What is Pregabalin used for?

Pregabalin is indicated for: anxiety, Neuropathic pain, seizures (adjunct).

Which species have cited Pregabalin dosing data?

Pregabalin dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 2 species: Cat (Domestic), Dog (Domestic).

Is Pregabalin a controlled substance?

Yes — Pregabalin is a controlled substance under US federal law.

Pregabalin

US brand names:Lyrica

Calculate dosage

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Pregabalin is dosed at 2–4 mg/kg PO q8-12h in dogs, per Sanchis-Mora S, Chang YM, Abeyesinghe SM, et al. Pregabalin for the treatment of syringomyelia-associated neuropathic pain in dogs: A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-masked clinical trial. Vet J. 2019;250:55-62. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.06.006 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1092 (2026-08-01).. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Analgesic

Routes

Indications

anxietyNeuropathic painseizures (adjunct)

Mechanism of Action

Binds alpha-2-delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels with higher affinity than gabapentin. Reduces excitatory neurotransmitter release. More predictable pharmacokinetics than gabapentin.

Side effects & warnings

Controlled substance (CV). Sedation and ataxia at higher doses. More potent than gabapentin — lower doses needed. Taper to discontinue. Monitor for weight gain.

Controlled Substance

Controlled substance in the US

Controlled-drug status and schedules differ by country — check your local scheduling rules.

Evidence levels across 2 dose rules

Moderate×1Weak×1

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Backed by 2 published sources

· Munana K. Current Approaches to Seizure Management. Presented at: ACVIM Forum; 2010. Distributed by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. PMID: 42314398 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1092 (2026-08-01).
· Sanchis-Mora S, Chang YM, Abeyesinghe SM, et al. Pregabalin for the treatment of syringomyelia-associated neuropathic pain in dogs: A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-masked clinical trial. Vet J. 2019;250:55-62. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.06.006 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1092 (2026-08-01).

Sample dosing (2 of 2 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 2 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Dog (Domestic)	PO	2–4 mg/kg	q8-12h	Moderate	Sanchis-Mora S, Chang YM, Abeyesinghe SM, et al. Pregabalin for the treatment of syringomyelia-associated neuropathic pain in dogs: A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-masked clinical trial. Vet J. 2019;250:55-62. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.06.006 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1092 (2026-08-01).
Cat (Domestic)	PO	1–2 mg/kg	q12h	Weak	Munana K. Current Approaches to Seizure Management. Presented at: ACVIM Forum; 2010. Distributed by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. PMID: 42314398 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1092 (2026-08-01).

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