Effect of oral administration of gabapentin on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs

Retrospective evaluation of preanesthetic oral gabapentin in cats receiving total injectable anesthesia in a high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter setting

This retrospective study investigated an anesthetic protocol for 573 cats (221 males, 352 females) in a high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter (HQHVSN) program, with a focus on the role of oral gabapentin in this protocol. Gabapentin (100 mg/cat) was administered to 233 cats (86 males, 147 females) approximately two hours preoperatively. All cats received intramuscular medetomidine (20 μg/kg) and ketamine (5 mg/kg) for induction, with anesthesia maintained via intermittent intravenous boluses of ketamine (2.5 mg/kg) and diazepam (0.125 mg/kg). Local lidocaine (4 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally or intratesticularly. Meloxicam (0.3 mg/kg) was given preoperatively, and tramadol (1 mg/kg) was used as rescue analgesia. Anesthetic requirements and physiological variables, including preoperative respiratory rate (RR) and intraoperative averages for RR, pulse rate (PR), systolic arterial pressure (SAP), and hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO2), were compared between gabapentin and non-gabapentin cohorts. Gabapentin reduced preoperative RR and ketamine-diazepam requirements. Higher PR and SAP were observed in non-gabapentin cohorts. Transient apnea, the most common complication, resolved spontaneously. SpO2 was lower in non-gabapentin cohorts, with more cats showing SpO2 < 90 in females. No differences were noted in the need for atipamezole or tramadol rescue analgesia. Gabapentin effectively reduced anesthetic drug requirements without adversely affecting vital signs. Further prospective studies are required to validate these findings.

Effect of Tapentadol on Dogs' Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) of Isoflurane

To evaluate the effect of oral administration of 10 mg kg-1 tapentadol on dogs' minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane. The MAC of isoflurane was determined in seven dogs without previous medication (Group MACISO) and 2 h 30 min after the administration of 10 mg kg-1 of tapentadol orally (Group MACISO+TAP). The MAC was determined by pinching the fourth finger of the pelvic limb. Data normality was analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Student's t-test was used to evaluate the effect of tapentadol on isoflurane MAC and cardiovascular variables. The minimum alveolar concentration obtained in the Group MACISO was 1.52 ± 0.02%, and in the Group MACISO+TAP, it was 1.47 ± 0.03%, observing a significant statistical difference between groups (p = 0.01). The reduction in the MAC caused by administering 10 mg kg-1 of Tapentadol was 3.29%. No statistically significant differences were observed when the heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were compared between groups. The oral administration of 10 mg kg-1 tapentadol reduces dogs' minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane without alterations in the heart rate and systemic blood pressure.

Gabapentin: Clinical Use and Pharmacokinetics in Dogs, Cats, and Horses

Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant drug, which presents an established clinical efficacy in human patients for the management of refractory partial seizures, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and for the control of chronic neuropathic pain. Gabapentin was synthesized as a structural analogue of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, with GABA-mimetic effects, able to cross the blood-brain barrier. In veterinary medicine, is extra-label used in combination with other treatments to control seizures when other drugs are no longer effective or become toxic or for neuropathic pain treatment and anxiety. This review aimed to clarify gabapentin use and pharmacokinetic aspects to promote conscious use in dogs, cats, and horses. In dogs, gabapentin was beneficial in the treatment of epilepsy, as well as chronic, neuropathic, and post-operative pain, as well as anxiety. In cats, it showed efficacy in post-ovariohysterectomy-related pain and in anxiety management. In horses, gabapentin has been administered as an analgesic for chronic pain management. In conclusion, when used in combination with other drugs, gabapentin can be considered an interesting therapeutic option for the treatment of neuropathic diseases and analgesia in postoperative and chronic pain. However, despite its beneficial use in different clinical settings, further trials and pharmacokinetic studies are needed for the definition of an effective dosage regimen through proper pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic correlation in dogs, cats, and horses.

Multimodal Approach to Pain Management in Veterinary Rehabilitation

Pain recognition, assessment, and management is a primary focus and an integral part of veterinary rehabilitation. Evidence-based pain mitigation protocols will use both pharmacologic tools and nonpharmacologic methods to create a customized, safe, and effective treatment plan. A multimodal, patient-centered approach will allow for the best outcomes for pain relief and improved quality of life.

Effect of oral administration of gabapentin on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in cats

Objective

To determine if oral gabapentin decreases the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane in cats.

Study design

Prospective, randomized, blinded, crossover, and experimental study.

Animals

A total of six healthy adult cats (three male, three female) aged 18-42 months, weighing 3.31 ± 0.26 kg.

Methods

Cats were randomly given oral gabapentin (100 mg cat^-1) or placebo 2 h before starting MAC determination, with the crossover treatment given at least 7 days apart. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. Isoflurane MAC was determined in duplicate using an iterative bracketing technique and tail clamp method. Hemodynamic and other vital variables were recorded at each stable isoflurane concentration and were compared between gabapentin and placebo treatments at lowest end-tidal isoflurane concentration when cats did not respond to tail clamping. A paired t-test was used to compare normally distributed data, and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied for non-normally distributed data. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Data are mean ± standard deviation.

Results

Isoflurane MAC in the gabapentin treatment was 1.02 ± 0.11%, which was significantly lower than that in the placebo treatment (1.49 ± 0.12%; p < 0.001), decreasing by 31.58 ± 6.94%. No significant differences were found in cardiovascular and other vital variables between treatments.

Conclusion and clinical relevance

Oral administration of gabapentin 2 h before starting MAC determination had a significant isoflurane MAC-sparing effect in cats with no observed hemodynamic benefit.

Treatment of Pain in Ferrets

Ferrets often require pain management as part of comprehensive veterinary care. Recognition and objective quantification of pain, such as the ferret grimace scale, are the first steps of an analgesic plan. As in other species, a multimodal approach to pain management is preferred, which includes combining analgesic drugs of multiple classes and/or techniques to affect different areas of the pain pathway. This article reviews the current published literature on analgesic medications in domestic ferrets, including specific drugs, doses, dosing intervals, and routes of administration.

Effects of a single oral dose of gabapentin on storm phobia in dogs: A double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial

BACKGROUND

Storm phobia in companion dogs is a common disorder that significantly impacts dogs' welfare. Gabapentin, the action of which is only partially understood, is widely used for its antiepileptic and analgesic properties. Only recently, the veterinary community began to use gabapentin to address phobia and anxiety in dogs. This study tested gabapentin to lower fear responses of dogs during a thunderstorm event.

METHODS

Eighteen dogs suffering from storm phobia completed our double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Each dog's behaviour was evaluated twice by his owner: once under placebo, once under gabapentin. The treatment was orally administered at least 90 min before the exposure. Gabapentin was given at a dose ranging from 25 to 30 mg/kg.

RESULTS

Our results indicate a significant reduction of the fear responses of dogs under gabapentin. The adverse effects were rare, and the most frequent amongst them was ataxia.

CONCLUSION

In this trial, gabapentin appears to be an efficient and safe molecule that should be considered as part of the treatment plan of storm phobia in dogs.