Improving Pain Control

Tramadol is an opiate medication widely used by veterinarians to treat mild to moderate pain in dogs. However, there is evidence that the drug may not work well in some patients due to genetic factors. Co-administration of other drugs also can affect how well tramadol is processed in the body. The researchers will identify which drugs interfere with the analgesic effect of tramadol (and should be avoided), and which drugs might boost the pain relief from tramadol (and could be given as a combination therapy).