I was so thrilled when the surgeon I saw today agreed to prescribe Gabapentin for Susie. I hoped so much it would help with her Phantom Limb Pain. The only problem is now I'm a bit worried that Susie has been almost in a coma since I gave her the first capsule. Part of that extreme sleepiness may be from going through her ordeal at K-State today. (I'm sure she was worried that I was going to leave her there again for four nights!) Does the sedation from the Gabapentin ease up after the first day or two?

She also had diarrhea tonight and I'm worried it's from either the Gabapentin or Meloxicam (or maybe the two combined). This is her first day off codeine (she's two weeks post-op), so maybe that was helping with the diarrhea from the Meloxicam? (She's been taking the Meloxicam for pain since October.) I also worry that she should be taking probiotics, since the cancer was first thought to be an infection, and she was on five strong antibiotics from October through December (and had diarrhea then).

The prescription is for one 100 mg. capsule of Gabapentin every 8 hours. I'm wondering if I should decrease the dosage? Maybe give just one a day? (She's a small Westie, age 10, and weighed about 15 pounds before the amputation of her right front leg.)

I'm wondering if I should give the Gabapentin a couple more days to see if the side effect of sedation lessens. Has anyone else had a problem with their dog being too sleepy when on it? She also seems disoriented when she wakes up, and has trouble walking. (But she's only had one dose, so far!)