A Guide to Metacam for Dogs

Metacam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that belongs to the Oxicam class. It is used to alleviate mild to moderate pain following surgical procedures as well as chronic musculo-skeletal disorders.

Metacam should be administered following the veterinarians instructions. The lowest effective dose should be used for the shortest period possible, providing it offers relief. The recommended initial dose of Metacam is 0.09mg/lb of body weight for the first day of treatment and all treatments following this should be administered daily at a dose of 0.045mg/lb. The oral suspension comes with a dosing syringe that can help to deliver the daily maintenance dose.

To prevent any accidental overdose for small dogs, administer Metacam oral suspension on food and never directly via the mouth.

If a dose of Metacam is missed then the dose should be given as soon as possible but if this is also close to the time of the next dose then skip the missed dose and continue with the regular dosage. It's extremely important that you do not give your dog two doses at the same time.

As with other NSAIDS such as Rimadyl, Metacam can cause some side effects, with the most common side effects being digestive problems such as a loss of appetite and vomiting. There are other side effects of Metacam that include:

• ► An alteration in bowel movements and black/tarry/bloody stools
• ► Behavioural changes such as a change in activity levels, seizures or aggression
• ► Jaundice
• ► Increased intake of water or changes to urination
• ► Irritated skin
• ► Possibility of stomach ulcers
• ► Loss of weight

If any of these problems are experienced then you should contact your veterinarian immediately and stop the medication.

Precautions

Metacam should not be given to dogs that are hypersensitive to NSAIDS and it should not be administered with other NSAIDs such as Carprofen, Firocoxib, Etodolac, Deracoxib and Aspirin.

It should not be given to dogs less than six weeks old or dogs who are pregnant, lactating or breeding because it has not yet been evaluated. It should not be used in dogs that have bleeding disorders because the safety of the drug has not yet been determined in dogs with these disorders, dogs who suffer with dehydration, are receiving diuretic therapy or have renal, cardiovascular or hepatic dysfunction have an increased risk of experienced adverse reactions.

Metacam has the potential to react when taken alongside other drugs, therefore, the use of NSAIDs or corticosteroids such as prednisone, cortisone, dexamethasone or triamcinolone should be avoided.

If a dog is overdosed on Metacam then this will result in the following signs of toxicity.

• ► Loose bowel movements
• ► Increased urination
• ► Vomiting
• ► Dark/tarry stools
• ► Increased intake of fluids
• ► Pale gums
• ► Lethargy, fatigued
• ► Jaundice
• ► Change in breathing
• ► Changes in behaviour
• ► Loss of co-ordination
• ► Seizures