Can dogs take pregabalin?

In this article:

• Pregabalin for dogs
• Is pregabalin safe for dogs?
• Dosage
• Alternatives
• Summary

In this article

• Pregabalin for dogs
• Is pregabalin safe for dogs?
• Dosage
• Alternatives
• Summary

Veterinarians use pregabalin in dogs to control seizures and manage chronic pain. It is not a first-choice drug for either condition but is added if first-line drug treatments don’t work. Pregabalin is very similar to the drug gabapentin, which is also used for seizures and pain in dogs. Pregabalin is not approved for use in dogs, so its use in veterinary medicine is off-label. 

Pregabalin is a long-term treatment in dogs that requires two or three daily doses, so pet parents need to take special measures to make sure the dog gets every dose of pregabalin that it needs.

What is pregabalin used for in dogs?

Veterinarians use pregabalin as a second-line or add-on treatment for seizure disorders or chronic nerve pain. 

Seizure disorders

Pregabalin serves as an adjunct (“add-on”) maintenance treatment of seizure disorders in dogs. Seizure disorders affect about 0.75% of dogs in the U.S.

A seizure is a temporary neurologic event. It involves the simultaneous and synchronized overactivity of multiple nerve pathways. Not every seizure involves convulsions. Some can be as simple as “blanking out” for a few seconds. In veterinary medicine, seizure disorders are diagnosed when a dog has more than one seizure in six months, has several seizures in one day (“cluster seizures”), takes a long time to recover after a seizure, or has an especially severe or long-lasting seizure. 

A dog with a seizure disorder will be put on maintenance treatment involving daily doses of drugs called anticonvulsants. These do not stop active seizures but are intended to reduce seizure frequency. 

The preferred antiseizure medications are phenobarbital, potassium bromide, levetiracetam, or zonisamide. Veterinarians will use one of these drugs at the start of treatment without any add-on drugs. If the one drug doesn’t provide sufficient seizure control, they will add other anticonvulsants, such as pregabalin, but the drug chosen will depend on the types of seizures the dog is having. Pregabalin works best with partial seizures and not others.

While most anticonvulsants work by slowing nerves, pregabalin treatment stabilizes nerve activity. Healthcare professionals once thought that pregabalin worked by slowing down nerves by increasing a neurotransmitter, GABA, that shuts down nerves. We now know that pregabalin blocks calcium channels that shunt electrolytes into nerves to make them conductive. Its primary mechanism of action, then, is to reduce the electrical activity of nerves. This, in turn, reduces glutamate, a neurotransmitter that activates nearby nerves. In this way, pregabalin prevents the nervous system from becoming overexcited and cascading into a seizure.

Pain

For chronic nerve pain in dogs, veterinarians use pregabalin as an analgesic (pain reliever). The goal of veterinary chronic pain management is to reduce pain and improve the dog’s quality of life.

The most common cause of chronic pain in pets is osteoarthritis. Veterinarians prefer to start treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or opioids, sometimes both together. Other alternatives include corticosteroids, gabapentin, or pregabalin.

The second most common cause of chronic pain in dogs is cancer. Opioids are the treatment of choice, but many other drugs can be used depending on the cause. Cancer pain can be due to inflammation, the tumor, nerves, or a combination. Pregabalin and gabapentin work best at managing nerve pain.

Finally, as in people, some dogs have nerve pain due to injury or disease such as diabetes, herniated disk, cancer, or syringomyelia. Gabapentin and pregabalin are standard treatments, but they are usually combined with other drugs. Some are traditional analgesics like NSAIDs or opioids, but some are less familiar pain drugs like amantadine or dextromethorphan.

Is pregabalin safe for dogs?

Veterinarians consider pregabalin safe for dogs when given under the direction of a veterinary professional. There are very few reports of serious side effects in dogs other than hypersensitivity reactions. Pregabalin should never be given to dogs that have had any allergic reaction to pregabalin.

Pregabalin is not 100% safe. Veterinarians use the drug with caution in dogs that are pregnant, nursing, or have:

• Kidney problems
• Heart failure
• Breathing problems

Side effects of pregabalin in dogs

The most common side effects of pregabalin in dogs are:

• Sleepiness
• Listlessness
• Mild incoordination (ataxia)
• Dizziness
• Weakness

The most serious side effects of pregabalin in people are:

• Kidney dysfunction
• Slowed breathing
• Swelling
• Eye problems
• Slight changes to heart rhythms

These serious adverse effects have not been reported in dogs, but they can have serious allergic reactions to the drug. Call or visit a veterinarian or veterinary hospital if you notice any symptoms of an allergic reaction, including:

• Rash
• Fever
• Facial swelling
• Breathing changes
• Repeated vomiting

Interactions of pregabalin with other pet meds

Tell the veterinarian about all the drugs, supplements, and herbal remedies the dog is given. 

Pregabalin has several drug interactions, but the most significant involve:

• Drugs that make the dog sleepy, such as antihistamines, benzodiazepines, opioids, or CBD (cannabidiol)
• ACE inhibitors such as benazepril or enalapril
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like carprofen are believed to reduce the efficacy of pregabalin in humans

Pregabalin dosage for dogs

The standard pregabalin dosage for dogs is 4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, given every eight or 12 hours for seizure disorders or chronic pain. Another possible dosage for poorly controlled seizures is 3–4 mg/kg, given two or three times daily with a starting dose of 2 mg/kg per dose.

Pregabalin is not FDA-approved for use in dogs. However, the FDA has approved a pregabalin solution for use in cats. 

Dog parents can use that approved solution for cats or human formulations of pregabalin, which come in capsules, tablets, or oral solutions. The brand-name version for people is called Lyrica, but it’s a premium-priced drug. Pharmacies do carry lower-priced generic versions. Compounding pharmacies can provide veterinary versions of lower-priced generic pregabalin capsules or tablets. 

Can dogs overdose on pregabalin?

Do not give a dog more pregabalin than is prescribed. Keep the medicine bottle out of the pet’s reach so it can’t eat the pills.
In humans, a large enough pregabalin overdose can cause seizures, heart block, or death. Although veterinarians have little experience with pregabalin overdoses in dogs, a very large overdose would probably cause similar problems in a dog.

Call a veterinarian or an animal poison control center if you suspect a dog has had too much pregabalin or gotten into the medicine. Based on what happens in people, a dog that has taken too much pregabalin will show signs of sedation or excessive sedation but might also become restless, anxious, and hostile. 

Can I give my dog pregabalin every day?

Pregabalin is a long-term treatment for seizure disorders or chronic pain. That means the dog will receive multiple doses every day for months or years at a time.

How to give your dog pregabalin

Dogs will need pregabalin doses two or three times a day. Gabapentin has a short half-life, so concentrations of the drug fall sharply in a few hours after a single dose is given. Pet parents will need to take special measures to make sure doses are not forgotten.

Here are some general tips for dosing a dog with pregabalin:

• Give this medication as instructed.
• Give doses by mouth every eight or 12 hours.
• Give this medication to the dog with or without food. If the dog experiences digestive system ailments like vomiting after taking a dose, try giving future doses with food.
• The dog should swallow the capsule or tablet whole. A veterinary professional will demonstrate the proper procedure.
• Some pregabalin solutions may require shaking before measuring a dose.
• Measure pregabalin liquid with a calibrated oral syringe for precise dosing. Do not use kitchen measuring tools or tableware.
• If a dose of pregabalin is missed, give it when remembered. As a general rule, don’t give the next dose until six hours after the missed dose is given.
• Never give a dog extra doses to make up for a missed dose.
• Do not stop giving the dog pregabalin doses until talking to the veterinarian. The veterinarian may have to slowly decrease the dose over time to prevent rebound seizures or rebound pain.
• Store pregabalin tablets or capsules at room temperature.
• When storing pregabalin liquid, read and follow the instructions. Human versions of pregabalin oral solution are usually stored at room temperature. Bonqat oral solution must be stored in the refrigerator.

Pregabalin alternatives for dogs

Veterinarians only use gabapentin as an add-on drug for epilepsy or chronic pain.

For epileptic dogs, the first drugs a veterinarian will try are phenobarbital, potassium bromide, zonisamide, or levetiracetam. If these drugs do not sufficiently reduce seizure frequency, a veterinarian may add pregabalin or any of a number of other drugs, including:

• Gabapentin
• Clonazepam
• Valproic acid
• Clorazepate
• Felbamate
• Topiramate
• Mephenytoin
• Imepitoin

For chronic pain management in a dog, veterinarians typically start with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as carprofen or deracoxib) and opioids (such as tramadol), but treatment will vary depending on the cause. If these first-line treatments don’t provide sufficient analgesia, the veterinarian will add another drug to the treatment plan, such as gabapentin, pregabalin, or amantadine. 

For nerve pain, alternatives to pregabalin include:

• Opioids
• NSAIDs
• Amantadine
• Amitriptyline
• Dextromethorphan
• Alpha-2 agonists

Pet parents or veterinarians may also want to try alternative chronic pain treatments, including diet, herbal supplements, exercise, and acupuncture.

Summary

Pregabalin is not commonly used in dogs, but veterinarians will prescribe it for seizure disorders or chronic pain if their first-choice treatments are not working well enough. Pregabalin is safe for dogs but can make them slightly sleepy or uncoordinated. Pet parents must be vigilant because doses are given two or three times a day.