 

I really hope this helps. He's been on tramadol and that made him puke. 

He's now 15.5 years old and I want him to live out his remaining years in comfort. Him being sick a few weeks ago really scared us, he was really out of it (Neb and Xerxes seemed to have a bit of a bug too, but recovered easily - not Luc). I know we won't have him forever, and maybe not even that much longer, but nothing on its own seems enough to euthanize. It's just he's having a bit of a tough go. And because he's so old it's hit him hard.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

((hugs)) 

You are so right. If only we could let our old dogs live their last days with grace. Fingers are crossed.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

car2ner said:


> ((hugs))
> 
> You are so right. If only we could let our old dogs live their last days with grace. Fingers are crossed.


Thanks car2ner. We got the gabapentin this morning and he will start it tonight. I'm cautiously hopeful.


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## Suzy25 (Mar 3, 2016)

I see you mention " and metacam only at night" were you giving it twice daily? 
I hope you guys see results with the Gaba, and im sure you have heard this before, but my friend GSD had bilateral hip surgery's and has arthritis in her back, she has seen major results with CBD oil, if she misses a couple days in a row she can see her dog getting stiff and painful. as well as a doberman that comes to my work who also needs the help up harness, and has many other issues, he gets kefir, CBD oil, gaba, and a couple other things that the owners mention has helped him tremendously. again, im sure you have heard it before but just thought I would mention it. I see you are in Toronto (as am I!) and I believe that with the legalization in october, you need to get a vet prescription and take it to the legal gov store (or whatever they are called) and get it there instead of online or in other stores) could be worth a try

I wish you guys all the best


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

You're only supposed to give metacam once a day. So he got it only at night. 

We would consider CBD if necessary. Our vet has literature saying it's still not legal to prescribe to pets, but I think they'd also help us figure out dosing (there's no real tests done to know dosing of course) and we could order from the government store. I know they do carry at least product that has no THC.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Hoping this helps, it's so good to hear when our furry friends live such a long happy time.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

He really has had a good life. But I've turned into one of THOSE owners. 

...we threw him a 15th birthday party at the start of July (well, only our dogs attended, Luc would not enjoy strange dogs in his house - but there were plenty of human well-wishers, it was a great party, the AC couldn't keep up with so many people in our apartment). We got him a special cake, and had 48" L-U-C, 1 and 5 balloons, as well as dog foil balloons, white balloons with paw prints, one felt 'Happy Birthday' banner and one foil balloon 'Happy Birthday' banner. And Paw Patrol plates. 

On December 9th there's a social session for dogs with mobility issues near us. I doubt he'll care about the other dogs, but there are pictures with Santa! I found his reindeer antlers tonight for it.

He was such an active dog when he was younger, running, hiking, backpacking long distances was his job - he was the first recorded dog to do the La Cloche Silhouette Trail in two days (recommended 7-10 days) - he's been retired for years thanks to his laryngeal paralysis, so now we just spoil him!


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