Tramadol for Dogs, Canine Drug to Treat Pain

Side Effects, Warnings of Dog Medicine for Painful Cancer, Arthritis

Mar 17, 2010
Aimee Larsen Stoddard

Tramadol Helps Ease Dog's Physical Pain - foxypar4

Tramadol (Ultram) treats acute and chronic pain in dogs. What are side effects of the drug in dogs? What precautions should pet owners take when giving it to a canine?

Veterinarians sometimes prescribe the analgesic tramadol for dogs (and sometimes cats) for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. The medicine, most often given in tablet form, is effective in treating a dog’s pain associated with cancer, arthritis, joint injury, and recent surgery. The drug is sometimes given as a cough suppressant as well. Developed to treat pain in humans, tramadol is the generic name of the brand name drug Ultram.

How Does the Medication Relieve Pain in Dogs?

Tramadol helps reduce inflammation and consequently pain in dogs. The medication reduces pain by binding to and blocking the pain receptors in the dog’s brain, which transmit the feeling of pain throughout the body. The amount of pain the dog experiences is thus decreased.

What are the Side Effects of Using this Medication for Dogs?

Though tramadol is considered safe for dogs, there are potential mild to severe side effects. Canines’ reactions to the drug can include tiredness, weakness, decreased appetite, panting, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, blurred vision, decreased heart rate, and trouble sleeping. Some dogs have an allergic reaction to the medicine, which might manifest as problems breathing, hives, or swelling of the face, throat, lips, or tongue. Additional serious side effects include severe rash, seizure, tremors, and changes in behavior.

Contact a vet immediately if the dog experiences any unusual or severe side effects.

Warnings about the Use of the Drug in Canines

There are several tramadol warnings that dog owners should be aware of before giving the medication to their pets. Be sure to inform the veterinarian of any medicines the dog is currently taking. Some drug interactions intensify the effects and can be very serious. Narcotics, anxiety medications, anti-depressants, anti-nausea medicines, sedatives, tranquilizers, and other drugs may interact negatively with tramadol.

Only give the dog the prescribed dosage. Overdoses can be fatal. Unless advised by a vet, it is important not to abruptly stop giving the medicine to a dog as withdrawal symptoms can be serious as well.

Tramadol for Dogs

Tramadol is a prescription drug for canines. Veterinarians prescribe the medication to treat acute or chronic pain. The drug does not cure a dog’s illness, disease, or injury, but it does help manage the dog’s physical suffering. Be sure to contact a vet if the dog experiences any unusual side effects or serious reactions to this pain reliever.

Sources:

Tramadol, 1800PetMeds.com

Tramadol Tablets (Generic), DrsFosterSmith.com

Treating Canine Arthritis Pain, VetInfo.com

Aimee Larsen Stoddard - Aimee is a professional writer/editor. She has a BA in English and is currently completing an MS in Theology.

Comments

Apr 28, 2010 5:09 PM

Guest :

what is the recommended dose of Tramadol for a 15# dog?

Nov 8, 2010 4:59 PM

Guest :

I do not like to give my old dog tramadol too often as he gets very hot after the initial doseage.
Has anyone else noticed this?

Nov 16, 2010 4:29 AM

Guest :

My 15 pound dog accidentally swollowed a pill of tramadol hcl/ acetaminophen 37.5 - 325 mg.
Will this harm him?

Nov 16, 2010 9:52 AM

Aimee Larsen Stoddard :

@ Guest: I would call the vet and tell him/her what happened and get advice.

Dec 5, 2010 2:44 AM

Guest :

Tramadol gave me my dog back. I can not speak highly enough about this stuff. Baily was a search and rescue dog, hospice therapy dog, and helped us foster and train hard luck case dogs. She was a hero to her comunity and member of our family. When Bailey was about 13 she started to slow down and had trouble getting around, I would pick her up (55lbs) to take her up and down stairs. Shortly after starting 50mg tabs we started going on walks again started small, about 20 yards and in just a few weeks we were up to a mile. She had liver troubles so kept an eye on her blood and tramadol didnt cause any problems, she passed at 15 1/2. Tramadol made those last 2 1/2 years so much happier.

Dec 15, 2010 7:33 AM

Guest :

after a 1yr on tramadol 50mg 2pills 2 x aday he is about 60lb and is now having seizures
he has had 3 since 11/27/10 im going to slowly take him off just give him 2 aday am and pm for 5 days then just 1 a day maybe this will help stop the seizure then he will be in physical pain in his hips and legs

Dec 27, 2010 2:23 PM

Guest :

Good... As a human MD, find this readable and helpful.....makes point this is a narcotic, with some moderate advantages over others; similar downsides...

Mar 2, 2011 2:16 PM

Guest :

Very helpful

Mar 3, 2011 12:16 PM

Guest :

My 10 year old German Shepherd has arthritis of the spine and takes Tramadol along with his arthritis meds, we are very lucky have not had any side effects yet, I do cut down the dosage on days when old art is not acting up. It has helped him so much. It enables him to still play like hes four!!!!

Mar 13, 2011 6:08 PM

Guest :

My dog has just been prescribed Tramadol. It must be very bitter because every time I try to give her the pill she shakes her head violently and foams at the mouth. I have tried hiding it in food and "pushing it down" her throat. She always manages to get it back up. Does anyone have any other ideas on administering it? She is on two other meds and she will take them hidden in treats. She is taking a half of a 50mg tablet twice a day.

Mar 17, 2011 7:35 PM

Guest :

My dog manages to get pills out of most treats, but I have found that I can hide any pill (including tramadol) in a big lump of braunswager and she gulps it all down.

Mar 19, 2011 1:12 AM

Guest :

I always have to hide my girls tablets in a piece of chicken,she has meds am and pm and i keep chicken ready for her,works great.

Mar 19, 2011 12:47 PM

Guest :

Try a bit of cream cheese. Hide the pill in the center.

My dog has to take Tramadol for a short while until her toe heals. She probably broke it during one of her mad dashes into the yard to go after the "evil bunnies".

Anyway, she spat it out a couple of times though I hid it in chicken. Cream cheese worked.

Mar 23, 2011 7:27 AM

Guest :

it was very helpful, my pet was just placed on it and i can see a positive effect already after

only a few days.

Apr 7, 2011 7:42 PM

Guest :

One of my dogs was dying of Cancer when I was giving it to her for pain. She was a beautiful sweet 60.0 AMPT with a heart of gold and it was hard watching her go through paind from a rare form of cancer that made the bones in her front legs grow very large and solid that felt like concrete or a wall when you touched them including the the digits in her paws, everything started spreading out and growing wide, so she was given Tramadol. Well, everytime I put it in her throat and she swallowed, she would instantly go into a blank state, look disoriented and weak, have quick sudden mini tremors and almost collapse, I would quickly holder her upright to help her snap out of it, then after a few episodes I stopped giving it to her before she died.
Then my other brindle AMPT, (male) would foam at the mouth and shake his head violently and he would clearly try to avoid letting me give it to him to help with his ear hematoma surgery. So, no more Tramadol for my babies. It may work for some, but two of my dogs both had scary reactions to it, especially my female pittie, may she rest in peace :(

Apr 17, 2011 6:48 AM

Guest :

My 30 lb royal speckled hound( hes a mut) is 15 plus & has had arthuritis for 4 years & recently has been going down hill fast. I tried Tramadol & it seemed his hips were getting worst by the hour. The last few days I have slowed down his dosage & he seems to be a bit more mobile. The vet told me to give him 1 tablet of 50 mg twice a day . Seems like a lot for a 30 lb dog, dont it ? I have negative feelings about this drug.

Apr 30, 2011 6:47 AM

Guest :

For the pet owner having trouble administering tramadol -- I find it too much of a struggle to push piils far enough back in my german shepard's mouth. Wrapping in food (cheese, peanut butter, meats etc...) as well as Pill Pockets for pets were useless she simply ate around the pill and left it on the floor. The one thing I found that has been working for my dog is the Frosty Paw frozen bite size treats for dogs. They are frozen but still soft enough to push the tramadol into and mold it around the pills. I can get her 2 tramadol pills into one treat and she enjoys taking them. My 11 year old sweetheart is dying of bone cancer. It is important to me that every minute of every day be a positive, happy experience for her. Force feeding her 8 pills a day was not an option.

May 2, 2011 1:38 PM

Guest :

Both the article and Guest comments were very helpful. I suspected a light seizure or tremor from giving this to my dog after the second dose, so I stopped. Am still waiting for vet's response to my phone call. I think the vet prescribed too high a dosage for an 11.75# dog (25mg) who becomes very letharic after being given dosage. Thank you for article and Guest forum.

May 3, 2011 5:35 PM

Guest :

the best way to give tramadol is go get the emply gelatin capsules, get the big ones (or get your vet to order them) 5 tramadol tablets fit just fine inside the capsules, put the top on and push it down ,,, did your vet show you how to pill your dog.. it's easy and now i give her the well done roast beef (i used to wrap the pills in til she got wise)as a treat!!!!

May 9, 2011 7:25 PM

Guest :

to tramadol to your dog try to open the capsula and mix it with liver sausage. works fine with our Lap.

May 11, 2011 4:06 PM

Guest :

I've been giving my dog Tramadol and am not sure if it's working. While I understand that she'll get spacey after having her dosage because it's an opiate, I can't understand why she appears scared, shakes, and is more sensetive to the touch and more congested than she already is. (She has a growing and inoperable tumor in her nasal passage.) These are all signs to me that the Tramadol is causing her more suffering. I've told my vet about the issue. She swears by Tramadol, but I have my doubts. Any suggestions?

May 18, 2011 5:02 PM

Guest :

I got it in liquid form from my vet because my dog can not have any treats. Very easy to use in this form if you are having issues with the pill.

May 25, 2011 9:47 AM

Guest :

My beautiful 14 Yr old girl has just been prescribed Tramadol to relieve the pain in her back legs caused by Kidney malfunction. I'm totally gutted, fed up with people saying "Yes but sh'es had a good life" and nervous about giving them to her but if they help her have a positive and happy life for however long then we dog lovers will just do it won't we.

May 28, 2011 4:32 PM

Guest :

I always put medicine inside small piece of bread squeeze it to make dough ball around it then put peanut butter or jelly non it my dog loves it. before this nothing worked she always spit the pill out

Jun 1, 2011 2:10 PM

Guest :

My 15 year old Border Collie went bonkers on Tramadol. Now, my 11 year old Australian Shepherd is exhibiting the same behavior. Whining and panting. Unable to sleep well. Yes, it relieves the pain but makes them very emotional.

Jun 14, 2011 6:42 PM

Guest :

just tried Tramodol for the first time, for Abraham. Dosage 50mg. BID. I cut the first dose in half just to make sure there are no side effects. the feedback definately helped.will post what happens to Abraham.

Jul 8, 2011 4:39 AM

Guest :

our 10 yr old cocker has been put on tramadol since she has the floating knee caps and they are wearing on the bone. I have her on 1 50mg a day and she has gone from not able to step up on a curb to being able to get on the couch...takes her a couple times but she is responding. No real side effects have been noticed, tho she sometimes will just stand and stare for a few minutes, but usually in the evenings and she takes the meds in the morning. Can't say of this is a side effect since she has been doing this for a while and I did not associate this with the med

Aug 16, 2011 1:28 PM

Guest :

My 13 year old dog was just started on Tramadol. She has arthritis in both hips and lower spine....but up until 3 weeks ago Glucosamine was doing the trick. I suppose things happen quicker with dogs. She's greatly improved with a triple dose, which will be weened down to the 1 pill 2x/day. But, I am still keeping an eye on her to see how Happy she is. I wish some of the other guests would realize how lucky we are to actually put our pets out of pain. When they've been diagnosed with a fatal disease, please let them go. We have the power...and they can't tell us how much pain they are really in.

Sep 5, 2011 2:39 PM

Guest :

My dog just had knee surgery and is taking Tramadol for pain relief. He seems to be tolerating it well and will swallow it with a pill pocket. He is taking 1 1/2 tablets 3x a day. How long does he need to take this? Anyone know?

Sep 26, 2011 1:47 PM

Guest :

I just gave my 11y/o 100 lb lab 100mg of Tramadol. This is in addition to Rimadyl 2x per day. This morning, my husband and I decided we needed to take him in and have him put to sleep as over the past 1 month, he has gone from hobbling around the house to not being able to stand without help. He is resting comfortably on this medication. My heart is aching as I know what we will have to do in the near future. But for now, I can sit with my lover dog, and know he is resting comfortably.

Oct 6, 2011 5:41 PM

Guest :

I think my dog is wasted! 25mg tramadol 250mg cephhalexin,25mg rimadyl. Hes 25lb beagle that was bitten by a snake of unknown species. Hes never taken drugs before! Poor guy, cant hardly raise his head. Think Ill sit up with him tonight give em some coffee and a cold shower. Joking! He dosent do good on coffee. Thanks for the info on this page I was afraid the vet od'ed him. I belive Ill cut his dose of tramadol in half if he needs it again.

Oct 12, 2011 3:53 PM

Guest :

My 70 lb, 13 year old dog was in absolute misery because of blown knees. The vet prescribed Tramadol (I give him one 50mg twice a day) and Gabapentin, and Meloxicam. He still hobbles, but he enjoys his life again. I really thought we were going to lose him. But now he can walk around the block. I have not noticed any side effects. We tuck his pills into a small piece of hot dog.

Nov 27, 2011 10:49 AM

Guest :

I would be very careful with this stuff, when my vet gave it to me for my dog he didn't mention any of the side effects, so I kept giving it to him thinking it was helping......... basically it killed him, weakness, fainting, appetite loss, seizures I wish I would have googled this stuff sooner !!! PET OWNERS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, SO YOU KNOW IF YOUR DOG MY BE HAVING AN ALLERGIC RESPONSE TO THIS DRUGS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dec 12, 2011 1:11 PM

Guest :

My 9 ye old Springer Spaniel was just diagnosed with arthritis. She's been on Tramadol and Rimadyl for the past couple of weeks and we're now weaning her off. She's responded very well - except for those times she TASTES the Tramadol! It will make her shake her head and froth. We've tried a number of things to get the pills down - trick is to NOT give them anything they have to chew or they will taste it! Cottage cheese works well - I also made small meatballs from ground turkey to hide them in. Please keep in mind - when / if you stop giveing them meds (mine only has to take them as needed now) they may be nauseous after going off the Tramadol (btw this happens to people too). Their appetite greatly improves when they're not taking it as well!

Dec 29, 2011 9:31 AM

Guest :

Just wanted to add another idea for getting your dog to eat pills, Kraft singles work every time, with all my dogs (not with my cats unfortunately). My dogs all look forward to my 13 year old's "pill time" because they each get a little bite also... but you have to use name brand not generic because the generic won't stick around the pill.
Also, I think some of the dosages others have been given are too high. I have a 100 lb dog who was having trouble with tramadol 50 mg pill 3x a day, and so I don't give him more than 50 mg twice one day if he really needs it because he is sensitive to it. 1 pill per night seems to help him without making him too crazy, and he is able to get up in the morning without too much trouble. I would experiment with cutting down dosages before giving up on tramadol, not only is it cheap but also safe for dogs with liver issues and I think kidney problems as well.

Jan 10, 2012 6:59 PM

Guest :

I have only givin my beagle Tia this now 3 times and am looking for side effect info right now that the vet didn't give us. after looking the drug up first I felt it might be alright for her to take because she is in a lot of pain from a severe bladder infection but it's not, she is having problems breathing and went from being able to walk to not being able to stand up. I pray she gets through the night please do not give your loving pets this drug without going through all the research

Jan 17, 2012 12:38 PM

Guest :

i would seriously think twice about this drug. my german shepherd was prescribed tramadol for arthritis 5 days ago and he died this morning. he had blood and urine tests before starting the treament which were fine, went downhill on day 3 of tramadol r.i.p. Blade

Jan 22, 2012 8:25 AM

Guest :

I have a 7 year old golden sheppard that weighs about 60 pounds, I need to know how much Tramadol I can give him for pain.

Jan 30, 2012 3:13 PM

Guest :

We just got Tramadol capsules, can I open them and pour it on his food?

Feb 21, 2012 11:40 PM

Guest :

the cream cheese worked like a charm for my 13yr old black lab! thank you so much! it was almost like pulling her teeth again to get that pill down! so much easier, thanks again!

Mar 5, 2012 2:17 PM

Guest :

I took my dog to the emergency vet, he spent 2 nights in the ICU, came home 100% better and ever since he was prescribed this medicine along w/ 5 others he has gone down hill fast. I have been trying to research this drug as well as what a combination of the 6 drugs will do to a dog and have found it hard to get good information about canine interactions. I am not sure I think this drug is a good idea and wish I would have stopped giving it to him when I started to notice the bad things. He cant even walk now & all his legs are swollen. He is miserable and looks like we might have to put him to sleep.

Mar 8, 2012 4:34 PM

Guest :

My German Shepherd (2 1/2 yrs old, 77 lbs) was hit by an SUV 4 days ago and showed no signs of injury until last night when she started breathing very hard and fast. I took her to the vet today and they did x-rays and she has bleeding in her lungs and some fluid. they Gave me Tramadol 50mg's 2x's a day. I gave it to her and she is resting quietly finally. They are hoping that when the pain lessens, she will start eating/drinking again. And When she does start eating and drinking again, they gave me a different pain med to give her. The tramadol is only until the pain is undercontrol enough that she will start eating without being bribed!

Mar 12, 2012 8:31 PM

Guest :

I just want to tell everyone reading these posts that I gave my 96 lb. German Shepherd dog a 10 milligram ace vet tablet for anxiety at noon today but because she had a tramadol last night, they interacted and she is totally out of it right now. We have been staying with her and she has started to pant as she wasn't for the last 4 and 1/2 hours. She is very hot though. Her eyes are really red and droopy. She will be 9 Nov 29th. We are very concerned for her but we know she'll pull through. She is terrified of fireworks and strong wind noise so that's why we give her one ace vet when she freaks out. She hadn't had any since Halloween of last year. I just want everyone to know be very careful when mixing drugs in older dogs, it can be dangerous. I will check in later to tell you how she's doing.
Thanks for having this site.

Mar 13, 2012 6:02 PM

Guest :

My dog was given Tramadol post knee surgery along with Acepromizine. He's so drugged he can barely hold his head up?? I haven't given him any more Acepromizine for the past 9 hrs. Is it the combination of the two?

Mar 19, 2012 1:22 PM

anna etters :

My little guy, Chester T. Chubbs has been on Tramadol for a little over a year. He used to take Buprinex, I believe, but was switched because of his age, (is almost 4), and he will need it for the rest of his life,(I hope it is a long...very long life!)
He was born with deformed front legs, and has begun to go from fun and lively, to "oh, Mama..I'm miserable!) I noticed that after a dose, he doesn't want to eat much for a few hours, but as far as drowsiness is concerned, he exhibited no signs of being the least bit tired. When he took Buprinex, he used to vomit. I did observe him lying down, but he would not sleep. It looked more like dizziness, to me, or nausea. Tramadol seems to be a better fit, for Chester, and he only has to take 1, every 12 hours, if needed. I think that we both appreciate that, because he can smell it, right through anything I've tried to hide it in. Now, I wait about 1/2 hour, after he eats, then just wet the tip of my finger, place the pill on it, to make it 'stick', give him a few quarter sized bits of swiss cheese, and pop it on into his mouth as far down as I can. This works for us, and the pill stays down,

Apr 4, 2012 1:07 PM

Guest :

the easiest way i have found is to crush the pills to a fine powder and mix with my dogs food. she has no idea she is getting it.

Apr 10, 2012 6:54 PM

Guest :

It is truly unbelieveable how vets have perscibed this as a pain treatment. 18 years of nursing and I have yet to see a positive reation. So today when my husband came home with it for our dog I began to research how this effects pets. Sadly I have read mostly tramatic experiences.. thank you but we will pass. Back to puppy massages.

Apr 19, 2012 8:00 AM

Guest :

I gave our 13 year old dog (redbone coonhound) Tramadol as recommended by our vet to treat arthritis pain beginning in January. There was improvement in mobility for the first month. He was having intermittant seizures prior to the meds. I think the meds made them worse. He died this morning. In a do-over, I would not give this med to a dog.

Apr 28, 2012 7:01 PM

Guest :

theses stories are pretty scarey..i recently put my 115 lb 2 yr old ...female irish wolfie on 2- 50 mg twice daily due to early hip/spine arthritis issues..... its only been month.....has definitely helped but these longer term issues concern me ....not sure how to proceed based on what Im reading

May 12, 2012 10:10 AM

Guest :

Im not sure if people are not telling their vets what other meds their dogs are on or what.. but make sure you do! it says to not give this med if your dog is taking anything for anxiety! and it also says if your dog has seizures to not give it.. so make sure you give your vet all iso on your dog! he may not remember everything.... my dog a half min pin 24 lbs ( yea he is 5 lbs overweight..the little pig but now on a diet) he pulled back really fast form his dad trying to seal a treat and got an embolism in his neck.. he was in a lot of pain dn couldn't walk on his right leg at all.. emergency vet started him on tramadol 25 mlg every 12 hrs.. I put it in a piece of steak.. no problem! he feels much better but wasn't sleeping well and I felt he was still in some pain. so after seeing the regular vet he upped it to one 50ml at night and 25 ml 2x a day.. he is doing great on it.. and is now walking and gets less wobbly a day.. he cant jump up or down or do steps yet but he is healing thank god... yes he gets a bit glassy eyed at night but he is finally sleeping better and so am I now.. one problem Im having is he is constipated now.. at first he was on a antibiotic which kept him loose but he's off that now so now to figure out how to get him to poo again... any ideas? oh and I used to take this same med.. didn't work well for me and I know a lot of people had issues with it..but as with any drug it won't work well for every single person or dog.. and if your dog is having seizures stop the drug and tell your vet! my vet did say this was a very safe pain med.. he had a lot of experience with it and I trust him.. now not every animal will tolerate the same things..so do your research and keep an eye on your dog and call the vet if you see anything odd happening ..and always tell them of any other meds or herbal product because there can be interactions...

May 14, 2012 3:22 PM

Guest :

My dog is a small 14lb mix Tibetan Spaniel and Pekingese. He was hit by a car few days ago but luckily he just cheated death and seems fine. During the incident two of the nails on his paws were torn off by the car and he's been limping a bit. I've taken him to two different vets and they have prescribed Tramadol (pain killer), Baytril (Antibiotic) and Otomax ointment. Although he's doing well, but we are having a hard time giving him the Tramadol. He starts foaming from the mouth almost immediately, trying to trow out the pill. it takes a few minutes even after he has taken the pill to stop foaming from the mouth! it just appears to be pretty bitter to him! I noticed some other ppl were witnessing similar side effect in the pets. Anyone here who can elaborate?!

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