Metacam for my piggy

[Jensmith007]

So I know this is a UK forum, but I’m from the US and it doesn’t seem like there are a ton of forums for piggy owners here. The last two days have been a heck of a scare for me. I have a very precious 6 year old girl pig named Bear. She’s perky, sweet, and seems happy. She had an issue back in January where her back legs stopped working.... My mother would come over to my place and help with “pig therapy”- making sure her legs got proper circulation and muscle mass stayed sufficient. The vet put her on metacam, and a higher dose of .7 ml twice a day seemed to work great. She started walking again. Gradually over the past 2 months I started weaning her doses, she was down to .5 ml once a day. Yesterday was her first day off the meds. She flipped on her back and I wasn’t sure if it was a reaction to the medication or she accidentally rolled too far, as I’ve had piggies do that when they’ve flopped. I got her upright immediately and sat with her for an hour before going to bed (2am). Then today, again no medicine, she does this twice more- now I know it wasn’t an accidental flip. I got her on her feet and she was alert and acting like herself every time I uprighted her, and called my mom over (she’s got pigs as well, we help each other with things like this). So she suggested it might be withdrawal since Bear was on Metacam for 3 months? I could see it being that way. I got more from the vet and gave her a dose, and she’s been fine the last 4 hours. Anyone else experience this? This is my girl, we have her on towels now to keep it soft for her joints.

 

[Jensmith007]

Also the receptionist on the phone commented about how she had been on the medication for a long time and said something about withdrawal. I hadn’t said anything to her about it, I only asked for a refill. The vet never said that it might be an issue all the times I went in for refills....

 

[Veggies Galore]

We will need to wait for a health and illness guru to answer your thread.

Can I just check what type of Metacam your vet has prescribed - is it Dog metacam - or Cat metacam ?


( PS - I personally don't think this is a withdrawl problem - Metacam is an anti inflammatory and pain killer . I don't have an issue with a GUinea PIg being on metacam long term )

 

[Jensmith007]

I don’t know how to tell the difference between the cat and dog metacam. Any chance you can tell me how to find out?

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

I don’t know how to tell the difference between the cat and dog metacam. Any chance you can tell me how to find out?

It should say on the bottle/pot, like dog suspension or something. Dog is stronger than cat and a lot better

 

[Veggies Galore]

Am trying to upload screenshots... But my device won't let me. It's the same drug.... But dog metacam is stronger.


Dog metacam is 1.5 mg per ml and cat metacam is 0.5 mg per ml

 

[Wiebke]

So I know this is a UK forum, but I’m from the US and it doesn’t seem like there are a ton of forums for piggy owners here. The last two days have been a heck of a scare for me. I have a very precious 6 year old girl pig named Bear. She’s perky, sweet, and seems happy. She had an issue back in January where her back legs stopped working.... My mother would come over to my place and help with “pig therapy”- making sure her legs got proper circulation and muscle mass stayed sufficient. The vet put her on metacam, and a higher dose of .7 ml twice a day seemed to work great. She started walking again. Gradually over the past 2 months I started weaning her doses, she was down to .5 ml once a day. Yesterday was her first day off the meds. She flipped on her back and I wasn’t sure if it was a reaction to the medication or she accidentally rolled too far, as I’ve had piggies do that when they’ve flopped. I got her upright immediately and sat with her for an hour before going to bed (2am). Then today, again no medicine, she does this twice more- now I know it wasn’t an accidental flip. I got her on her feet and she was alert and acting like herself every time I uprighted her, and called my mom over (she’s got pigs as well, we help each other with things like this). So she suggested it might be withdrawal since Bear was on Metacam for 3 months? I could see it being that way. I got more from the vet and gave her a dose, and she’s been fine the last 4 hours. Anyone else experience this? This is my girl, we have her on towels now to keep it soft for her joints.View attachment 110737

Hi and welcome!

I have never come across an issue like that in connection with metacam unless the pain is still present in the spine and your piggy is unbalancing in an attempt to get at the spot that is causing the discomfort. In this case, she needs to go back ion the full dosage, which she can stay on safely for the rest of her life. Unlike dogs or cats, guinea pigs metabolise metacam much better without risking long term kidney damage.
Has your girl been checked for arthritis in the spine? There is a surprising number of issues that can cause back leg paralysis in older piggies.

Could you please add whether your piggy is on dog or cat metacam? The first is 3 times stronger than the latter. With cat metacam you are on a fairly low dosage, with dog metacam on a fairly high one. In any case, because metacam is metabolised in about 10 hours, we would strongly recommend to either give the prescribed dose of cat metacam twice daily or to split the dog in two to give twice daily.

I am sorry for the upset. I currently have some old ladies with me, who are more prone to overbalance and struggle to right themselves again. But then, old humans have the same problem when their back or hips are no longer doing well...

You can help us by adding country to your account details (via clicking on your username on the top bar) so we can always adjust our advice to what is availabe and relevant where you are straight away. We have members and enquiries from all over the world; from very different countries with different medical brand names, climate and backgrounds and very different access to general and/or exotics vets. If you are a minor, please do not add anything closer than your country for your own protection.

 

[Jensmith007]

I checked the bottle and it’s not labeled as to which type. I’m from Minnesota, and there’s a few vets around but I usually take all my fur kids to one (two guinea pigs, one rabbit). I’m concerned about them letting her stay on it for the rest of her life. I suppose if they say no I could take her to one of the others and explain the situation there. No more episodes of her flipping in the last 20 hours.... She seems a little more quiet than usual, maybe she was freaked out about yesterday.

 

[Wiebke]

To be honest, it all depends on what is exactly going on. Maybe another vet check may bring some more answers? We can only guess based on what you are telling us.

PS: I have several old piggies of mine on permanent metacam for arthritis, and they are not my first ones, but they have been diagnosed with it.