Gabapentin for dogs and cats is prescribed by a veterinarian for one specific animal. It is a human anticonvulsant that veterinarians use extralabel for what the Merck Veterinary Manual describes as its pain-relieving, anticonvulsant, and anti-anxiety properties. For stress around travel or a vet visit, Merck notes it is often given about 90 minutes before the event, at the time the veterinarian directs. Bayview Pharmacy compounds it as a flavored oral liquid, small capsules, and a transdermal ear gel for cats, listed on our Anxiety & Behavior Medications for Pets page. These preparations are not FDA-approved, and a prescription from a licensed veterinarian is required.
What is gabapentin, and why do vets prescribe it for dogs and cats?
Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant in human medicine, according to MedlinePlus. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, veterinarians use it in animals for its pain-relieving, anticonvulsant, and anti-anxiety properties.
Gabapentin is a human medication that veterinarians prescribe for animals extralabel (off-label), which federal law allows under specific conditions, according to the FDA. Each compounded preparation is made to a veterinarian's prescription for one animal.
Gabapentin is not a federally controlled substance, but some states regulate or track it. On our pet behavior page, it sits alongside fluoxetine, trazodone, and amitriptyline, and the gabapentin preparations are commonly ordered for stress around vet visits and travel.
Is compounded gabapentin FDA-approved?
No. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved. FDA-approved animal products do exist for some behavior problems: fluoxetine chewable tablets (Reconcile) and clomipramine tablets (Clomicalm), labeled for separation anxiety in dogs together with a behavior plan; dexmedetomidine gel (Sileo) for noise aversion in dogs; and pregabalin oral solution (Bonqat) for fear and anxiety in cats around transportation and veterinary visits.
Bayview compounds gabapentin in strengths, flavors, and forms the approved products do not cover, when your veterinarian decides an approved product is not suitable for your pet. Whether any medication fits your pet is your veterinarian's decision.
Gabapentin for dogs with anxiety: where does it fit in a behavior plan?
Anxiety and behavior problems are seen often in dogs. They include separation anxiety, fear of noises such as thunderstorms, compulsive behaviors such as repetitive licking or tail chasing, and stress around veterinary visits and travel. That is a list of behavior problems in general, not of gabapentin uses: on our pet behavior page, gabapentin preparations are commonly ordered for stress around vet visits and travel.
Medical problems can cause or contribute to behavior changes, and the Merck Veterinary Manual names pain in particular as an important risk factor. Your veterinarian rules out medical causes first, especially pain, before a behavior medication becomes part of the plan.
When medication is part of the plan, it is used alongside behavior modification that your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist designs, not in place of it. Veterinary behavior specialists note that new behaviors are learned only with behavior modification at the same time. Medication supports a behavior plan and does not replace it.
Your veterinarian may also refer you to a veterinary behaviorist. Whether gabapentin, another medication, or no medication fits your dog is a veterinary decision.
Gabapentin for cats before a vet visit or car ride
Stress around veterinary visits and travel is one of the problems veterinarians may prescribe behavior medications for, especially in cats.
A 2019 knowledge summary in Veterinary Evidence rated the evidence for a single oral dose of gabapentin before veterinary visits in cats as moderate to good. That rating describes published research on the drug. It is not a statement about any compounded preparation, including ours.
Many cats will not take a tablet. For a cat that refuses anything by mouth, a veterinarian may order the transdermal ear gel described below. Compounded gabapentin for cats is made only to a veterinarian's prescription for that cat.
An FDA-approved product exists for this situation in cats: pregabalin oral solution (Bonqat), approved for fear and anxiety around transportation and veterinary visits. Your veterinarian decides which option is suitable for your cat.
Gabapentin liquid, capsules, or a transdermal ear gel?
Bayview prepares gabapentin in three forms, plus a custom strength or form when the veterinarian orders one. The table shows each form and the pets it is prepared for.
| Form | Strengths | Who it suits | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flavored oral suspension | 100, 300 mg/mL | Pets that won't swallow capsules | Off-label, not FDA-approved |
| Capsules | 45 mg | Pets that take pills | Off-label, not FDA-approved |
| Transdermal ear gel | 40 mg per 0.1 mL | Cats that refuse oral dosing | Off-label, not FDA-approved |
| Custom strength or form | As ordered | As your veterinarian prescribes | Off-label, not FDA-approved |
Gabapentin's use in animals is extralabel (off-label) in every form above. Forms and strengths are listed for education only and are not a statement that any option is better or stronger than another.
Gabapentin liquid for dogs and cats
The oral suspension is flavored and prepared at 100 or 300 mg/mL. It is measured with an oral syringe. Shake it well and measure each dose with the syringe provided, exactly as your veterinarian directs. For other liquid preparations, see our custom oral suspensions.
Gabapentin capsules
The 45 mg capsule is a small capsule strength for pets that take pills. Your veterinarian can also order a custom capsule strength.
Transdermal gabapentin for cats
The transdermal gel is prepared at 40 mg per 0.1 mL in a TopiClick metered applicator and is rubbed onto the inner ear. It is prepared for cats that refuse oral dosing.
Ear gels come with a tradeoff. A small pilot study in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine found that gabapentin in a transdermal base was absorbed into the bloodstream in cats; that study measured pain scores, not anxiety. Separately, a veterinary column in dvm360 notes that for several behavior medications given to cats through the skin, only a fraction of the blood level seen with oral dosing was reached. Your veterinarian weighs these points and watches your cat's response.
To apply an ear gel, wear disposable gloves, wipe away any gel left from the last dose, and rub the new dose into the inner ear as your veterinarian directs. Wash your hands afterward, and do not let children handle the medication.
Bayview also compounds other cat medications, such as methimazole for cats, and our post on methimazole transdermal gel for cats covers applying an ear gel in more detail.
How is gabapentin dosage for dogs and cats decided?
Your veterinarian sets the dose for one animal, based on that animal, and sets the schedule too. The prescription includes your pet's species, breed, and current body weight so the dose can be verified when it is filled.
Dose and appropriateness are your veterinarian's decisions, so this post gives no dose for any animal. The strengths on our page, such as 100 mg/mL or 45 mg, describe what can be prepared, not what to give. A strength tells you how the preparation is made; your veterinarian's directions tell you how much to give.
Give gabapentin exactly as your veterinarian directs, and do not change the dose on your own. Tell your veterinarian about your pet's full history and every medication and supplement it receives, since behavior medications can interact with other drugs.
When is gabapentin given, and how long before an event?
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, veterinarians often have gabapentin given about 90 minutes before a stressful event, such as a car ride or a veterinary visit. Some pets receive it on a regular schedule instead. Give it at the time your veterinarian directs, following the timing on your pet's prescription.
This post does not give an onset time or a duration for gabapentin in dogs or cats, because what to expect is part of your veterinarian's plan for your pet. Ask your veterinarian what to expect, and watch your pet closely after a dose.
If your pet takes gabapentin on a regular schedule, do not stop or change it without talking to your veterinarian.
What are the side effects of gabapentin in dogs and cats?
Sleepiness is the main side effect of gabapentin, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual and Veterinary Evidence. Some pets become wobbly, vomit, have diarrhea, or drool. In published studies of a single oral dose in cats, these effects were temporary.
Because gabapentin can cause sleepiness and wobbliness, watch your pet closely after a dose. With the ear gel, watch for redness or irritation where the gel is applied. Do not give gabapentin to a pet that is allergic to it.
When should you call your veterinarian right away?
Call your veterinarian right away if your pet has any of the following:
- A seizure or collapse, or your pet cannot be roused
- Stops eating or keeps vomiting
- A sudden change in behavior
- Any reaction that worries you
Also call right away if a person or another animal swallows the medication. If a child swallows it, get medical care right away.
Can dogs take human gabapentin?
A dog should take only the gabapentin its veterinarian prescribes for it. Gabapentin is a human medication that veterinarians prescribe for animals extralabel, but that does not make a person's medicine a substitute for your dog's prescription. Never give a pet a medication your veterinarian has not prescribed for that pet.
The FDA-approved human gabapentin oral solution contains xylitol. The FDA warns that xylitol, a sweetener found in some human medicines, can cause a rapid, dangerous drop in a dog's blood sugar. Never give a human liquid medicine or sugar-free product in place of your dog's prescription. The xylitol point describes the human product only; it is not a statement about any compounded liquid, including ours.
What does compounded gabapentin cost?
The price of a gabapentin preparation depends on the form, strength, and quantity your veterinarian orders, so ask the pharmacy for the price of your pet's preparation before it is filled. It is priced as a cash prescription. The full list of pet behavior preparations is on our pet behavior page.
For more on paying for compounded medications, see our post do compounding pharmacies take insurance.
What gabapentin preparations does Bayview compound?
On a veterinarian's prescription, Bayview Pharmacy prepares gabapentin as:
- A flavored oral suspension, 100 or 300 mg/mL, measured with an oral syringe
- Capsules, 45 mg, a small capsule strength
- A transdermal gel, 40 mg per 0.1 mL, in a TopiClick metered applicator for the inner ear, for cats that refuse oral dosing
- A custom strength or form, as your veterinarian prescribes
Each preparation is made to a veterinarian's prescription for one animal. The full list of pet behavior preparations is on our Anxiety & Behavior Medications for Pets page, and the rest of what we compound is in our compounded medications catalog.
For veterinary compounding in general, see our compounding pharmacy for pets guide. For another veterinary preparation, see our post on compounded pimobendan liquid.
How do you talk to your veterinarian about gabapentin?
Questions worth bringing to your veterinarian:
- Have medical causes, especially pain, been ruled out?
- What does the behavior plan include alongside any medication?
- Is an FDA-approved product suitable, or a compounded preparation?
- Which form fits my pet: liquid, capsule, or ear gel?
- Should I give it before an event, and when, or on a regular schedule?
- What should I watch for after a dose?
- Could my pet's other medications or supplements interact with it?
If your veterinarian prescribes compounded gabapentin, they send the prescription to Bayview Pharmacy through a veterinary e-prescribing platform, by fax, or by phone, with your pet's species, breed, and current body weight. Bayview does not provide consultations and does not decide whether a medication is right for your pet; your veterinarian makes that call. We fill the prescription and can ship to the states where Bayview is licensed.
Frequently asked questions
Will medication fix my pet's anxiety on its own?
No. Veterinary behavior specialists describe medication as a support for behavior modification, not a replacement. A medication can improve a pet's emotional state and make learning easier, but new behaviors are learned only with a behavior plan at the same time. Your veterinarian, or a veterinary behaviorist, designs that plan and decides whether medication belongs in it.
Is there an FDA-approved medication for my pet's anxiety?
For some problems, yes. Fluoxetine chewable tablets (Reconcile) and clomipramine tablets (Clomicalm and a generic version) are FDA-approved for separation anxiety in dogs, used with a behavior plan. Dexmedetomidine oromucosal gel (Sileo) is approved for noise aversion in dogs, and pregabalin oral solution (Bonqat) is approved for fear and anxiety in cats around travel and veterinary visits. The preparations Bayview compounds are not FDA-approved. They are made on a veterinarian's prescription when your veterinarian decides an approved product is not suitable for your pet, for example when a smaller strength, a flavored liquid, or an ear gel is needed.
How soon will I see a change?
It depends on the medication. With a daily medication such as fluoxetine, it can take 7 to 30 days before a change in behavior is seen. Trazodone and gabapentin are often given ahead of a stressful event, such as a veterinary visit, at the time your veterinarian directs; in dogs, trazodone begins to act in about 90 to 120 minutes. Your veterinarian tells you when to give each dose and when to check back.
Why would my veterinarian choose an ear gel instead of a capsule or liquid?
Some cats will not take anything by mouth, and a gel rubbed onto the inner ear avoids pilling. The tradeoff is that behavior medications given through the skin can reach lower blood levels than the same drug by mouth, so veterinarians often keep ear gels for cats that will not accept oral dosing and watch the response closely. Wear disposable gloves when applying the gel and wash your hands afterward.
Can my pet take these with other medications?
Only as your veterinarian directs. Fluoxetine must not be combined with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as selegiline or amitraz, and after fluoxetine is stopped its label calls for a 6-week gap before starting a drug that may interact with it. Fluoxetine also affects liver enzymes that break down other drugs. Tell your veterinarian about every medication and supplement your pet receives.
What should I watch for after my pet starts a new medication?
Sleepiness or wobbliness can occur with trazodone and gabapentin. With fluoxetine, watch appetite and weight, since decreased appetite and weight loss were reported with the approved tablet for dogs. Call your veterinarian right away for a seizure, collapse, a racing heart, tremors, new aggression, or any change that worries you. Short notes on your pet's behavior and any side effects help your veterinarian review the plan with you.
Do I need a prescription?
Yes. All of our medications require a valid prescription from a licensed provider. We're a dispensing and compounding pharmacy, so we don't provide consultations or write prescriptions. If you don't have one yet, you'll need to see a provider first.
Can you fill a prescription from my own provider?
Yes. Your provider can send your prescription to Bayview Pharmacy by e-prescribe, fax, or phone, or you can transfer an existing prescription from another pharmacy.
How does shipping work?
Once your prescription is verified, we prepare your medication and ship it discreetly in plain packaging either via UPS or USPS. A pharmacy technician confirms the details with you before it goes out, and we're available if you have any questions.
Can I give my dog gabapentin from my own prescription?
No. Give your dog only the gabapentin its veterinarian prescribes for it. Gabapentin is a human medication that veterinarians prescribe extralabel, but a person's medicine is not a substitute for a pet's prescription. The FDA-approved human gabapentin oral solution contains xylitol, which the FDA warns can cause a rapid, dangerous drop in a dog's blood sugar. Never give a human liquid medicine or sugar-free product in place of your dog's prescription. This describes the human product only, not any compounded liquid.
Is gabapentin for cats available as an ear gel?
Yes. On a veterinarian's prescription, Bayview compounds a transdermal gabapentin gel, 40 mg per 0.1 mL in a TopiClick metered applicator, applied to the inner ear of cats that refuse oral dosing. A small pilot study found transdermal gabapentin was absorbed into the bloodstream in cats; it measured pain scores, not anxiety. A veterinary column notes that for several behavior medications given to cats through the skin, only a fraction of the oral blood level was reached. Its use in cats is extralabel (off-label), and the gel is not FDA-approved.
How long before a vet visit is gabapentin given?
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, veterinarians often have gabapentin given about 90 minutes before a stressful event, such as a car ride or a veterinary visit, at the time the veterinarian directs. Some pets receive it on a regular schedule instead. Ask your veterinarian what to expect for your pet, and watch your pet closely after a dose because it can cause sleepiness and wobbliness.
Who decides my pet's gabapentin dose?
Your veterinarian does. The dose is set for one animal, based on that animal, and the prescription includes your pet's species, breed, and current body weight so the dose can be verified. The strengths Bayview prepares, such as a 100 or 300 mg/mL liquid or 45 mg capsules, describe what can be made, not what to give. Give gabapentin exactly as your veterinarian directs and do not change the dose on your own.
What are the common side effects of gabapentin in dogs and cats?
Sleepiness is the main side effect. Some pets become wobbly, vomit, have diarrhea, or drool, and ear gels can cause redness or irritation where applied. In published studies of a single oral dose in cats, these effects were temporary. Watch your pet closely after a dose. Call your veterinarian right away for a seizure, collapse, or a pet that cannot be roused, or if a person or another animal swallows the medication.
How much does compounded gabapentin for dogs cost?
It depends on the form, strength, and quantity your veterinarian orders, so ask the pharmacy for the price of your pet's gabapentin preparation before it is filled. It is priced as a cash prescription. A prescription from a licensed veterinarian is required, and your veterinarian decides which form and strength to order.
What Bayview compounds for this
Important: Compounded medications are prepared to a prescriber's order for an individual patient. They are not FDA-approved, and the FDA has not evaluated them for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality. This article is educational and is not a substitute for advice from your prescriber or pharmacist.
This preparation contains a controlled substance. Controlled-substance prescriptions carry refill limits, must be e-prescribed, and can only be shipped to states where Bayview holds the required licensure.
Uses discussed here may be off-label, meaning they are not part of any FDA-approved labeling. Off-label use is a decision for you and your prescriber, based on the available evidence.
Veterinary preparations are compounded to a veterinarian's order for a specific animal and are not FDA-approved animal drugs. Never give a compounded human medication to an animal without veterinary direction.
Compounded prescriptions are paid for directly rather than billed through insurance. Most are HSA/FSA-eligible, and many patients submit the receipt to their plan for possible reimbursement. Pricing depends on the strength, dose form and quantity your prescriber orders. Read more about cost and insurance.
The price of a gabapentin preparation depends on the form, strength, and quantity your veterinarian orders, so ask the pharmacy for the price of your pet's preparation before it is filled. It is priced as a cash prescription.
Bayview Pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy in Warwick, Rhode Island, licensed to fill and ship compounded prescriptions for patients in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Florida, Maine and Pennsylvania. Prescriptions for New York patients are filled on a limited basis, and controlled substances are not shipped to New York addresses. See every state we ship to.
