New Guinea pig metacam for arthritis in elderly pig

[Minniemary]

Hi all,

I have a pig who is coming in to 6.5 years who has really started to slow down recently. He has some superficial hair loss of his hind legs and he's exploring his cage much less these days so I'm fairly certain he's experiencing some level of pain due to arthritis. Other than this he is eating, drinking, pooping and interacting normally. He's lost about 200g in weight over the last 9 months.

My question is, with the new Guinea pig metacam, what dose would you recommend giving for arthritis in elderly pigs and how often?

I've read various posts regarding the use of dog metacam but nothing for the newly approved guinea pig metacam.

Thanks for the help

 

[PigglePuggle]

Hi! The metacam (or loxicom) approved for guinea pigs is actually the cat version, which has 0.5mg of meloxicam per 1ml rather than 1.5mg per 1ml which the dog version has.
So essentially you might need 3x as much cat metacam as dog metacam. Its always best to consult your vet, though sometimes they may be a little conservative with the dosing. I believe based on the published research that up to 1.2ml of cat metacam is safe for piggies, in the short term. Some piggies may take this longer term after consultation with the vet in case of any liver or kidney problems or any interactions with other medicines they might be taking. So ask the vet of course, but feel confident to ask them about increasing the dose if they suggest a low dose that you dont believe is effective. Hope this helps!

 

[DMS260820]

And look into using glucosamine joint support by oxbow, it's on amazon. Helps with arthiritis. I spent one year looking after my old boar with arthiritis

 

[Veggies Galore]

Cat Metacam is now licenced for guinea pigs - but the licensed dose is considered by many specialist vets as very low.

@PigglePuggle is correct - many vets are happy to prescribe dog Metacam at a dosage of 0.4ml per kg ( cat Metacam 1.2 ml per kg).

I have a guinea pig who has been diagnosed with arthritis who has been prescribed Tramadol and Metacam . On his last review, the vet felt that 0.4 Metacam was not completely controlling his pain . He weighs in the region of 930 - 970 g and is currently taking 0.6mls dog metacam twice daily