Tell Me About Metacam

[XTRAWLD]

Considering asking the vet for some for Ryder. I'd like to know the good, the bad and the ugly. I think at age 9 and dealing with these mysterious limping and muscle issues that it might be a better alternative to use than the muscle relaxants like methocarbomol or Onsior that we've been trying, which seem to me as ineffective - I only feel better because I've given him something I think can help. He doesn't really have any arthritis, x-rays don't show this, rather we're always dealing with limping due to soft tissue injury or very tight muscles, they spasm a lot on his back, and chiro helps but I am not in a position to go regularly. I'm thinking Metacam is something we'll be using till the end of his days so I'd like to know what I'm getting into or any better alternatives. Thanks.

[krissy]

Onsior and Metacam are comparable. They are both Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), so they both work on pain through the same general pathways. They are different drugs in the same family, so although in theory they are equal, we do find that some dogs do better on one versus the other. Other popular drugs in this family of drugs are Rimadyl and Deramaxx. They all have similar side effects as well - namely GI and kidney. They should always be given with food to reduce the risk of GI irritation, and when used on a regular basis I always strongly recommend bloodwork every 6 months to keep tabs on the kidneys.

 

If you decide to try Metacam you will have to take him off Onsior for a few days to a week first as NSAIDs do not play nice together and should never be given together.

[racindog]

A vet gave me metacam once for Slim but when I checked on it there were too many adverse serious reactions for my taste so I didn't use it. TBH I really like the methocarbomol because I have extensively used it and found it to be effective and very safe even over long periods of time. What I like best though is simple Fresh Factors; DGP pills; Duralactin(microlactin) -an effective anti-inflammatory; and appropriate homeopathics. Have also used yucca. I quit using NSAIDS due to their danger but have been most happy with the results from the previous and/or tramadol/methocarbomol(Robaxin).

[Remolacha]

I used it long term with Fletcher for his arthritis and other mysterious limps. There were no bad side effects, but we did do regular blood tests. My vet at the time thought that metacam had milder side effects than rimadyl. My current vet gave me metacam for Val's soft tissue injury because of it's anti-inflammatory qualities. Like most NSAIDS, it works for some, less well for others, some have side effects, most don't, you just have to try it and see.

 

Those mysterious limps will drive you nuts!

[greysmom]

My Toni has been on Meloxicam (the pill form of liquid Metacam) every day for about two years now and she has had exactly zero issues with it, while regaining quite a bit of her agility in her legs. I think the liquid might be a little easier to dose exactly, and might be a little easier on the stomach. NSAIDS are very useful medicine, but like all the rest, some work better on some dogs than others. Meloxicam works best for Toni, so that's what we use. Personally, I would never discount a whole class of (very useful) drugs because of the list of side effects on the insert, as those are mostly there to cover the butts of the company's lawyers.

[ramonaghan]

Our experience with NSAIDs has been:

 

Meloxicam: Diarrhea and/or vomiting within 3 days on two separate occasions (may be due to difficulty of exact dosing, which presumably would be less of an issue with Metacam since it's a liquid)

Rimadyl: No side effects but was not as effective at alleviating limping

Previcox: Effective w/ no side effects

 

We always gave Pepcid 30-60 minutes before, then a meal, then the med.

 

We did not see any major improvement in Sweep's limping with Duralactin, Springtime products, or the Chinese herbs prescribed by her acupuncture vet. That is not to say I think they are bad products; they just did not work for her issue. She will always be on some sort of joint supplement as a preventive, but if and when her toe issue flares up again I won't hesitate to go back to the Previcox. My vet sees a lot of greyhounds and was somewhat surprised by her reaction to the Meloxicam but said it's like with humans: some people can take ibuprofen but not aspirin, or aspirin but not naproxen. So for whatever reason she just can't tolerate that med. Ryder might be totally fine with it. I do believe Previcox is thought to be a bit more renal-friendly/gentler on the system than some of the other alternatives.

Edited December 2, 2016 by ramonaghan

[winnie]

Our 13.5 y/o Celeste has been on daily liquid Metacalm for about 1.5 years now. Zero issues and definitely seems to help with her arthritis.

[Hubcitypam]

I had a shepherd mix that was the right size for 1/2 a Meloxicam. He was on it 3 years with no issues. It was .07 a pill in Mexico.

[XTRAWLD]

We did not see any major improvement in Sweep's limping with Duralactin, Springtime products, or the Chinese herbs prescribed by her acupuncture vet.

Our two dogs eh? Mysterious limping to which nothing seems to work!

 

Ryder has been on Springtime products for nearly his whole life now. I really like them, I think he'd be worse off without them actually.

 

Thank you all for your input. I was told by my vets that there are few alternatives aside from Metacam for medicating for his particular issue, but I can certainly ask about the others suggested in this post.

 

We're headed to the vet tomorrow morning as I was going to ask for a neurological referral. My dear boy is just not acting right at all since Thursday. I really want to push for a scan at this point, while the vets continue to tell me it's a muscle/soft tissue problem.

[Roo]

Pyp the rat takes Metacam whenever he sprains a leg (this rat and his acrobatic feats, I swear ) and handles it fine. Daisy the terrier took Metacam when she had the hemangiosarcoma removed from her leg and did well on it. It actually made her a whole new pup with energy and zip! She took Rimadyl when she was attacked by the rottie and it gave her the runs and made her tummy unhappy.

[Remolacha]

Fletcher could not take Previcox at all, so it really does depend on the dog

[cleptogrey]

Felix has been mostly on metacam for the past year. We started with a full week of daily dosages and saw how good he could feel. Then systematically it was reduced to first every other day,then every 3 days trying to maintain his feel good stature. Ultimately we realized he needed every other day but we then slowly reduced the dosage. All under supervision of my vet. When he's in pain his first symptom is he cuts down on his food intake then the limps and inability to get up on the couch or car. Stomach wise he only showed signs of an upset stomach on the generic brand. Btw, it didn't work as well.

[GreyPoopon]

I've had a lot of dogs on Metacam for short or long (as in years) periods. One who could take it when she was younger couldn't after about age 12 (diarrhea), but all of the others have tolerated it well--even the IBD dog (she was given a stomach drug for safety). My vet says they see fewer issues with Metacam than Rimadyl. I gather any GI upset tends to occur relatively soon, but you would have to confirm that with your vet.

[PatricksMom]

Patrick took metacam (well, human meloxicam) periodically for years and then daily for about three, when the Tramadol alone stopped working it made a huge difference in his quality of life (arthritis). Never had a single issue, not symptom wise or in terms of bloodwork. Not terribly relevant, but I had a rabbit on Metacam for about five years, never had a single issue either. Rimadyl is banned in our house due to a bad experience.

[XTRAWLD]

Great input thank you. I'm well armed for the vet tomorrow.

 

Do any of you find that your dog is restless when on it or more anxious? Is it a "calming" med so to speak that mellows them out at all?

[Remolacha]

I don't recall any calming effect on Fletcher, but he was more high strung than your average laid back couch potato greyhound. One of his many "not a typical greyhound" traits

 

But, it didn't make him more restless either

Edited December 3, 2016 by Remolacha

[RedHead]

No advice really (I've only used metacam short term after dentals, etc.) but hoping you can get some answers at the vet.

[cleptogrey]

neither dog has show any personality changes while taking the drug. annie was on it for 3 months as the result of a shoulder injury. i didn't include her in my original statement since she was on tramadol & gabapentin as well during that period. so, who knows what she was feeling, she was pretty drugged out.

[XTRAWLD]

So we're going with a neurologist appointment. Some of this stuff just isn't adding up. No metacam or meds for now. Gotta rule out some other things first. Will continue on in my other "cognitive" thread.

 

Thank you all.

 

My boy.

[tbhounds]

I think seeing neuro first is a very wise step. Keep us posted!

[TINMANPDX]

Our boy, Elliott, who will be 12 in January, has been on Metacam for about two months for arthritis pain. We haven't noticed any negative side effects, only positive improvement in his mobility. Our vet said the best thing for him is to keep him moving, and we have definitely noticed that he is getting around better, and taking longer daily walks and wanting to play more, like his old self. We give it with his breakfast meal and he doesn't seem to object to the taste (it supposedly has a honey flavor). He weighs 87 pounds, and we had him on an 80 lb dose for the first several weeks, but have calibrated down to a 70 lb dose, which is just as effective for himThe stuff is pretty expensive here in the US - hopefully it is less expensive in Canada for you.

[PatricksMom]

Great input thank you. I'm well armed for the vet tomorrow.

 

Do any of you find that your dog is restless when on it or more anxious? Is it a "calming" med so to speak that mellows them out at all?

It shouldn't have any impact on mental health at all, it's an anti-inflamatory. That said, sometimes pain can cause the dog to be unsettled, they have trouble getting comfortable, etc. so you may see a reduction in pacing, getting up and down constantly, etc. if it works.

[juliemac]

good luck with your boy.

 

Deramax works well in my household, so I've only used Metacam successfully on my bitty angel Paige (who was in-between easy dosing for Deramax).

[JohnF]

Angel, my last one was on Metacam for 8 years. It was used to treat her unfixable shoulder injury and dosed at half the amount when chronic and the full amount for a few days a month when acute. I'm pretty sure it hastened her death at age 14 from kidney failure, though she lived 18 months post dx. Have bloodwork done on your dog to make sure the kidneys are OK. Also ask for omeprazole or zantac to take with the drug for the first couple of weeks so that stomach bleeds are less likely.

[PatricksMom]

He weighs 87 pounds, and we had him on an 80 lb dose for the first several weeks, but have calibrated down to a 70 lb dose, which is just as effective for himThe stuff is pretty expensive here in the US - hopefully it is less expensive in Canada for you.

This is very controversial here, warning, but if your dog is in the ballpark of 75 pounds, one option is to use 7.5mg generic human metacam and half the pill, and then it's very affordable. I've done it with two dogs with no problems. Regardless of the source, with any NSAID you should do bloodwork before starting and then routinely if using daily.