Metacam or Buprenex?

My foster kitty Johnny Cash had a broken leg, now with arthritis. This weekend he injured it while playing with Riley.

The vet gave him Metacam and sent him home with 5 oral doses, to be given once a day. However, I've read about a lot of possibly deadly side effects from Metacam, so I'm a bit worried about giving him any.

I do have oral Buprenex that he was given after his visit last month. Should I give him that instead of the Metacam?

I would call the vet and tell him that you are not comfortable giving your cat Metacam, because of the possibility of adverse side effects (most remarkably, renal failure.) Ask him if he will give your cat Buprenex instead. If I'm not mistaken, Metacam has only recently been ok'd for cats, and only as a one time oral dosage (such as immediately post-op.)

I already have the Buprenex. They sent it home last month, about 10 measured doses to be given "if needed" for pain. I did not use any of it until he hurt himself this weekend, and still have about 7 doses left. So he has been prescribed both, just at different times. So I'm just wondering if I should use that for the next few days instead of the Metacam.

His paperwork from today shows he was given a dose of Metacam already after he woke up from the sedative they gave him to examine him (he was hurting too much to let them touch the leg, so they put him out for the x-rays and exam).

I have used Buprenex for Coco when her arthritis was very painful last Nov. She did get the Metacam Shot though. My Sisters Cat was given the oral Metacam and she exchanged it for another Med. Call the Vet and ask if you can use the Buprenex instead. Someone on this site just lost their Cat because of Oral Metacam.

You've already got a prescription for Buprenex? In that case, I wouldn't hesitate to use it instead of Metacam. But it would be good to keep your vet in the loop. Just call and say you prefer to use it and you've still got enough left over from before. If your vet is a reasonable person, I can't see where there'd be any problem.

I would call the vet and check first. As long as they say the Buprenex is ok and that's what you prefer, go ahead and use it then.

If he's already had a dose of metacam, I'd call the vet before giving buprenex. I'm pretty sure that NSAIDs (like metacam) can interact with other medications and cause problems. When Zoey was prescribed metacam, I had to wait a couple of days until prednisone was out of her system. Just double check to make sure that there won't be any problems!

To be honest, I'm not sure he needs either of them. He was doing great this morning, and walking as good as he did before his injury this weekend. I'd rather not give him any drugs if he doesn't really need it, especially the Metacam.

He may not need anything.