What is Tramadol?
Contents
Tramadol is a medical drug that is a kind of opioid that is used to numb the pain which is of moderate nature, it is commonly used by Human beings but it also happens to be prescribed by veterinarians for dogs who have a chronic disease or general injury.
It alters the reaction of the dog’s body to pain by inhibiting the usage of certain chemicals in the brain which calms it and gives a relaxing feeling to the dogs. It is injected through a syringe or given as oral drug in the form of a tablet to dogs and it takes about an hour to come into effect.
Why it is used as Medicine for Dogs?
Tramadol is used in general to treat pain. It is recommended by many dog experts to treat chronic and acute pain of moderate to severe intensity in dogs after they have gone through a surgery or to deal with osteoarthritis when other medicines are consumed for it.
It is usually prescribed when your dog is feeling pain due to osteoarthritis, cancer, post-operative pain, lameness, nonsurgical intervertebral disc disease, post-operative pain, coughing, pain caused by an injury, canine degenerative myelopathy or anxiety. Tramadol itself is not used to treat the root of the pain, it is rather used to provide relief to the patient by alternating the reaction of the body to pain.
It is always given as side drug with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Rimadyl to assist in pain management for dogs suffering from chronic conditions.
What are the side effects of Tramadol?
Tramadol like all other medicines should be used as per instructions, nevertheless, not all dogs react positively to tramadol. Some reactions that dogs face are dizziness, diarrhea, loss of appetite, tremors, anxiety, constipation, vomiting, and nausea. It is still better to be safe than sorry, so whenever you observe these reactions in your dog, do call and consult your veterinarian for the necessary appropriate step.
It is not the only thing that should worry you because medications can be a tricky business because overdoses can happen too. It is often found that dogs wander off because of their curiosity, going into your things like medicines, sometimes pet sitters or family members by mistake give a higher dose of prescribed medicine. All these incidents and mistakes result in serious side effects.
Some reactions caused by an overdose of tramadol are seizures, sedation, tremors, decreased heart rate, excessive drooling, lethargy, respiratory depression, sleepiness, vomiting, coma, ataxia, agitation, dilated pupils and loss of consciousness. If you happen to observe similar traits in your dog, then don’t give tramadol to it and get your veterinarian help as soon as possible.
What is the right dosage of tramadol for dogs?
Tramadol is a class-4 controlled substance that is mostly available in solid form of 50g white tablets and requires a prescription before usage. It should never be given to any dog without a prescription from a certified veterinarian. It is very convenient to just give your dog a tramadol pill that was prescribed to a human, however, do keep in mind that human tramadol dosage and dosage for dogs are very different. It is a great risk to give your dog the pill of tramadol without consulting your veterinarian and there is a higher chance that this action will result in a tramadol overdose.
Dog owners should never take upon themselves to calculate the dosage for their dogs, it is the task for a professional and veterinarian doctors know better. They calculate the dosage after taking into consideration various factors and they do it on the basis of weight and after checking that your dogs do not have any existing or previous health conditions. Because the dosage of tramadol for acute pain and chronic pain varies from each other, hence it is really important to set an appropriate amount of dosage after taking into account everything.
Is it safe for your dog to take tramadol?
Although generally speaking it is safe to take tramadol but there are some exceptions, for instance, it effects on serotonin uptake that indicates that some dogs should definitely avoid its usage. The reason is that it can result in drug interactions and its effects can affect the pups too if your dog is a mother. It also increases the occurrence of seizures in those dogs who have pre-existing health conditions.
Consult your veterinarian if your dog should take tramadol, some following guidelines can help you;
- Avoid tramadol if your dog is taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, for example, selegiline which is used to treat canine cognitive dysfunction and pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism which is also known as Cushing’s disease.
- Also avoid it if your dog is on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, for example, fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, and fluvoxamine.
- Dogs who have a history of seizures should avoid it.
- Dogs who are pregnant or used as nursing dogs should also avoid it.
- Dogs who have kidney or liver diseases should also not take it.
Conclusion:
Tramadol is still a remarkable drug as it prolongs your dog’s life by inhibiting the source of its suffering from any injury or condition which may cause pain to the dog. It is effective if used in the right dosage and for appropriate cases. It is vital medicine used by many veterinary doctors. But, in any circumstance always consult with your veterinary doctor for any and every step you may take for your dog. Tramadol is one of many medicines which are used for arthritis and arthritic conditions in dog and it is essential to alternate the feeling of pain in a way that dog’s body can not feel it.