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13 lbs 6kg cat was prescribed 200mg gaba the night before and two hours before vet visit. Is this too much?
(lemmy.selfhostcat.com)
200mg of what?
this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2025
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GABA, edited
Gabapentin?
Gabapentin is used in cats to manage chronic pain, control seizures, and reduce anxiety, especially during vet visits. The dosage varies, typically ranging from 1.5 to 5 mg per pound for pain relief, 2.5 to 5 mg per pound for seizures, and 20 mg/kg for anxiety before vet visits.
I found that link too. I decided to just give 100mg though they could do 120mg
Vets say gaba but they mean gabapentin which is different than the herbal supplement GABA. What’s even more reckless is that both are also for humans. They really shouldn’t slang and cause confusion, it’s completely unprofessional. My cat only ever got 100mg but they prescribed once the night before and once 3 hrs before.
I think the vets rely on it too much. But the good thing is that it won’t kill your cat. i felt bad giving mine as much as they prescribed unless it was going to be surgery. Then again they had marked my cat as feisty.
It’s more for the vet staff than your cat. But it tranquilizes them down so they don’t freak out too but still it’s more to make their job easier. IMO if they can’t handle a cat without it being sedated then they shouldn’t be vets but pretty much all vets require it. Like how they put you in a wheel chair in the ER even though you can walk. I was trying to find a vet that didn’t require it but didn’t have luck
My 4.8kg cat is very fractious for vet visits, so the vet originally suggested 100mg gabapentin 2 hours before his appointment. Since that wasn't enough to relax him adequately, for his next visit, they increased the dosage to 150mg, which still didn't do the trick. Next, they suggested adding a dose the night before, but it wasn't until we got to 200mg gabapentin the night before, plus another 200mg the morning of, that he finally mellowed out juuuust enough that they could examine him.
Thanks for telling me this! :) I ended up doing 100 then 100. Less than they said.
Did it do the trick?
Yes, they were quite chill but not out of it.
They want this for anxiety for a cat visiting a vet?
That's ludicrous.
Never had a problem at another vet but he goes insane at this one. I brought all my cats though…
Starting at that dosage does seem a bit much, but that's exactly what it took to tame my own cat's vet anxiety. He was still hissy, but finally just barely manageable.
Jesus Christ, if you need a medical advice and you don't trust your doctor, ask another doctor.
Not how vets work
It is how vets work. Just call a different vet and ask them if it sounds extreme. They might not have a definitive answer without having seen your cat in person, but will still know better than a bunch of randos on the internet!
They won’t answer unless you’re a patient. Thanks tho