Metacam any problems?

[kita1]

Has anyone experienced any problems with Metacam? I am concerned about the Undesirable effects which they list as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, faecal occult blood and apathy. I am really concerned when they say "are in most cases transient and disappear following termination of the treatment but in very rare cases may be serious or fatal". The vet has given me this after a short examination of my dog who is ten and a half. I took him in because of breathing problems, the vet suspects that he has an inflamed soft palate. He is a bit stiff but I have controlled that sucessfully with cod liver oil and green lipped mussel tablets. I am reluctant to give him Metacam with these side effects as at his age he really does not need to be vomiting and have a loss of appetite. Is this the vet just trying to make money? He also tried to sell me a plan were I would pay 20 pounds a month and it would cover flea treatment, booster injections (which I don't have done) and worming! My dog is ten and a half!

[lankeela]

Metacam is ok short term, but prolonged treatment should be avoided (for all the above reasons!). Try to reduce the dose during treatment. It often helps to 'kickstart' the body's own systems.

[herbie]

Hi Kita

Cant help with your problm but i have a 11 year old scottie who is very stiff (he still runs when he wants )i give him cod liver oil capsules but have never heard of green lipped mussel tablets were can i get some ill try anything to help him?Thanks

[BarbaraJ]

Hi, my bitch was on metacam for quite some time and it has never affected her at all. She was put on metacam for a dodgy hip and it made her feel better thats for sure. Thank god we never had any signs of side effects. She was an elderly lady at the time too. She since has been put to sleep, but as I said she didn't show any side effects at the time of treatment. If you are not sure about your vet, I would suggest to seek a 2nd opinon! It is imporatant to feel comfortable with your vet and what he/she is suggesting. At the end of the day, you are the one who knows you animal best and has to fork out the money and your dog etc might still not be cured. Hope all goes well with the "old" boy! By the way have you ever tried Cortaflex for dogs by Equine America? Works a treat for stiff joints! Is available for humans and horses too!

Good luck! Barbara

[GypsyGSD]

I was given metacam for my shepherd ,he was 6 months old he needed it because of dysplacia in one hip and his previous owners broke his other leg causing him discomfort,i was told he would only live till about three and a half because his joints were that bad and would need metacam for that time, i to didnt like the side effects it could cause over a long period and took him off it,i used cod liver oil ,garlic a good diet with steady exercise to build his muscles up he is now five and going strong with no signs of his body giving up

[ProperBoPeep]

Metacam is the same family (but not the same drug!!) as Ibuprofen etc in humans.

These drugs (called Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories) can all cause some undesirable side effects depending on lots of different factors - including dose, duration of treatment and underlying general health.

If you sprained your ankle - I am sure that you would take pain killers until you felt better. This is what your vet is doing for your dog.

Long term use can cause more problems and so a routine blood test may be beneficial to see how the internal organs are functioning, as this may help determine whether more prolonged use is needed or indeed safe.

Just to ensure all know - do NOT give Ibuprofen to dogs or cats. It is toxic and can kill them.

[Misty77]

Our 21 year old Siamese cat (yes really!) has been on Metacam daily for 7/8 years without a problem. He has arthiritis in his back legs and it gave him virtually a new lease of life. He was 14 when he started on the Metacam which was already old for a cat, but we decided that it would be worth trying if it made his life pain free. Its worked great so far - we've been doing something right to get a cat into his 22nd year !