Does preappointment gabapentin affect neurological examination findings? A prospective, randomized and blinded study in healthy cats.

Gabapentin significantly altered gait analyses and postural reactions in this group of healthy cats. The administration of gabapentin could lead to false-positive results and, possibly, an incorrect identification of neurological lesions. In contrast, gabapentin did not impair the assessment of cranial nerves and spinal reflexes, which can be assessed in patients receiving the drug.