UPDATE:

2 eggs. Would not touch kibble in eggs, ate 3 bites of egg, then head turn away
Mashed potatoes - Ate them, first couple bites from my hand. After that, only after he'd dropped it and sniffed it really well
Chicken breast - ate it one bite at a time

I suspect the Gabapentin is behind his loss of appetite. My MIL had the same reaction when she had to take it. I need to check with Dr. Vancil as to whether Andy should get a lower dose. No pain is the goal. Not eating is a problem. The ONLY times Andy has ever turned down food was when he got sick following Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide) and during his April lymphoma relapse.

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Hello Danny and precious Andy

Maybe Andy is losing his smell from the gabapentin and all the other meds.

Try to spice up the food. I used to add a little worcestershire sauce to Sofie's food when her smelling started to fade away. It worked.

Hugs and bunches of prayers.

I am a little confused about the gabapentin. Its used only for pain secondary to nerve damage. Its got a ton of nasty side effects.
Maybe Andy is better off without it.

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He sure keeps you on your toes!

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"In life, the best walks are always too brief."


Gallagher(went to the Rainbow Bridge 08/02/02), and Fozzie's Mom forever!(Fozzie went to the Rainbow Bridge 07/14/12)

Thank you

You could be right. My MIL got Gabapentin for pain. However, the side effects Gabapentin appears to be having on Andy are worse than the pain. Pretty much mirroring those my MIL got from taking it.

It's a dilemma. With the Tramadol alone, 50mg may not be enough to keep him totally pain free, but 100mg gets him really loopy. All antiinflammatories are off the table because the chemo taxes his liver so much.

He's also on a different wide spectrum antibiotic to treat his ankle, which flared up and started swelling again 3 days after he completed 20 days of Clavamox. His immune system isn't very strong, as you might expect from a chemo patient.

He's taking 13 pills a day between the Gabapentin, Tramadol, antiobiotic, and supplements to keep his liver levels near normal. I'm going to put a call into Dr. Vancil about the Gabapentin. Maybe 100mg instead of 300mg a day would be enough, or maybe we should just wean him off of it completely.

I just want him to feel good and have a healthy ankle so he can have fun again. He's been cooped up for 7 weeks now. We're stuck in a bit of a dilemna just now trying to find the right meds and dosages to treat arthritis pain so he can enjoy a decent quality of life. Then, there's this ankle problem that doesn't seem to want to totally go away. Makes his whole leg swell up and he can't walk on it.

Like Mikhail Baryshnikov!

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Danny gabapentin is not going to relieve our boy's pain unless its from damage to a nerve/s. The side effects can be miserable and can severely impact Andy;s quality of life without releiving his pain. Many of the drugs used in chemo can cause nerve damage and thats where gabapentin helps a lot. I agree with you in that 300mgm is a bit of a high dose for a 85 pound dog. 100mgm at night should be enough. It will help him sleep. Another 100 mgm at noon may be all he needs if indicated. Gabapentin side effects are dose related. Yes, if you decide to stop the gabapentin, Andy has to weaned off it. Dont suddenly stop it or he will get severe withdrawal effects.

Tramadol is a relatively weak pain killer, but can also have a lot of side effects. Over 200mgm a day is the ceiling and then the side effects kick in. You may want to talk to your vet about the fentanyl patch that delivers a pretty powerful pain killer through the skin. We used it on Sofie towards the end. It made her very woozy but she was pain free.

Just informal advice here. Discuss with your vet.

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Sending thoughts and prayers that Andy's appetite returns. It is troubling when they are picky or won't eat. Andy needs to get his strength up so that he can swim when the warm weather returns!

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Thank you SO much for the helpful info. I've cut Andy's Tramadol back to 50mg 2x's a day. 100mg is a bit much at a time. There's always the option of 3x's a day if he's in discomfort. I'm going to call Dr. Vancil today to relay what's going on with Andy and ask about a lower dosage. Maybe he'll suggest we get off of it, in which case I'll need 100mg caps to wean him off slowly anyway. His appetite loss began about the time he started the 300mg of Gabapentin, which Dr. Vancil prescribed to help with Andy's arthritis.

Thanks Yes, we must be up for swimming, which will be upon us in just 3 months. We have lake trails to walk in the meantime this winter while the snakes and ticks are dormant. I suspect once we get the Gabapentin dosage/use issue resolved Andy's appetite will return with gusto. Just hoping the new antibiotic will heal whatever is causing his ankle to get infected.

You all are such great people. Thank you!

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Danny

I think it would be a good idea to ask the vet what she/he thinks about the Fentanyl patch, as Lilliegrace mentioned:

Tramadol is a relatively weak pain killer, but can also have a lot of side effects. Over 200mgm a day is the ceiling and then the side effects kick in. You may want to talk to your vet about the fentanyl patch that delivers a pretty powerful pain killer through the skin. We used it on Sofie towards the end. It made her very woozy but she was pain free.

Praying for Andy's ankle to get better!

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[IMG]http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215

Tonka & Tucker

SNOBEAR at the Bridge
Dec. 23, 1999-March 27, 2010


SMOOCH at the Bridge.
Feb. 14, 1999-Dec. 7, 2010

Sorry to hear that Andy is not feeling better yet and still picking at his food.
Maybe the laser treatments will help and you will be able to cut down more on pain meds.
I agree, to talk to your oncologist and see if you can cut the dose of the Gabapentin. It does seem to be the root of his finick eating right now, doesn't it?
Good luck. I hope Andy feels better soon.

Maybe give the magnetic collar a shot? It really works for Toby and I used to be a big skeptic.

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My boys from left to right:
Thunder Dachsi Toby




http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...is-issues.html

My Toby, my heart dog 3/12/2003 - 3/30/2013, I miss you Toby!


Christa

Danny I hope Andy begins to eat soon. We are all thinking about him. Looking forward to your next update

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