Do you have questions about pet pain drugs for dogs and cats? If you are a Tripawds member, chances are that you do! That’s why today for our ongoing spotlight on Pet Pain Awareness Month, we are highlighting these videos by Dr. Alex Avery, a New Zealand veterinary surgeon. He’s also founder of one of the internet’s best pet health resources for pet parents like us, Our Pets Health.
His informative and easy to understand dog and cat care videos, articles and books like “Pet Health Essentials” give us the information we need to make educated choices about caring for our pets. And Dr. Avery isn’t just a pawesome vet, he’s also Trikitty Stella’s parent!
One of our favorite resources of Dr. Avery’s is his YouTube Playlist, “Drugs for Dogs and Cats.” this is a go-to guide to get educated about pros, cons and side-effects of common pet pain medications. Here are just four of many videos that he’s produced about what to expect with pet pain drugs, and good alternatives when they don’t work as hoped.
Gabapentin for dogs: is it a dog pain killer that works?
Gabapentin is often prescribed for amputation pain (and when it’s not, it should be, according to pet pain management guru Dr. Robin Downing!). As Dr. Avery writes in “Is Gabapentin Really Safe for Pets (are there any side effects)?,” he explains the potential side effects of Gabapentin, like sedation and wobbliness.
Even better, Dr Avery answers the age old question, “Can you stop Gabapentin suddenly?”
“And then the other thing to be aware of is that we can actually get withdrawal symptoms from gabapentin if we’re giving high doses and long-term treatment to dogs and cats. And so it’s going to be best if we then stop the gabapentin treatment to wean them off the drug slowly.”
CBD For Dogs – A Miracle Cure for Seizures, Pain + Cancer (what you need to know)?
In his blog post, The Evidence: CBD Oil for Dogs Really Works, Dr. Avery gives us the lowdown on how CBD does and doesn’t work for various health conditions. You’ll learn the difference between CBD and THC, how it can reduce arthritis pain, help old dogs with dementia and cognitive dysfunction syndrome, and possibly be used to treat cancer.
Tramadol: an effective pain killer for pets?
In Dr. Avery’s video about Tramadol for pets, and his blog post, “Can You Give Tramadol to a Dog in Pain,” you’ll learn the latest facts about it. For instance, Dr. Avery explains how Tramadol is supposed to work in dogs, and reality of how it actually does (or does not) help pets feel less pain. Finally, he explains why it is no longer his go-to drug for treating pain in animals.
Steroids in Dogs and Cats: should you avoid prednisone?
Many of us are familiar with using prednisone for dog cancer inflammation (lung metastasis particularly. But as Dr. Avery explains in “Steroids for Pets: the Essential Guide!” he explains how prednisone (and prednisolone for cats) is also used to treat many other conditions like allergies, autoimmune diseases, adrenal malfunction like Addisons disease.
But steroids can have some problematic side effects. They can mask the origins of a disease, cause weight gain, urinary incontinence, anxiety and extreme thirst and hunger. In this video, Dr. Avery explains how to balance the pros and cons of steroids to treat your pet’s medical condition.
Want to learn even more about pet pain drugs for Tripawd dogs and cats, please check out all Tripawds articles about pain management for pets. Our Tripawds e-books are also great resources to check out!
I was given Previcox as the only pain reliever for my 3 yr old jack Russell terrier, that had her right front leg amputated yesterday. She is constantly moaning, what should I do?
Lisa, that is so sad! If your dog hasn’t received a 3-day injectable pain relief drug called “Nocita,” please call your vet immediately and demand additional pain medication such as Gabapentin. That is not nearly enough to help a dog through this recovery. Good luck and keep us posted in the Discussion Forums.