Confused about metacam dose

[Brenda B]

ok, please let me preface this by saying that I did read many threads first. But, I only got more confused. It seems there are two different thoughts to how much metacam a guinea pig should have.

My piggy was given metacam by an exotics vet. He told me that they tolerate higher doses. She is 924 grams(about .9 kilos). He prescribed .6cc once a day but said she could tolerate as much as 1.2. The metacam is 1.5mg/ml.

I was actually looking for threads on how long a piggy can stay on metacam safely and I found conflicting thoughts on dosages.

[Tracis]

You are probably referring to this thread:
The Maximum Metacam Discussion

There are many members here that have had guinea pigs with arthritis or other painful issues on low doses of Metacam (meloxicam) for longer periods of time without problems.

This thread might be helpful as well, as it mentions somes dosages for long-term pain relief:
Request for Arthritis Treament Protocols

[DaCourt]

Alfredo, who is ancient, is on .5 twice a day and he seems to be doing fine on it. he has been on it for almost a year.

[Lynx]

.5? 0.5cc? Same concentration of 1.5mg/ml? How much does Alfredo weigh?

Tracis posted some helpful links. I hope that you can find the answers you seek.

[Bugs Mom]

My Lady Bug who is almost 7 gets .2ml of 7.5mg/5ml daily for her arthritis. She's been on it approx. a year. It really does help her get around.

[DaCourt]

Ya know...I am not sure of concentration now that I think about it. I don't have the bottle any more. He weighs around 1100 grams. Courtney mixes 1 pill with 7.5 syringes of water. This is the dose Nikki put him on. I will have to double check the concentration and get back to you.

[rshevin]

Piggy was on about that much metacam but he was having some severe post-surgical complications and we needed something to help him. The vet made it clear this was not a long term option and wanted him weaned down as soon as possible. We used an opiate as well but he didn't tolerate it well.

[Brenda B]

I did read those threads and I am just so confused.

Ok, I know that you are not vets BUT, if this were your pig, what dose would you give her? Just an opinion. After all, I do trust you guys so much.

[rshevin]

Well, why does the pig need the Metacam and how disabled is she currently without it?

[Brenda B]

She stopped eating her hay and pellets Saturday. She did have a torn toenail that had to be removed at the quick the previous week. No infection, No limp. Her vet check showed her to be healthy, teeth great (including molars and roots). So, the vet said that it could be

1. Pain (from the toe) or inflamation somewhere that we could not find.

2. She may be eating less due to issues with our other sow. She is being chased around more lately.

He said to do a few days of metacam since the toe was still a bit swollen (he said to imagine losing a nail at the nail bed for us) and that would encourage her to eat more if it were a pain issue.

[Brenda B]

She was still eating veggies, critical care and drinking her water. Just lost interest in hay and pellets.

[rshevin]

It's SO hard to say because I would never, ever want any animal to ever be in pain, but no I probably wouldn't give her that much for what you're describing. Your vet is probably wanting more potent anti-inflammatory effects for her toe. Unfortunately I'm not a vet, doctor, or pharmacist so I don't know at what dose that kicks in for Metacam. Piggy (1.3kg) was prescribed 0.05cc to start with and we got up to 0.5cc when he was extremely lethargic and not eating anything at all. I wouldn't start her above 0.2. You want the minimum possible dose that provides relief. It's hard to know that when you "come out blazing" at the top dose.

[DaCourt]

OK...I am an idiot. Alfredo is on .1 twice a day. Not sure what I was thinking.

[Brenda B]

Thanks rshevin, that is EXACTLY the advice I was looking for. :)

[Brenda B]

DaCourt, anyone who has anything to do with Alfredo, the "piggy love of my life", is not an idiot!

Do you know that I occasionaly visit the OCCH site just to see his photo?

[rshevin]

Brenda, you can always give her more Metacam later, but you can't take it back.

[DaCourt]

You can see I am not the one who does the medication around here. Courtney does it all. She came down and saw what I wrote and she was like...uh, try .1 not .5. That would be 1/2 a syringe.

[Brenda B]

Ha ha, and it's a good thing I can't follow directions well because when you said "that would be 1/2 a syringe" I realized that I have been giving Sierra only .06!

Guess she did not REALLY need it because she has been ok on that low dose.

[rshevin]

Ok 0.06 is a VERY standard initial dose! I'm glad you got your decimals sorted out. It's very confusing for people to read a 1cc syringe who aren't used to reading small fractions. This is why engineers insist on writing all fractions with a zero before the decimal point. There is no mistaking 0.06 from 0.6 but .06 and .6 suddenly look dangerously similar.

[Brenda B]

Well, rshevin, I was giving a very low dose and she is fine. SO, my thought is to just stop. I think her probelm is either

1. Issues with Guinness that have escalated. No blood but "words" spoken and chasing out of beds and away from food.

2. Bored with hay I had, I just switched and she ate more.

3. (I hope this is not it) but an underlying condition we have yet to uncover.