Tramadol for dogs

Hi Lafilledu59, I’m sending you these words of encouragement because even if we’re just buying a bit more time, he’s still happy to be here despite the heavy treatments. If he weren’t, he’d be completely indifferent to his surroundings. I’m in a similar boat to you; my eleven-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois suddenly went blind at ten years old following a spike in eye pressure that had gone unnoticed. It was tough, as much for him as it was for us. But he’s adapted and so have we. We haven’t changed his little routine at all; he still goes for walks off-lead in the park he knows or in the garden. Over the last few days, his hind legs have started to fail and I know the end is drawing near, but as long as he looks up at me with those sweet eyes—even if he can no longer see—to tell me we’re carrying on, then that’s what I’ll do. I wanted to share this to give you a bit more strength.

Evening, and thank you so much Treasure for your understanding and support... I’m fully aware that I won’t have him with me for much longer. I’m keeping a very close eye on everything and, if needs be, I’ll give the vet a call to talk things through and get their advice; I know they’ll be straight with me and won’t hide anything.

Evening, Sending you lots of strength – I’d do exactly the same in your shoes. You’re the only one who can decide what’s best for him. Keep making the most of your time together; he’ll let you know when the time is right. Spoil him rotten while keeping a close eye on him. He’s on the home stretch now, but he’s still right there with you, and that’s what matters most to him.

Hi everyone, I’m certainly not thinking of keeping him around while he’s suffering. He’s only been on the Tramadol for less than 48 hours, so I’m giving it a few days to see if it takes effect. Today he is walking; he’s limping a bit, of course, but he isn’t holding his paw up. He’s wide awake, alert, listening out for noises outside and letting us know about them. I tell myself the pain can’t be constant since he still picks up his toy to chew on it sometimes. When the vet came this Thursday, I spoke to him about the day we might have to let him go, to see if it would be possible to do it at home. We discussed it and he said it wasn’t time yet. In his opinion, what we need to watch out for is when he can no longer walk, or if he’s constantly holding his leg up and his back end gives way whenever he tries to put weight on it—that’s when it’ll be time. He explained that the pain was there without painkillers, which is why he’s on Tramadol every 8 hours; it should normally manage the pain (just like a person taking medication where the pain subsides for several hours). That’s why I’m watching him and keeping an eye on his behaviour, checking if he’s holding his leg up etc., despite the new treatment. If he’s back to what I’d call normal an hour or two after his dose, then it must be helping. If there’s little to no change, then yes, it’s not working. I don’t think many people who’ve had to use this kind of treatment waited only 48 hours before saying goodbye to their boy. The vet didn’t say that it wasn’t working if there’s no change after two days, even if it is a "last resort" treatment... please don't worry, if I see he’s in pain, I’ll do what’s right for him and not just keep him for my own sake.

I completely disagree; a dog in pain can definitely show it. There are plenty of signs to look out for: they stop eating, become lethargic, their behaviour changes, they withdraw, or they might even get aggressive... and then there’s the look in their eyes. Let’s talk about that look, it can really show their distress. You know your own dog, so you just know when something is wrong. This poor pup is lifting his paw; yes, he’s almost certainly in some sort of pain or discomfort. Could some anti-inflammatories help ease things for him a bit more? Only the vet can tell you that, without over-treating him. Just be careful with meds though, as they can sometimes mask the underlying issue. @Lafifille, how are things this morning?

Hi there. The thing is, as we all know, a dog will do anything to hide the fact they’re in pain just to please their owner. That’s why it’s up to us humans to step up and do what’s necessary. Believe it or not, I went through this exact same thing a few years ago and I didn’t see the signs in time. By the time I finally realised, it was too late; my dog had been suffering without ever showing me anything obvious, even though looking back, it should have been clear. We cling on and we try to fight it, but it’s not our battle to fight—it’s theirs. I don’t know if it’s "time" for your dog yet, but reading your post, I wouldn’t wait around to see. I’d get to the vet as quickly as possible and ask them to be 100% honest with you, because what matters most isn't the heartbreak you'll feel, but the pain he’s going through right now.

PS: There’s no way I’d leave Pablo without any pain relief. What I meant was that if this one doesn't suit him, I’d check with the vet to see if there might be an alternative we could try instead to see how he gets on. As I just mentioned above, it seemed to have eased his pain this evening, so we’ll have to see how he is after his next few doses.

He took his tramadol at 4 pm, no drowsiness, and at 7 pm he got up walking a bit differently but without holding his leg up. He went out into the garden and came back in on all four legs, so it must have definitely eased the pain. I’ll keep a close eye on him tomorrow and see how he is two or three hours after his dose to check if he’s walking properly or keeping his leg up. If he’s walking like he did tonight, I’ll keep giving it every 8 hours, and if he starts to struggle again I’ll check with the vet to see if they can consider switching his painkillers. One day at a time, just seeing how my big lad gets on.

It’s so heartbreaking reading your update... he actually seemed more alert and in less pain before this new treatment. If it’s making him all drowsy, the poor old lad won't understand what’s happening to him 😞 You're definitely right to check back with the vet to see if there’s a more suitable treatment; this one clearly doesn’t agree with him! I really hope to hear some better news tomorrow... sending you all my support, and give Ulco a big pat from me.

He had another dose this afternoon at 4 pm. He got up and headed towards the hallway with his paw held up 😞 and when he put weight on it, it just buckled. He was hesitant about how to get back up on the sofa, so it’s obvious he’s in pain. It’s been two and a half hours since he took it and he hasn’t curled up in a ball like he did this morning; he’s lying down but he isn’t sleeping, he’s just watching everything around him. However, as he hasn’t got up yet, I can’t tell if it’s actually easing the pain. I’ll be watching him closely because if he gets up and still holds his paw up, it’ll mean this medication isn’t having any effect on him. I'll keep monitoring him tomorrow and if it’s still the same, I’ll try to get hold of the vet to talk about it. He’d mentioned several types of painkillers including Tramadol, so there are others, and maybe he’ll swap it for something else. If that happens but unfortunately it doesn't work either, then we’ll have to consider letting him go, because the next and final step is morphine, which makes the dog sleep day and night, so there’s no enjoyment left for him. It’s strange because he had a new anti-inflammatory and painkiller in one go on Saturday, and Sunday was when it all started going downhill—just one day later. Whether it’s a coincidence or linked, I don’t know, just like the way he suddenly started holding his paw up... I really don’t want to, but I’m very much afraid that the decision will have to be made soon...