Metacam - any pigs not got on well with it?

[Doeylicious]

I had one of my boys Dodge 'snipped' almost 6 weeks back now. He came through the op very well, was eating normally within 6 hours, pooped fine, no scabs, and within 2 weeks was popcorning around his outside hutch again.

Bumble was done on Wednesday, now I had booked three days off work for him as I had a funny feeling it wouldn't be quite so easy...sometimes I hate knowing my pigs so well...

Bumble hardly pooped at all after the op and overnight, so had to have a gut stimulation job Thursday night. He seemed to pick up but went downhill again the next day, strangely after having his metacam - I am not sure he is too keen on it. Vets again yesterday morning for another gut stimulation jab and this time antibiotics as my vet suspected he had a little infection - his wounds had gone a bit scabby.

This vet is not my usual lady, he is part of the same practice but not the 'guinea pig specialist' however he blooming well knows his stuff as Bumble is now definitely on the mend I am still giving him the recovery feed as I want to know he is getting all the vitamins and fibre he needs and is being a bit picky about eating, but he licks it off the spoon and dish now so we don't need the syringe lol. He is on a short dose of Baytril and is going back tomorrow to see if he needs it carried on, if so he will also have a probiotic too. He is off the metacam and I still think it was this that was upsetting him a bit.

Has anyone else found their piggies had an issue with metacam at all? I personally can't have too many painkillers as they knock me for six - if I have more than one paracetamol tablet it's really not safe for me to drive! - can piggies be affected this way maybe?

 

[Pebble]

I don;t think this is a metacam problem per se- it;s more likely connected with the neutering and the anaesthetic.....and the fact that he has gone a while without eating properly. Most of my piggeis recover well from amaesthetic but a couple have had a few problems similar to what you describe....and have therefore tken longer to fullly recover and have had gut motility problems etc...(with or without metacam).

Bottom line is to think how long your piggy will be going without any food from time you drop him off at vets to maybe the time you finally get him back home and give him some food - could be 8 hours plus.......that can be a long time and anything >3hrs could result in gut problems......

However bearing in mind metacam is a non-steroidal anti inflammatory (NSAID) you are recommended to only give these on a full stomach. I only give my piggies metacam after they have eaten some veggies (or critical care depending on their diteray proclivities at the time....)

So two points for your consideration

Hope Bumble is back up to speed soon

x

 

[TwoPiggies]

I have had metacam for pigs and my bunnys. Find they become a bit dazzed....not with it and ye do eat less. Then again can all be related to illness or surgery.

Glad to hear bumble is on the mend

 

[Doeylicious]

So two points for your consideration

Hope Bumble is back up to speed soon

x

Is that 2 points out of 10?! Or is that a good score?! Sorry paranoid piggy Mummy :red

He seems a lot better now but is being quite picky with his food, having said this though he has never been a really big eater like my other piggies - while they eat their veggies within 5 seconds, he will much a bit, wander off, have a wash, eat some hay, go back to his carrot etc.

He is a bigger piggy at approaching 2kg and I know my vet was slightly concerned about dosages, she was very honest with me about this.

 

[ellie_jo3213]

Is that 2 points out of 10?! Or is that a good score?! Sorry paranoid piggy Mummy :red

Sorry if this is wrong, but the way I read it was that there are two things to consider (NSAID's and anasthetic causing gut problemos), not a mark for your consideration about your pig

But yeh, I second the point of don't give Metacam on an empty stomach, can get quite bad side effects.

 

[Pebble]

Is that 2 points out of 10?! Or is that a good score?! Sorry paranoid piggy Mummy :red

He seems a lot better now but is being quite picky with his food, having said this though he has never been a really big eater like my other piggies - while they eat their veggies within 5 seconds, he will much a bit, wander off, have a wash, eat some hay, go back to his carrot etc.

He is a bigger piggy at approaching 2kg and I know my vet was slightly concerned about dosages, she was very honest with me about this.

...the wonders of internet mis-communication....Not a "score" at all - just meant two [*]issues[/*] to consider in my post .ie when to give metacam to prevent any possible side effects and whether, in this case, it is metcam per se causing problems rather than the GA/surgery after-effects...sorry for the confusion :red
x