Metacam > Reviews (8)

Charlie, my 7 year old German Shepherd, was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis in his elbows and shoulders and over the last few weeks has needed pain relief everyday.

Metacam is the brand name for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam which is available only on prescription from a vet, and is for only for dogs. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the inflammation which causes pain without the many serious side effects associated with steroids (bone thinning, weight gain etc.) The main side effect of NSAIDs is stomach irritation but luckily Charlie has the digestive constitution of an elephant so he's not affected by this.

When he was first showing signs of pain, the vet prescribed Rimadyl which is produced as a 'palatable' small biscuit. Charlie, however, recognised the 'bisuit' as medicine and refused to take it so I had to do the 'shoving down the back of the throat and holding muzzle shut till it's gone' approach to tablet giving. He took Rimadly for two weeks but it seemed to have little effect and he was still limping badly. So the vet suggested that we try Metacam instead.

Metacam comes as a pack containing the medicine bottle itself and the dosing syringe. The bottle has a child-proof cap but my six year old niece was able to open it without difficulty, so definitely one to store out of the reach of children, especially as the manufacturer claims that the liquid is 'honey-flavoured'. It doesn't smell much like honey to me but Charlie seems to like it and that's what's important.

A medium size bottle (32ml) cost me around £18 when bought from the vet. I looked into buying it cheaper than this on the Internet, but I would have needed a private prescription from the vet for which he was going to charge me, so it was easier just to get it directly from him.

The dosing syringe is easy to use: shake the bottle, fit the syringe to the bottle, turn it upside down and draw out the required amount. The syringe is marked in kilos referring to your dog's weight, so in Charlie's case I draw up the dose for 25 kg. Then I drop it over his food, trying to get even coverage. If he's not hungry he'll suck the individual kibbles with the liquid on.

Like the other reviewer of Metacam, I can see a change in Charlie after about half an hour, he becomes more obedient and less clingy, goes to his bed and rests. I give him the medicine at night and the pain relief continues through most of the next day. He doesn't seem affected by side effects, which can include loss of appetite, sickness and diarrhoea. Obviously if Charlie displayed any of these symptoms I would contact the vet for advice straight away.

The only real problem I have with Metacam is that my non-arthritic Border Collie, Todd, tries to steal 'honey-flavoured' food out of Charlie's bowl. Fortunately, Charlie doesn't think much of this kind of behaviour and 'asks' Todd to leave it alone.

Overall, I prefer Metacam to Rimadyl, mainly because it seems so much more effective. In addition, it's very difficult to get Charlie to take tablets whereas he seems to actively like the taste of Metacam. Every dog is different and what works for one may not work for another but Metacam definitely works for Charlie.