Hi,
I’ve got a guy on 24/7 stall rest who’s just starting on gabapentin. My vet hasn’t seen any side effects from it but I’d swear I read that it can cause horses to be quieter (not that I can figure out where I read that - maybe I’m confusing it with something else). The horse is an unbelievable saint about stall rest, but is starting to feel better, so I wouldn’t mind a little calming side effect. Any experience? Thanks.
I’ve never used it on a horse, but recently started it for our elderly dog. The vet told us it may have a slight sedating effect (an issue for our old lady who tends to tumble down the steps to the back yard, on a good day) and also warned us that it has some antiseizure properties, so it’s important not to discontinue it suddenly or miss a dose. She said it might take a few weeks to really show a difference – in our elderly dog. Not sure how much of that would apply to your horse.
Thanks. Yes, I’ve seen a bunch of information about dogs, but was hoping someone might have used it on a horse. Hope it’s helping your dog!!
We used it on a horse for chronic nerve pain, but he also suffered from lack of REM sleep. A good side effect was that he started getting decent sleep! Now whether it was a tranquilizing effect of the drug or because he was more comfortable throughout his body so felt more at ease is a toss up, but considering it “quiets” nerve pain makes one think it does have a bit of a sedative effect.
When I took it I was knocked out, but also made me feel a bit spacey.
[QUOTE=Saskatoonian;7423297]
Hi,
I’ve got a guy on 24/7 stall rest who’s just starting on gabapentin. My vet hasn’t seen any side effects from it but I’d swear I read that it can cause horses to be quieter (not that I can figure out where I read that - maybe I’m confusing it with something else). The horse is an unbelievable saint about stall rest, but is starting to feel better, so I wouldn’t mind a little calming side effect. Any experience? Thanks.[/QUOTE]
Disappointed in your vet … this from the 1st Google “hit”
Pharmacokinetic profile and behavioral effects of gabapentin in the horse
J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 33, 485–494.
(research was current to Sept 2009)
Intravenous gabapentin caused a significant increase in sedation scores for 1 h after drug infusion when compared with baseline measurements at 10 min (P < 0.05). All the horses reached and maintained a sedation score of at least 1 (Table 2). However, horses appeared more dormant than deeply sedated and were easily arousable throughout the period of the elevated sedation scores, with the exception of one animal (horse # 2; Table 2) that exhibited sedation of greater depth and duration than the other five, almost reaching sedation score 3 between 60 and 90 min after drug infusion started. All horses had returned to sedation score 0 by 150 min after the beginning of CRI. Gabapentin p.o. did not produce any noticeable effects or changes in the sedation score.
When compared with the control treatment, i.v. gabapentin dose significantly increased drinking frequency and decreased the duration of standing rest (P < 0.05). No significant differ- ences were observed in the other 17 behavioral measures analyzed (Table 3). Subjectively no obvious behavioral effects were observed following p.o. dosage of gabapentin, however full analysis against a p.o. control treatment was not conducted.
Oh, Alto, so little faith! Actually, you shouldn’t be disappointed in him:
[QUOTE=alto;7424888]
Gabapentin p.o. did not produce any noticeable effects or changes in the sedation score.
…
Subjectively no obvious behavioral effects were observed following p.o. dosage of gabapentin, however full analysis against a p.o. control treatment was not conducted.[/I][/QUOTE]
You should, on the other hand, be disappointed in my google skills! Thanks.
I have used it in human patients a lot and most will experience pretty significant sedation during the first week to month of use. Generally tolerance develops to that over time though. Often we have to start the dosing quite low and gradually increase weekly to help minimize this because some patients can be very sensitive to it (particularly elderly) and will report that they are “out of it” (sometimes dangerously so - I’ve seen people slurring and stumbling as though drunk the first few days they take it) as they begin therapy.
Interestingly - in my experience using it in children/teenagers - it’s very rare for them to report sedation and we generally start at much more aggressive doses.
Not sure whether a horse would resemble a teenager or an old lady in how they metabolize and respond to gabapentin! But yes, I would say based on the pharmacology of the drug the potential for sedation is there. Are you using it for sedation or for treatment of pain or something else? I think the other poster had a good point that if you’re using it for treatment of pain and it resolves the pain - well all bets are off on which wins out - the sedating effects of the drug or the exuberance of a now pain free animal 
Not sure what to say about the IV study posted. We do not have intravenous gabapentin available in the US, so I’m not sure how the pharmacokinetics would compare regarding onset of action etc.
[QUOTE=rockfordbuckeye;7425324]
Not sure what to say about the IV study posted. We do not have intravenous gabapentin available in the US, so I’m not sure how the pharmacokinetics would compare regarding onset of action etc.[/QUOTE]
The study was done at New Bolton, with the gabapentin solution supplied by Wedgewood.
Gabapentin is being used in horses although its pharmacokinetic (PK) profile, pharmacodynamic (PD) effects and safety in the equine are not fully investigated. Therefore, we characterized PKs and cardiovascular and behav- ioral effects of gabapentin in horses. Gabapentin (20 mg ? kg) was administered i.v. or p.o. to six horses using a randomized crossover design. Plasma gabapentin concentrations were measured in samples collected 0–48 h postadministration employing liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Blood pressures, ECG, and sedation scores were recorded before and for 12 h after gabapentin dosage. Nineteen quantitative measures of behaviors were evaluated.
The mean oral bioavailability of gabapentin (±SD) was 16.2 ± 2.8% indicating relatively poor absorption of gabapentin following oral administration in horses.
Oral administration yielded much lower plasma concentrations because of low bioavailability.
CONCLUSION
Administration of 20 mg ? kg gabapentin in the horse was not associated with any cardiovascular or behavioral effects that would warrant its preclusion as a future therapy. Its pharma- cokinetic profile in the equine is broadly consistent with that in other species; however its oral bioavailability is relatively low in the horse. Further work is required to assess the analgesic fficacy of this drug in horses and appropriate dosing based on its bioavailability.
Alto, I think you and RB are talking apples (horses) and oranges (humans). I read RB’s post as relating to the availability of IV gab. for humans.
I’m absolutely using the stuff for pain: for sedation, I’ve got tools I know how to use and what the response will be. And hey, if he starts feeling so good that I need them, I’ll take it!
And hey, if he starts feeling so good that I need them, I’ll take it!
I read that as, once your horse starts feeling good, you’ll take his gabapentin (instead)
:lol:
touche!!
I’ve used a lot of gabapentin in veterinary patients and often don’t really see any noticeable side effects in clinical patients.
The sedation that you can see tends to be dose-dependent. In veterinary patients, there isn’t really an upper limit to the dose, and I have put some terminal cancer patients (dogs generally) on some really whopping doses to get the beneficial effects. In those patients (at the whopping doses) you will sometimes see some transient sedation, and often the upper limit of the dose is when you get unacceptable sedation.
I am not aware of a report of a veterinary patient experiencing seizures after discontinuing gabapentin, but most DVMs will have you taper the dose over about 2 weeks before discontinuing it just in case.
What I meant with the IV is that there is no commercially available IV product that has undergone FDA approval studies in the US. No idea what the compounding pharmacies cook up for a research protocol within a single institution. So perhaps New Bolton has experience/knowledge on how to use IV gabapentin but I don’t think vets outside of New Bolton would have used it? Anyway, I think it’s all beside the point of the OP’s question since she’s not giving IV gabapentin…
[QUOTE=rockfordbuckeye;7426058]
What I meant with the IV is that there is no commercially available IV product that has undergone FDA approval studies in the US.[/QUOTE]
I must’ve missed the FDA approval studies for gabapentin usage in horses - would appreciate the links :yes:
alto you are missing the point if you are so focused on “winning” some sort of points in a faux debate. Can’t anyone ever just answer the questions that are asked without going off on these weird tangential debates within the question? it’s such a strange COTH mannerism.
[QUOTE=rockfordbuckeye;7426892]
alto you are missing the point if you are so focused on “winning” some sort of points in a faux debate. Can’t anyone ever just answer the questions that are asked without going off on these weird tangential debates within the question? it’s such a strange COTH mannerism.[/QUOTE]
As I recall you declared my study irrelevant, as it was about intravenous dosing of Gabapentin in horses - so I attempted to correct that misapprehension.
Then you state that only oral Gabapentin is FDA approved in horses - which is completely contradictory to my knowledge, but I’m always open to learning so I requested the studies.
I did look but could only find information supporting off-label veterinary use of Gabapentin (ie no FDA approval at all) - why you think this is an inappropriate request on my part, I am utterly confused.
I realize that the OP is satisfied with the information she has received, but many people read these forums so topics often go off on tangents or broaden to encompass discourse that was not initially intended by the OP.
You seem to think this is a “bad thing” whereas I consider it to be de rigueur for forums 
I don’t know how seeking factual, scientific based knowledge can be misconstrued as “winning” some sort of points in a faux debate.
I thought the New Bolton study to be of interest, as vets are tending to dose Gabapentin orally in horses, which is in contradiction to the New Bolton report (& other newer studies): if the OP was not seeing the pain-relief she/her vet expected with the Gabapentin, then it would be reasonable to either switch to an intravenous presentation or increase the oral dosage in an attempt to improve the bio-absorption: this is why I bothered haranguing on about Gabapentin …
NOT to score off points
No idea what the compounding pharmacies cook up for a research protocol within a single institution. So perhaps New Bolton has experience/knowledge on how to use IV gabapentin but I don’t think vets outside of New Bolton would have used it
I did consider the terms you applied to New Bolton & Wedgewood to be rather irreverent but if you choose to deny the excellent equine science that comes out of Veterinary Research Centres such as New Bolton, that is of course your prerogative & something I chose NOT to respond to - until you came on with rather inappropriate accusations/commentary.
I do appreciate it, Alto, even though I hope never to need the information - and appreciate everyone else’s contributions. Now time to go see the patient.
I think alto you are reading way more into what I typed than what I typed. First, I did not state that oral gabapentin is FDA approved FOR HORSES. I stated that the IV form is not FDA approved.
I also did not say your IV study was irrelevant - that is your word choice and wasn’t mine. I said I couldn’t comment on the IV product and I wasn’t sure how the PK would compare.
Please be a more critical reader before you create a debate that does not exist.
Please everyone return to OP’s original question and share experiences.
Do you have links to studies that show Gabapentin - any form - approved for veterinary use, especially equine?
That is really all I was asking.
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