Metacam Arthritis Treatment - Info & How to Save Money

Metacam is usually supplied as a pleasantly flavoured liquid. It can be given directly into the mouth or added to food. Most dogs and cats take it quite happily in food. A special syringe is provided to help measure out the correct dose. Great care should be taken if it is given directly into the mouth of cats, to guard against accidental overdose. Tablets and an injectable solution are also available.

What is it for?

Metacam is used in dogs and cats to reduce pain and inflammation. Most commonly this is to treat arthritis, but many other conditions such as pain after surgery, injuries or painful tumours can also be treated. Metacam is one of the very few drugs which can be used for these reasons with reasonable safety in cats.

The vast majority of old dogs and cats become stiff, slow and weak in their movements as they become old. Most often these changes are partly due to the joints “wearing out”, just as they do in people. This is essentially what is meant by arthritis. Metacam is able to restore some comfort and freedom of movement to many older animals.

How does it work?

Metacam belongs to the group of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDs. It acts preferentially on the so-called COX-2 receptors rather than COX-1, which helps to reduce the potential for side effects.)

Are there any side effects?

Metacam is a very safe drug as long it is used with care, but Metacam is a powerful drug and several side effects are known to occur on occasions. These are:

• Damage to the gut lining, possibly leading to ulceration, even perforation.
• Kidney damage
• Reduced blood clotting
• Very rarely serious liver damage

The first signs of side effects are usually loss of appetite, vomiting or diarrhoea (possibly with blood). If these are seen it is important to stop the medication immediately and for a vet to check the animal. Usually everything will settle down quite quickly, with or without specific treatment, but occasionally these signs can progress to serious illness and even death, so they must not be ignored. Metacam can be regarded as a safe and effective treatment which brings enormous relief and dramatically improves quality of life in suitable patients, but it must be used carefully and under veterinary supervision.

How to save money on Metacam

Metacam can only be prescribed by the veterinary surgeon responsible for the care of the animal. Once this has been done it can be bought straight from that vet, which is the easiest route. However this might be the most expensive way, and it is possible to buy Metacam from a high street pharmacist, or online from a company such as VioVet. VioVet is likely to be the most economical of these options, and the Metacam is exactly the same as that sold by your local vet.