Sent home with Metacam

Phaedra was spayed yesterday, and prior to her spay I had spoke with the vet about the procedure and the meds, etc. She said they give Buprenex afterwards, but I was sent home with 2 doses of Metacam. I asked the reasoning and she said because they are out of the Buprenex and have a back order of a few weeks and if I wanted to I could drive to the other place (which is about 40 minutes away, and I have no gas, or money) and get the prescription there. So I'm kind of screwed.

I'm wondering, how bad IS Metacam if just given for a few days? I don't want my kitty to be in pain but I honestly can't afford to drive that far and pay for a new prescription. I'm sorta stuck on cash since I just paid for her spay.

3 different vets told me that metacam was safe, and all 3 gave me the same explaination:

Once upon a time ago it was unsafe because they gave cats the wrong dosage. For dogs, they go by weight of the dogs (1oz per lb or something).. they did the same for cats, and it proved to be too much.
These days, they've learned to adjust the dosage right for cats.

I gave it to Picasso when she was a few months old. She had a high fever and had leg pains when I first brought her home. One drop once a day and she was fine (this was after I consulted her vet and called 2 others for second opinions)

As always, call your vet if you are still unsure!

It says on her syringe that the dose is 0.1 mL, she is 4 lbs. Does that sound safe?

Originally Posted by FleshFlowers

It says on her syringe that the dose is 0.1 mL, she is 4 lbs. Does that sound safe?

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I am not a vet, I can't answer that your best bet would be to call your vet

Originally Posted by Draco

I am not a vet, I can't answer that

your best bet would be to call your vet

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But they are the ones that gave it to me

ha, I know I don't believe vets would prescribe anything that's dangerous for their patients, though I know there's a lot of debate on metacam.

Does your cat seem to be in a lot of pain? if she seems to be OK, then I wouldn't give it for a peace of mind.

Or you could give half the dosage and see if that fixes it! I've used metacam with my kitties (1 or 2 doses at a time) and it caused no issues.

Good luck with your decision.

When my cats were spade/neutered they were never sent home on pain meds. None of them seemed to need it either.

I am no vet, but you should know that Metacam is "off label" for use in cats, i.e., not approved for cats by the FDA. That doesn't mean it's dangerous, as all doctors are allowed to prescribe "off label" for any med. Just thought you should know that. Also, Metacam is an NSAID. That is the same class of drug as Ibupropfen, or Naprosin. Buprenex, on the other hand, is a full opioid agonist, i.e., a narcotic analgesic. I personally would be more concerned giving my cat a narcotic, than an NSAID. Narcotics cause respiritory depression in the wrong doses (and death in too high doses). NSAIDS cause nausea.

Originally Posted by ilovemia

When my cats were spade/neutered they were never sent home on pain meds. None of them seemed to need it either.

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Mine either, except for Laura and that was only because she pulled her stitches out and had to have staples.

Cats do heal very quickly.

My vet gives Tramadol in a topical formulation for post surgery pain meds. I have no experience with Metacam, but if my vet gave it to me, and I felt my cat needed something for pain, I would use it. I guess it all depends on how much you trust your vet.

Originally Posted by Presto

I am no vet, but you should know that Metacam is "off label" for use in cats, i.e., not approved for cats by the FDA. That doesn't mean it's dangerous, as all doctors are allowed to prescribe "off label" for any med. Just thought you should know that. Also, Metacam is an NSAID. That is the same class of drug as Ibupropfen, or Naprosin. Buprenex, on the other hand, is a full opioid agonist, i.e., a narcotic analgesic. I personally would be more concerned giving my cat a narcotic, than an NSAID. Narcotics cause respiritory depression in the wrong doses (and death in too high doses). NSAIDS cause nausea.

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Just for clarification, Meloxicam is licensed for long term use in cats in the UK, throughout europe, Australia, and New Zealand. It's even licensed in America - but only as a single use given IV. I know the majority of forum members are from America, but it's worth remembering there is a whole other world out there from time to time

Personally, I wouldn't take the advice on anyone on here about dosing. Metacam comes in different concentrations. There's a bottle in the back of my wife's car for IV administration that is radically different from the bottles used for oral admin. It's confusing, but I told her not to go into small animal work. Equine is so much easier. You just walk around it, whistle through your teeth, and say "yup it's laminitis or colic"

People on here will be advising you based on their experience and whatever bottles they have in their house, not the bottle you have. It's your cat, don't take the risk. Call the vet and state proudly that you want clarification on the dosage. Read the label to them and make sure you are happy before you put the phone down.

If you google metacam you will find a lot of recent research that says it is unsafe for oral use in cats, even in the new small dosages. It is usually considered safer given as a one-off injection. Even if it is used it should never be used for more than four days without danger of severe kidney damage. Personally, unless your cat really seems in severe pain, I would not use it. I have had arguments with vets in different places about it, but convinced my current vet after he read some of the research papers.

I've had 3 kitties spayed/neutered in the past few years and none have ever been sent home with pain meds. They've never needed it either. They heal very well and very quickly.

As for Metacam, I will NOT allow my vet to use that on ANY of my kitties unless it's a last resort AND I've spoken with the vet personally. I write in big red letters on all forms, "NO METACAM WITHOUT OWNER PERMISSION!"

http://www.metacamkills.com/

Originally Posted by Gareth

People on here will be advising you based on their experience and whatever bottles they have in their house, not the bottle you have. It's your cat, don't take the risk. Call the vet and state proudly that you want clarification on the dosage. Read the label to them and make sure you are happy before you put the phone down.

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FYI - I didn't give ANY advice, just facts, since the OP was concerned about Metacam. At the end of the day I believe that sharing thoughts and experiences with others of similar interest can be equally or even more valuable (in some cases), than taking information from a "professional" as gospel truth. For me, I try to inform myself as much as possible in advance of seeking the advice and/or services of others. I do, however, completely agree with the, "It's your cat", statement.

Thank you guys. I have decided to give her 1 drop of it and will not be giving the rest to her.

She now has to wear a cone because she was licking at her stitches and has seroma on her incision site

I have been giving Metacam to me and my parents' pets for a few years now, including the cats, and have never had any kind of adverse reaction. Even the box now says that it's safe for cats.