Has anyone used Tramadol for arthritic pain?

How effective was it?

 

Hi Maryjo,

Are you asking about Tramadol for use by humans or for your kitty?

I have heard several people say it is not effective at all for arthritic pain, but each person is different, and of course, cats too.

Please post if it is for yourself or for your kitties? That might help others give a more qualified answer.

Take care!
Jean and Charcoal (GA)

 

I used it briefly in my dog before she got cartrophen shots and went onto metacam....ask your vet about its side effects and why they'd suggest it over other available meds.

 

My sheltie dog is on Tramadol and Rimadyl for arthritis pain. It seems to help him a bit, but his arthritis is quite severe. I don't believe there is anything to totally relieve it. It is helping take the edge of the pain. No significant side effects, and he has been on them for over a year. We DO go into the vet every 4 months for bloodwork to watch those kidneys, though!

 

Jean, this is General Cat Health so i didn't think i needed to say I was asking
about Tremadol for my cat. Thanks for that suggestion and i will be more specific next time.

My vet didn't suggest Tremadol for Fluffy but is ok with me trying it. I can get it compounded
into fish flavored suspension (don't know if that will really take away the bitterness)

I'm just having a terrible time Because everything has such bad sideeffects.
The Baby aspirin every third day is working good(on that last day tho he is hurting) but
i can't go on worrying about those side effects.
And i just can NEVER give metacam.

Right now he has had the 8 doses of Adequan and will get one every month now.
(that is the dose recommended) I believe i've read where others give it more often but
i've forgotten who. I also give the Dasuquin.

Entirely Pets compounding Pharmacy just called and they said several Vets in the Denver area give the Tremadol transdermal to cats and dogs and oder it on a regular basis.
He said the recommended dose for a cat Fluffy's weight is 24milligrams twice a day.

Fluffy needs surgery and we don't have any surgeons within 200 miles and no overnight care
Just have surgery and stay the night in a cage without any observation!

Sorry for the rambling.

Thanks Jean and Jen.

 

Hey, Maryjo, sorry about that! I almost thought I was on the Community forum and should have known better, but I had a rough weekend and Monday too. Long story. :roll:

Glad you pointed that out to me. DUH! It was after 3 am when I posted too, so I have to keep an eye on where I am 'thinking' I am posting. I assure you I am not 'drinking'. hehehe... confused_cat

Hope you can figure out something to help Fluffy. Poor little furbaby. I hate to see them in pain, and it is hard to figure out what to use in cats.

Take care!
Jean and Charcoal (GA)

 

Maureen does the labwork every 4 months guard against any kidney problems with
those meds?

 

No, it doesn't do anything to guard against kidney problems. The Rimadyl has the biggest effect on the kidneys, I believe. Not sure about Tramadol. BUT it WILL identify to my vet and I if the kidneys are beginning to show a decrease in function from the meds (or anything else) so that we can take Duncan off the meds immediately and not cause further damage to the kidneys. However, after a year, Duncan still has no decrease or side effects. I DO, however, opt low on his dosage, even WITH the high level of pain he suffers. He could be dosed 2x daily with both meds. I give him his Tramadol in the AM, and the Rimadyl at night. the two seem to work quite complementary together as the Rimadyl is an anti inflamatory and the Tramadol is a pain medication. The Rimadyl is the one that needs to be given at night, as that is when it will do the best help. Wal Mart fills the Tramadol for $4. It's on their reduced price list.

Something else that helps him a lot, probably is NOT an option as you are treating a cat. When he is having a very bad day, I run a warm bath for him in my bath tub and he just lies in the soapy tub and soaks away his pain. (I just tell myself that I am NOT really giving bubble-baths to my dog, particularly when I don't even take them - I shower quickly rather than bathe luxuriously. I save that for my dog.)

Now as for side effects, I weigh the risks and options. Duncan is a VERY O L D dog. He is basically a poorly bred throw-rug at this stage of his life. His level of pain is so high, but his blood work is pristene, so I decided the medications worth the risks of side effects in his case to afford the old boy some relief.

 

One thing I forgot to emphasize: If you use either Tramadol or use Tramadol WITH Rimadyl, in either case, the meds MUST be given on a full stomach. Do NOT give them on an empty stomach. A lot of the side effects are caused (and thereby avoided) by ensuring the pet has some food to diffuse the effects of the medications on their stomach and organs.

 

Thanks Maureen for all that information.

Made me tear up about all the pain your sweet Duncan has. It''s too bad that they have
to take that darn pain medicine and put up with all the side effects. But i am glad they have
pain medicine available for us to use.
I just love that you give him bubble baths!

I guess what i meant to say about the labwork was, will it catch the kidney problems in time to prevent serious problems. I guess one never really knows when that problem could start.

 

Yes, that's why the we do it every 4 months. Even every 6 months could help. It will catch kidney or liver problems early enough to react. Duncan is also on thyroid pills for an underactive thyroid - that requires more frequent blood testing. But he has been on Rimadyl for 3 years now, and Tramadol for a year, with no kidney or liver damage. The only side effect we had was stomach because it was never communicated to me these MUST be given on a full stomach, and the pill bottle also had no warning. Now that I always give him his meds on a full stomach, no more problems there.

Thank you for your kind words. Duncan is very definitely in the winter of his life. He is an O L D dog, and a very poorly bred one also. He was a shelter rescue, but I know him to be at least 13 years old, probably more like 15. For a dog his size and as poorly bred as he was, that is a very good life. He has progressed to the point that sometimes he cries just lying on the floor. He is going deaf and blind and can't hold his bowels as well as he used to. I brought him to the vet once to be PTS, but took him back home instead. That is when the vet tech told me about the Tramadol WITH Rimadyl. I figured worth trying to let him live! That was a year ago.

However, the old boy still tries to chase the ducks on the other side of the fence, run after people walking behind our yard, wants to be with us where we are and he does NOT miss a meal! He is still interested in life, so he puts up with the pain. Tram and Rimadyl have helped give him more time that he can endure the pain through to enjoy the life.