Pregabalin

Pregabalin is an anti-seizure drug (anticonvulsant). In human medicine it is licensed for, among other things, nerve pain, as an add-on treatment for certain epileptic seizures and for generalised anxiety disorder. In dogs, vets use it only occasionally, usually when other pain or seizure medicines are not enough.

In the USA, a pregabalin product for dogs has had conditional approval since May 2026, specifically for pain and discomfort associated with Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia. In Switzerland, Germany and Austria we are not aware of any product for dogs; one product is licensed here for cats. In dogs, the vet therefore uses the drug outside its licence (off-label use, known as cascade use in Europe) and takes responsibility for doing so. In Germany and Austria, pregabalin is prescription-only. Never give your dog pregabalin from your own medicine cabinet, and keep products for humans out of reach.

What is pregabalin and what is it used for?

Pregabalin dampens the excitability of certain nerve cells in the central nervous system. This can reduce nerve pain and make seizures less frequent. How well it works in an individual dog is assessed by the vet. In dogs, pregabalin is mainly considered in two situations:

• Nerve pain: Vets sometimes use pregabalin for persistent nerve pain, for example after slipped discs, with nerve damage or with degenerative diseases of the nervous system.
• Seizures: Pregabalin can be considered as an add-on treatment when other anti-epileptic drugs such as phenobarbital or levetiracetam do not control the seizures well enough.

Dosage and form

The dosage depends on weight, the type and severity of the condition and how the dog responds. The vet sets the dose and adjusts it.

Dogs usually receive pregabalin as capsules or tablets.

Side effects and precautions

In a study in dogs, these were the main side effects (Kriechbaumer et al., 2022):

• Drowsiness or sedation
• Weakness
• Coordination problems, such as an unsteady gait
• Disorientation

Your dog needs close monitoring by the vet, because side effects and overdosing are possible.

Important: Pregabalin must not be stopped suddenly. Otherwise withdrawal symptoms can occur, and in dogs with seizures, seizures can return. The vet will plan how to taper it off.

Pregabalin can interact with other medicines. So tell the vet which other medicines your dog is taking.

What do studies say?

There are a few studies in dogs, mostly with small numbers of animals:

• Syringomyelia: In a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 9 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, the pain scores rated by the owners were lower with pregabalin in addition to an anti-inflammatory than with placebo (Sanchis-Mora et al., 2019). The US approval bases its expected effectiveness on this study.
• Epilepsy: In a small study without a comparison group, seizures were at least halved in 7 of 9 dogs when pregabalin was added to phenobarbital and/or potassium bromide (Dewey et al., 2009). In a study of 26 dogs with difficult-to-treat epilepsy, pregabalin as an add-on was not significantly better than a higher dose of levetiracetam, and both approaches helped only a few dogs (Kriechbaumer et al., 2022).
• Nerve pain in general: A review lists pregabalin as one option for nerve pain and calls for more controlled studies (Moore, 2016).

Note: In epilepsy, pregabalin is not a first-line medicine; it can be considered as an add-on when other medicines are not enough.