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Turn for the worst

rubles

Well-known member
We're experiencing low pressure so I've added Tramadol (50 mgs 2x a day) to the Gabapentin (100 mgs. 3x per day) and Cimetidine (25 mgs 3x per day) to help him.
Charlie hasn't climbed up on furniture nor laps since last Friday.
Saturday a.m. was spent under the table growling at my husband every time he came in view and and he took all the toys away from the other dogs and put them under the table with him.
His tail is limp, just hanging and he is frequently in his crate--very unusual during the day. Right now he's had his morning drugs and is under the table. Hubby just appeared to non-stop growling.
I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?
 
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This sounds like a very unhappy and uncomfortable dog. I would allow him to be on his own, keep the other dogs away from him. He will be scared of being jostled and I have known fights to happen when a dog is so defensive and fearful of being hurt.

Speak to your neurologist. Perhaps he/she will agree to you adding extra Gabapentin or suggest something else you can try.
 
I would second what Margaret says - Charlie is on a very low dose of gabapentin, so may simply need more, either regularly every day or as an extra on his bad days. The air pressure in the UK recently has been terrible - leaps up and down and for the past couple of weeks stuck very low at around 990 millibars; even my Oliver, whose SM is normally well controlled, has been needing an occasional extra gabapentin to keep him comfortable. So do contact your neurologist.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Thanks Margaret and Kate,
I spoke with his vet earlier and she added Metacam to his drugs.
SO I'm hoping for improvement.
Sandra
 
Thanks Margaret and Kate,
I spoke with his vet earlier and she added Metacam to his drugs.
SO I'm hoping for improvement.
Sandra

Why Metacam Sandra? So far as I know it does not treat neuropathic pain. As Margaret and Kate have said, increasing either or both the Gabapentin and/or Tamadol is likely to be more appropriate.

My Rebel has the dose of Metacam for a dog of half his body weight because he has arthritis in his hips and back legs. The vet is worried about him having the full dose combined with the other drugs because of the potential for liver damage.
 
Good news!
Charlie jumped on my lap yesterday evening for the first time in days. I immediately checked the barometric pressure and it was 1020 way, way up from 1002 earlier in the day. He was given one dose of Metacam--a non-steroidal anti inflammatory recommended by Clare Rusbridge's algorithm.
However, from what I've learned here, the pressure not the drug caused the improvement.
THanks for sharing your knowledge.
Sandra
 
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Good news!
Charlie jumped on my lap yesterday evening for the first time in days. I immediately checked the barometric pressure and it was 1020 way, way up from 1002 earlier in the day. He was given one dose of Metacam.
However, from what I've learned here, the pressure not the drug caused the improvement.
THanks for sharing your knowledge.
Sandra

Nothing is ever black and white with SM. I don't think you can be certain that the upward rise in pressure fully account for the improvement, especially as many owners believe that any big change of pressure, up or down, causes problems for their SM dogs.

The Metacam could be partly or fully responsible for Charlie feeling happier. It will probably take some time of monitoring before you know for sure, but I am pleased that something has helped your poor boy.
 
It seems to be with our zig any big change in air pressure in short spaces of time can make him quite bad. (Although this might not be related as Margaret pointed out)
I think it might vary a little but thats the case for our Zigg as far as we know. They all get their good and bad days, fingers crossed the weather might level out atleast a little bit, even if it only helps a little!

:hug:
 
This is a situation where an extra gabapentin can really help, so ask Stephanie if it's OK to give Zigg one (though perhaps not while he's on his present very high dose - this is another thing in favour of starting gabapentin at a low dose, it gives you space to top it up when necessary). Some people keep an eye on the pressure changes approaching and routinely give their susceptible dog extra medication in the morning on days when the pressure is going to be jumping about.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Extra Gabapentin might be better than an anti-inflammatory--I'm not sure though. I would feel better increasing Gabapentin to 200mgs from 100 mgs 3x a day for a day or two.
This is a thoroughly challenging disease and our dogs depend on our knowledge to help them.
 
I think one of the major problems with CM/SM is that it can present in so many different ways, and it sometimes takes time to even recognise something as a symptom. Oliver, for example, has a small syrinx that never seems to cause him any problems, he hardly ever scratches and has no obvious pain in his neck and shoulders. His problems are created by his dilated ventricles, which are a symptom of his Chiari Malformation. On top of this varied collection of symptoms, individual dogs react in different ways to the available medication - some do better on one, some on another. So it is always a learning process - getting to recognise your dog's symptoms and learning by trial and error which drugs work best for him. This is why the information exchange on this forum is so valuable.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
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