Metacam - Wossat?

[caledonia]

Yeah I had abit of a panic with the metacam kills sites too but so far so good!

My vet was of the view that if a cat needs to be on long term steroids, which Edgar does, then non inflmaitory (or what ever the abreviation is) were the best and Metacam has had the most impact on Edgar's tumour. It has not only stopped it from growing but has reduced it also !

[Mark]

I think like any drug, you need to keep an eye. I was worried after seeing the Metcam kills site but not sure if the cats died due to adverse reactions or if they would have died anyway. I just think it offers quality of life to a lot of cats which wasn't possible in the past. My mum's lovely blind cat Suki had to be PTS about 10 years ago due to the vet advising my mum that she was in too much pain too have a good quality of life. If Metacam had been around, I don't doubt that she would have been around a lot longer.

[caledonia]

Yep its important they have something inside them before they get it. When Edgar first started on it I was putting it on his food, which meant he was eating it on a pretty empty stomache and threw it up everytime.

So then I adapted to feeding him first then giving it to him with a splash of cat milk (a splash....I know its addictive....but he needs the medicine!) however tonight I tried it out the syringe and he lapped it up!

Edgar must be on his 4th bottle or something - 4 mls a day for the last year pretty much. I will get his bloods done next month when he gets his boosters to make sure all is ok but my Vet doesnt seem to think it is an issue - he says as his Kidneys were good for 11 before the course started there should be minimal side effects...so far so good!

[2d]

Our Edward was on Metacam from mid-November up until last week (he was PTS - not related to the drug - he had cancer).

As said, it's an NSAID - anti inflammatory, and painkiller, non-steroid (I got whole bottles and read the leaflet that was inside the box).  He got trhough a whole bottle of the stuff and was into his second.  It was to treat the tumour and arthritis that he had in the same hip.  I'm fairly certain it was that that kept him apparently pain free, and able to get about on his own, till right at the end.


I squirted it straight into his mouth once a day using the weight marked syringe thing (after which he'd look extremely offended at me for about half an hour).  I always gave him it straight after he'd had a good dish of food - it said to do so somewhere on the leaflet in the box.

[Catbird]

Thanks for all this, everyone.  Vi's gone back to her own flat now but she is going to read all these tomorrow. 

C.

[Mark]

Mark, are your bottles open? They have a shelf life of 6 months once broached

One of them is - I will throw it out. Thanks MM 

[Christine (Blip)]

Milly's Mum posted what I was planning to post except to add that Blip is on long-term Metacam now (she has arthritis).  She'll have to have regular blood tests and had one before we started this programme.  My view is that, even if Blip's life were shortened at all, her freedom from pain is my first and last consideration.

My vet told me to ensure Metacam is always given with food to reduce the risk of tummy upset.

[caledonia]

Edgar is on metacam for his tumour on his face and has been for the last year. He is 12 and I have spoke to get about possibile probs of long term use but he thinks the benefits out weigh possibile side effects and his tumour has shrunk and stayed that way. I'll need to try it straight from the syringe ... At the moment I just try and feed him seperate

[Millys Mum]

Its honey flavoured, Taz licks it from the syringe and cries when he sees the packet as he thinks its a great treat 
Being an NSAID it has anti inflammatory and pain relieving properties so a very useful drug for oldies with arthritis 

Painkillers in cats are much more restricted than dogs so no, you cant give other painkillers (unless they are prescribed by your vet!)

The most common side effect is tummy upset, but short term use for a hurt leg shouldnt cause a problem for a 10 year old, if it was longterm use then a bloodtest would be useful

This is the link for the cat product http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Boehringer_Ingelheim_Limited/Metacam_0_5_ACY-nbsp_ADs-mg_ml_Oral_Suspension_for_Cats/-40676.html

Mark, are your bottles open? They have a shelf life of 6 months once broached

[Janeyk]

Schui used to be given Metacam for his stiff joints which he licked off his food but since diagnosed with CRF been told to really limit it, his joints have seemed alot better though since he lost weight through his illness.  Byron can have a small amount too for he joints but it tends to make her sick.

[Mark]

Thanks Mark.  Tess is well wise to the "dope in the food" idea.  Would it be OK to syringe it directly into her mouth?  Remind me, apart from increased appetite, what are the side effects of steroids?  Tess is 10, does her age affect any of this?

C.

AFAIK, it tastes sweet and a lot of animals like it. It was only licensed for dogs previously although some vets used it. It was licensed for cats last year. I don't know if age is a factor but know a lot of elderly cats are on it as it is good for joint pain. I know it can have a toll on the kidneys but only in large doses or if used long term. There is a lot of into on NOAH http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Boehringer_Ingelheim_Limited/Metacam_1_5_ACY-nbsp_ADs-mg_ml_Oral_Suspension_for_Dogs/-44436.html - I will read it myself later. I have a couple of bottles here. The vet advised to use it if I think Alice needs it. I am giving her Glucosamine so hopefully she won't need it.

Edit - it IS a NSAID - maybe explains why it should be used with Fortekor (you aren't supposed to mix NSAIDS and ACE inhibitors)

[JackSpratt]

Old Mog has the metacam syringed into her mouth. She generally looks at me aghast and then wanders off.

[Catbird]

Thanks Mark.  Tess is well wise to the "dope in the food" idea.  Would it be OK to syringe it directly into her mouth?  Remind me, apart from increased appetite, what are the side effects of steroids?  Tess is 10, does her age affect any of this?

C.

[Mark]

AFAIK, Metacam is a steroid painkiller (as opposed to NSAID - non-steroid) there is an injectable version and another that can be syringed into food. There are a lot of people for it and a lot against it - there is a whole anti-metacam website. It is to be used with caution in animals with CRF but I think it is a wonder drug and has saved a lot of animals from a lot of pain. It is given to cats with arthritis for example. I'm sure others have a better understanding but I would be happy for any of my cats to have it if they are in pain. Clapton had an injection after a dental despite having CRF and there were no ill-effects.

[Catbird]

My neighbour's cat has a bad leg and last week she went to the emergency vet and received a shot of Metacam.  My neighbour has now been informed that she should have taken Tess back to the PDSA vet in regular surgery hours and got some more Metacam.

The question is - is Metacam purely a painkiller and what type of painkiller is it (eg antiinflammatory, NSAIDs)?  Are there any other painkillers that cats can take?  We have been told by another vet that painkillers are dangerous for cats - "cat's die from painkillers"!! Is true?

Thanking you.

C, C's neighbour and Tess