Methadone?

[SkipSailors]

Hi,

 

You all might know Greyhead, my wife (pronounced woof). She is with Shane in the ER. Shane has a 105 fever and his back hurts. The vet is thinking methadone. We are wondering, is there anything about greyhounds that contraindicates methadone?

 

Thanks for your input.

[tbhounds]

Methadone?????? Do you mean methocarbamol?? If so-yup great for back/neck pain (brand name Robaxin)

[SkipSailors]

No, methadone, This is for acute pain.

[Feisty49]

Methadone as in methadone as in meth (labs)... as in what's used by recovering heroin addicts. It's a heavy duty narcotic pain reliever. Hell, it sounds contra for use by humans! It certainly sounds wrong for back pain in a dog.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Feisty49

[SkipSailors]

We have fluids started. There is an ultrasound in the works. We're hoping to get clues to where the inflammation is to see what kind of antibiotic we need. Probly a night at the vet's place for my puppy. The methadone suggestion is because we want to make sure the pain isn't contributing to the fever. And Wife isn't going to allow ACE.

We are letting the vet know that we are against the methadone idea. (Wife's smart phone isn't smart enough to let her get here directly, so I am the relay in a game of telephone.)

[SkipSailors]

Kidney normal, Cratinine 2.3, BUN normal. Ultrasound doesn't show any discospondylitis. We think it's not the spine at this point.

[Pennymom]

Methadone as in methadone as in meth (labs)... as in what's used by recovering heroin addicts. It's a heavy duty narcotic pain reliever. Hell, it sounds contra for use by humans! It certainly sounds wrong for back pain in a dog.

Just a point of order - methadone is not the same as meth (as in meth labs - that's methamphetamine). It is used by people in recovery from opioid dependence because it does not produce a high but helps manage withdrawal symptoms. Of course, this is neither here nor there for use in hounds!

 

Here's a link I turned up with a quickie search - http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Dechra_Veterinary_Products_Limited/Comfortan_ACY-reg_ADs-_10_mg_ml_Solution_for_Injection_for_Dogs_and_Cats/-56234.html

 

Hope your pup feels better soon.

[Time4ANap]

Methadone is used in every day medicine for humans and for animals. It is a drug like any other, with varying strengths and associated uses.

 

I don't recall ever seeing a thread here about it's use in Greyhounds, but quick searching online looked like it is used in combination with ACE in many cases. Given the weird reaction that greyhounds have to some meds, I would be reluctant to have it used until one of the knowledgeable veterinary / medical people here can chime in with accurate info, or your vet is able to obtain a consult regarding it's use in greyhounds.

 

Hope you get the issue figured out and that Shane is feeling better soon.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Time4ANap

[SkipSailors]

Thanks so much, Pennymom! It was interesting to see the note that greyhounds might need more, not less, of a dose. I told Wife, and gave her the URL. Shane got the methadone before we had a chance to object. He is in a pen where lots of staff are able to watch him. He has pillows. The other dogs in the room are being good. The internist has been consulted. We think he's in good hands. Now we just have to do the spiritual part.

[greyhead]

Shane's temp came back down to 104 before I left an hour ago. He's on IV fluids with Baytril and another penicillin-based antibiotic with something added to make it stronger (Uni-something, I can't remember the name). They have him in a nice pen out where they can see him, with a fan blowing on him and lots of padding with blankets on the floor. They don't know what's wrong, but it's acting like an infection so they're treating him accordingly. His back end is weak and shaky. This is the first night he has ever spent away from home, and I'm afraid for him. The internist is taking over the case in the morning. Thanks for all your help.

[tbhounds]

Uni something must be Unisyn aka Ampicillin. If the internist becomes puzzled you may need to see a neurologist. My Shannon acted much in the same way--her diagnosis was a brain tumor. I'm not suggesting your Shane has the same condition just need to emphasize they may need to think out of the box. Will be thinking of you both todsy.

[BatterseaBrindl]

[SkipSailors]

We made it home with antibiotics and blood pressure medicine. Still shaky, but much improved.

[greyhead]

It is Unasyn, tbhounds. The head guy there is a neurologist, and we saw him this summer, which isn't to say we won't have to see him again!

 

Shane is resting much more comfortably at home, so we're glad they decided to release him. He was still having peaks and valleys with the temp and BP, but not as alarming, and we're not seeing any evidence of peaks at home, knock wood.

He'll be on Norvasc, Clavamox, and Zeniquin at home. They're suspicious of infection (maybe kidneys or TBD recurrence) and/or inflammation primarily. There's no evidence of cancer, though they're aware of the possibility, and possible immune-mediated polyarthritis as well. The doc wants to retest for Babesia and Lyme after the antibiotics are finished, and he wants us to treat with Panacur meanwhile since a larva was found in his fecal a couple weeks ago that could have been either round worm or hookworm. The regular vet hadn't been worried about that, but now...

 

Thanks for everyone's help! Looking forward to sleeping tonight.

[tbhounds]

Glad he's home :-)

[Guest normaandburrell]

Prayers for continued improvement. I know you are glad to have him home.