Gabapentin, trazodone and calmer anesthesia for dogs and cats
If your pet gets nervous on the way to the vet, struggles with being put in a carrier, or has to undergo a procedure under general anesthesia, you might be surprised how much a simple oral sedative or anxiolytic given beforehand can help. Drugs like gabapentin (commonly used for nerve pain and anxiety in pets) and trazodone (an anxiolytic/sedative often used in dogs as well as cats) are increasingly used as “pre-visit” or pre-anesthesia medications. Here’s what they can do and why many veterinarians, including veterinary anesthesiologists, recommend them.
Less stress from home to hospital
A single dose of gabapentin before travel has been shown to reduce signs of stress and make cats easier to transport and handle at the clinic. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, owners and observers reported less fear and better handling compliance when cats received gabapentin about 90–120 minutes before the appointment. This really matters: stressed cats are harder to examine, more likely to hide or scratch, and less likely to receive routine care. (PubMed)
Easier carrier placement and calmer clinic visits
Because these medications reduce anxiety, owners may find it easier to get their cat into a carrier and into the exam room. That calmer state also lowers struggling during routine exams (blood draws, temperature checks, nail trims) so the visit itself is less traumatic for both pet and person. Recent reviews and clinical trials back up the benefit of gabapentin and related drugs to make veterinary visits less distressing for cats. (PMC)
Safer, smoother anesthesia: less injectable sedatives and less gas needed
One important medical advantage of premedication is that it can reduce the amount of stronger drugs needed later. Studies show that giving oral gabapentin before anesthesia lowers the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) — that’s the measure anesthetists use for how much inhaled anesthetic (gas) is needed to prevent movement during surgery. In dogs, a single oral dose of gabapentin (20 mg/kg given ~2 hours before) reduced isoflurane MAC by roughly 20% and, importantly, dogs woke up faster after anesthesia. (PubMed)
A similar MAC-sparing effect has been measured in cats after a single pre-anesthetic dose of gabapentin (100 mg per cat given ~2 hours prior), meaning less inhalant anesthesia is required to keep them comfortably and safely asleep. Since inhalant anesthetics (like isoflurane and sevoflurane) are the agents most associated with dose-dependent cardiac and respiratory depression, being able to reduce the amount needed can improve safety, especially in older or medically fragile patients. (PubMed)
Trazodone has also been studied: oral trazodone before anesthesia produces measurable sedation and can reduce the inhalant requirement (MAC) in dogs, providing another tool veterinarians can use to lower overall anesthetic exposure. (PubMed)
Owners frequently inquire about giving these oral medications the day of anesthesia and we can confidently say, yes please!
Easier IV catheter placement and less injectable sedation
When a pet is calmer from an oral premed, vets and technicians often need less injectable sedation to get an IV catheter and start fluids or give induction drugs. That’s because a calmer animal is easier to handle and restrain safely. For many pets (especially fearful cats), a gabapentin dose before travel improves handling compliance and reduces the need for heavier injectable sedatives that themselves carry risks. (PubMed)
Faster, gentler recoveries
Because less inhalant gas may be required, and because some premeds shorten the necessary depth of anesthesia, studies have reported shorter times to extubation (waking up and removing the breathing tube) when gabapentin is used before anesthesia. Faster recovery may mean a less disoriented, more comfortable pet after the procedure. (PubMed)
A few safety notes for pet owners:
- Always follow your vet’s instructions. Doses and timing matter — the studies above used specific doses and gave the medication 1.5–2 hours before travel or anesthesia. Your pet may have underlying health conditions that would indicate a dose adjustment. Do not dose on your own.
- Not every medication is right for every pet. Pets with certain health problems, on other medications, or with specific drug sensitivities may not be good candidates. Discuss your pet’s full health history and current meds with your veterinarian.
- Side effects: mild sedation and wobbly gait are the most common complications. Serious reactions are uncommon but possible — that’s why veterinary oversight is important. (PMC)
Bottom line
A small, well-timed oral sedative or anxiolytic can do more than just keep your pet quiet — it reduces stress during transport and clinic visits, can make handling and IV placement easier and safer, lowers the amount of gas anesthesia needed, and may speed recovery. If your pet gets nervous at the vet or needs anesthesia, ask your veterinarian whether a pre-visit medication like gabapentin or trazodone is appropriate — there’s good evidence these strategies improve both welfare and medical safety. (PubMed)
Finally, if you have not found these oral medications to work well for your pet, there are other classes of medications that may be more effective, don’t hesitate to reach out to your veterinarian or consult with a veterinary anesthesiologist to get other recommendations.
Selected studies: Johnson et al., Am J Vet Res 2019 (gabapentin reduced isoflurane MAC in dogs and shortened extubation time); Chen et al., Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2023 (gabapentin reduced MAC in cats); van Haaften et al., JAVMA 2017 (gabapentin reduced transport/visit stress in cats); Hoffman et al., Vet Anaesth Analg 2018 (trazodone reduces MAC in dogs); review of pre-appointment meds. (PubMed)
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (10/28/2025) Photo by Bri Tucker on Unsplash