DougalandDiego
Teenage Guinea Pig
Hi everyone,
Sorry iadvance for the rambling! I hope it all makes sense...
I’m hoping to get some opinions on metacam dosages for my IC piggy, Diego. He seems very happy in himself (other than the odd squeaky wee and the occasional very small bloody wee patches) but his weight has been fluctuating (only very small amounts 20-35g).
He has been prescribed dog metacam and our vet has prescribed him 0.2ml x2 per day along with x2 cystease capsules. He currently weighs around 1220/1230/1240g (however a few months or so ago he would sometimes weigh in at around 1250/60 - I think this could have been him with a full bladder?) Our vet (who is a piggy specialist and is great) knows that I up it to around 0.4ml twice per day and anywhere in between that and his lowest dose of 0.2 if he’s having a flare up.
Recently he has ‘dropped’ again and now stays around 1230g when I’ve weighed him the last week or so, I know it’s not a massive weight drop and he always stays around 1220-1240g. However, I’m wondering whether the recent weight drop (in line with some very small bloody wee patches in his cage) are what is causing his weight to fluctuate. My vet always says that when she examines him when he goes for his monthly cartrophen injection he doesn’t seem in discomfort when she feels his bladder, but being a nervous pig I think he freezes/wouldn’t squeal as he’s too scared.
I know she has given me the ok to up the metacam but always prefers if I can reduce it back down again if he is comfortable as she is concerned about the long term effects but also knows that it’s all about quality of life and wants him to be comfortable. I’ve tried to do some reading on the forum and have seen that some comments say that guinea pigs have a faster metabolism so it doesn’t effect them like it does a cat/dog. Does 0.4ml for a guinea pig of his size seem excessive? He has been on the metacam for a few months now and I don’t want to cause any long term problems, I’m aware IC can last for years so don’t want to give him too much but don’t want him to be uncomfortable either.
I think I’m going to up his dose to 0.4ml tonight and keep it up for a few days and see if his weight goes up too - I think this will then tell me if the weight change is him being in discomfort or just his weight naturally fluctuating.
I’d really appreciate it if anyone can give me their opinion on the metacam dosage and the long term effects.
Thanks in advance x
Sorry iadvance for the rambling! I hope it all makes sense...
I’m hoping to get some opinions on metacam dosages for my IC piggy, Diego. He seems very happy in himself (other than the odd squeaky wee and the occasional very small bloody wee patches) but his weight has been fluctuating (only very small amounts 20-35g).
He has been prescribed dog metacam and our vet has prescribed him 0.2ml x2 per day along with x2 cystease capsules. He currently weighs around 1220/1230/1240g (however a few months or so ago he would sometimes weigh in at around 1250/60 - I think this could have been him with a full bladder?) Our vet (who is a piggy specialist and is great) knows that I up it to around 0.4ml twice per day and anywhere in between that and his lowest dose of 0.2 if he’s having a flare up.
Recently he has ‘dropped’ again and now stays around 1230g when I’ve weighed him the last week or so, I know it’s not a massive weight drop and he always stays around 1220-1240g. However, I’m wondering whether the recent weight drop (in line with some very small bloody wee patches in his cage) are what is causing his weight to fluctuate. My vet always says that when she examines him when he goes for his monthly cartrophen injection he doesn’t seem in discomfort when she feels his bladder, but being a nervous pig I think he freezes/wouldn’t squeal as he’s too scared.
I know she has given me the ok to up the metacam but always prefers if I can reduce it back down again if he is comfortable as she is concerned about the long term effects but also knows that it’s all about quality of life and wants him to be comfortable. I’ve tried to do some reading on the forum and have seen that some comments say that guinea pigs have a faster metabolism so it doesn’t effect them like it does a cat/dog. Does 0.4ml for a guinea pig of his size seem excessive? He has been on the metacam for a few months now and I don’t want to cause any long term problems, I’m aware IC can last for years so don’t want to give him too much but don’t want him to be uncomfortable either.
I think I’m going to up his dose to 0.4ml tonight and keep it up for a few days and see if his weight goes up too - I think this will then tell me if the weight change is him being in discomfort or just his weight naturally fluctuating.
I’d really appreciate it if anyone can give me their opinion on the metacam dosage and the long term effects.
Thanks in advance x