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Rodney's Arthritis / Loxicom Dose

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PAMELAKT

PAMELAKT

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hi guys,

I had a previous thread called 'Potters tablets' - Rodney will be 4 in October and has been diagnosed with arthritis in both back legs. He hasn't had an X-ray, but the legs are thicker than normal and less flexible.

Tonight was his 4th trip to the vets and he has been given loxicom longterm. However, she said there is only one dose (the 12K dose) and I have read on here that pigs on this longerm have a smaller dose? Should I have him on the 12K dose for a week then drop it?

She also said he would have to hVe full anaesthetic for an X-ray and would maybe die. Positive! So if I don't see great improvement on the loxicom full time then I will have to do the 125 mile round trip to the vets who can look outside the box & avoid full anaesthetic.

If you have a pig on loxicom full time what dose are you giving? Rodney is down to 1.2K - he has lost a lot of weight.

Thanks!
 
Is it Metacam you are talking about? Have you been given the cat or dog one? I have a bladder piggy on 0.1 ml once a day dog metacam long term, we up it if she has an infection though.
 
sounds like a rubbish vet. i feel bad for the people they tell this rubbish to, who won't even think to question it. :roll: x
 
i don't know what a 12k dose means. what is it in ml? it's hard to say what the correct dose is for him, as i would think it depends on how much stiffness and pain there is, and whether they want to start higher to bring the inflammation down, and then maintain at a lower dose, or whether they want to try and maintain straight away. x
 
I know, really irritates me. But for the sake of drugs I will go local, if he needs anything more I will make the drive. It does look like arthritis.

I have the dog one, and the syringe is for 12K which is the dose he is to have, looking at it next to my other syringe this looks like 1ml.

0.1 do you mean an entire syringe?
 
I'm confused. Yes it's metacam. The syringe only comes in a Kg size as it's obv really for dogs. 0.1 would be a tiny lick surely? Is it literally a tiny lick you are giving or a syringe full?

0.1 wouldn't be enough I don't think! They have fast metabolism don't they hence why the big dose?!
 
PAMELAKT said:
I know, really irritates me. But for the sake of drugs I will go local, if he needs anything more I will make the drive. It does look like arthritis.

I have the dog one, and the syringe is for 12K which is the dose he is to have, looking at it next to my other syringe this looks like 1ml.

0.1 do you mean an entire syringe?
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1ml is a full syringe. 0.1ml is a really tiny amount. it might be easier to ask for a small brown medicine bottle, then pour it in there and use a 1ml syringe to syringe up what you need. we do this because the actual syringes that come with metacam are confusing. x
 
Honor is on between 0.1ml and 0.2 ml twice a day (thats 2 drops of metacam for 0.1ml and 4 drops for 0.2ml) , my vet lets me up and down acording how how she is moving about.
 
PAMELAKT said:
I'm confused. Yes it's metacam. The syringe only comes in a Kg size as it's obv really for dogs. 0.1 would be a tiny lick surely? Is it literally a tiny lick you are giving or a syringe full?

0.1 wouldn't be enough I don't think! They have fast metabolism don't they hence why the big dose?!
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this is why there is so much debate about metacam. because some people think 0.1ml is a tiny dose and won't do much, and others think it's working well. with him having bad arthritis in both legs, i would think he would need it slightly higher to be honest. you could always reduce slightly or increase slightly depending on how he is doing. you will be the best judge of that as you're with him all the time. x
 
i mean 0.1ml on a 1ml syringe. not the metacam syringe. i can't remember what they look like and how it's labelled. x
 
At the moment he is on pretty much a 1ml dose then which is an entire syringe of the syringe that comes in the box. God I feel like 0.1 would be nowhere near enough for him!

I have another syringe I can use, what d you think I should give him then?! 0.2 twice a day? 0.4 once a day? Baring in mind he needs his potters tablet as well - he loved the loxicom before now he hates any syringe med cos of the potters :/

I thought the point in the large dose was cos of how they process food so fast?!
 
He is pretty good tonight, he's eaten a lovely grassy dinner with cucumber & is out & about looking cheeky.

Do you think I should give him the big 1ml dose for a week to get him thru this bad patch he has had then reduce it to 0.4 maybe once a day?

God it's terrible my vet isn't even aware of all this....
 
PAMELAKT said:
At the moment he is on pretty much a 1ml dose then which is an entire syringe of the syringe that comes in the box. God I feel like 0.1 would be nowhere near enough for him!

I have another syringe I can use, what d you think I should give him then?! 0.2 twice a day? 0.4 once a day? Baring in mind he needs his potters tablet as well - he loved the loxicom before now he hates any syringe med cos of the potters :/

I thought the point in the large dose was cos of how they process food so fast?!
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when it's shorter term then the doses can be alot higher. for long term, you want the lowest dose you can keep him comfortable at. sometimes they need a higher dose long term though, and in this case, it's better for them to be comfortable. my rabbits both had/have long term metacam at doses that others may think higher, but they need/needed it, so there wasn't any other option.

what you could do is ring another vet and ask for a consult over the phone. i know they generally like to see the pet first, but some might give you a general idea, especially if you explain that you are worried. x
 
I think you need to discuss it with your vet. Whatever dose he has though I recommend splitting in 2. Some vets do dose higher because of their fast metabolism though.
 
She said was because of his high metabolism.

I tried to discuss it with her, but she said there was only one dose.

I don't think another vet will give me advice over the phone?!

God it is ridiculous I am even having to debate this, why can't vets be better with small animals it's a joke!
 
Keep him on what you have been advised to do for now, is there any way you could get him to see John Chitty over the next week?
 
Mother, my current poorly piggy is on 0.2 ml per day eg 1/5 of a 1 ml syringe. The most I've ever had prescribed for one of my piggies was 0.3 ml a day. I would check with another vet or get in touch with the manufacturers. They may be able to give recommended doses. I definitely would not give 1 ml to one of my piggies.
 
Where is john citty?

Looking through previous discussions on here, I think he should be on 0.2 twice a day as he weighs over 1.1K.

So maybe I will give him the high dose for a couple more days that will be 5 days on it (as I used some leftover past couple of days before vet trip today) and then lower it for longterm and see how he does?

God knows how I will get all this in plus potters that's 3 lots of medicine a day, poor little man ;(
 
Oh really..... God. I will try tomorrow to call the vet In Reading I used before they are pig savvy. If they will talk to me!

Stewybus said:
Mother, my current poorly piggy is on 0.2 ml per day eg 1/5 of a 1 ml syringe. The most I've ever had prescribed for one of my piggies was 0.3 ml a day. I would check with another vet or get in touch with the manufacturers. They may be able to give recommended doses. I definitely would not give 1 ml to one of my piggies.
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If you do go to Anton vets, John is very good.
PAMELAKT said:
Where is john citty?

Looking through previous discussions on here, I think he should be on 0.2 twice a day as he weighs over 1.1K.

So maybe I will give him the high dose for a couple more days that will be 5 days on it (as I used some leftover past couple of days before vet trip today) and then lower it for longterm and see how he does?

God knows how I will get all this in plus potters that's 3 lots of medicine a day, poor little man ;(
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John Chitty is who i go to at Anton vets (Andover) about 45mins from portsmouth via car.
 
for comparison, i've had mine on 0.8ml twice a day before, and that has been totally fine and safe according to our exotics vet. it does seem to be one of those debated things. it depends what it's being used for aswell. inflammation especially requires a higher dose initially. just to say aswell, that alot of exotics vets don't see these as higher doses. they see them as correct doses. alot of divided opinion about it all though.

i would also stick to what the vet has given initially. at his weight, he will be fine on that. split the dose in half though and give 0.5ml twice a day initially for a few days and then you can always reduce. once you find his symptoms come back, then raise slightly and maintain there.

of course, if you can travel to see an exotics vet, then that would be the best thing and you can have him checked over and ask them what they think he needs for his level of arthritis. x
 
Wow twice a day! Ok I feel better I was starting to panic I was over drugging him. He really has been quite uncomfortable I think he needs a relatively high dose just now. I will split it half tomorrow then.

Should I still continue with potters? I don't know how I will get that in too he's going to hate me!

biscandmatt said:
for comparison, i've had mine on 0.8ml twice a day before, and that has been totally fine and safe according to our exotics vet. it does seem to be one of those debated things. it depends what it's being used for aswell. inflammation especially requires a higher dose initially. just to say aswell, that alot of exotics vets don't see these as higher doses. they see them as correct doses. alot of divided opinion about it all though.

i would also stick to what the vet has given initially. at his weight, he will be fine on that. split the dose in half though and give 0.5ml twice a day initially for a few days and then you can always reduce. once you find his symptoms come back, then raise slightly and maintain there.

of course, if you can travel to see an exotics vet, then that would be the best thing and you can have him checked over and ask them what they think he needs for his level of arthritis. x
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I will make some calls tomorrow to other vets and see what I can get. If I have to go further then I can do, it's just rubbish when you live miles away and go for a consult to be told the same thing or told to come back again. Need so much time off work!
 
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