Many veterinarians across the globe regularly prescribe Metacam for pain relief in cats without ever seeing serious adverse reactions to the drug.Veterinarian Dr. Marie Haynes suggests that the cases of acute renal failure reported in the US may be due to the difference in dosage instructions. Be that during the recovery from surgery, getting over a ligament or muscular injury or living with arthritis long term. Metacam isn't different in that regard. But at the same time don't believe everything you read online is the whole story. Pain killers are so important but are they safe? In the US, oral Metacam is intended for use in dogs only, usually as pain management for osteoarthritis. The cat’s age, chronic conditions and current medications should all be taken into account when deciding on the drug of choice. In the US it's off-label use to prescribe oral metacam for cats and that's something your vet should have mentioned. For example, Tramadol, a common alternative to Metacam, can induce seizures, hallucinations and other neurological side effects. She said that most of the issues with Metacam date from the release of the drug and were related to improper dosing - especially on older cats. Many drugs are toxic to cats, including some that humans and canines tolerate quite well.Rare reactions can happen with any drug. Metacam should never be administered alongside other steroidal or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aminoglycoside antibiotics or anticoagulant agents.Acute renal failure (ARF) seems to be the effect many cat owners fear when considering Metacam. I really hope that there will soon be more studies into this to either back up or refute these findings.The flip side is that NSAIDs offer our cats one of the best chances of a pain free life. Now I am concerned. I took my kitten krazycat after it was attacked by a very large dog we took it inside it 1st vomited all its food up then he pooped but not in his litter box we noticed he was very tender on his right back leg so we then took it to the Whyalla veterinary clinic he was treated by Dr.Andrew Melville-smith he then said that my cat was just traumatized but wanted to keep him over night my poor kitten wasnt even 4 months old we were told the morning that krazy didnt survive we were then handed the bill he didnt take any xrays but he administered him a metacam injection without asking us whether he should or shouldn't proceed we were left in the dark just like poor crazy all alone we now have a bill and no cat the vet showed no empathy what so ever no apology what so ever he was told the cat was attacked yet didn't bother with xrays he has done this to many animals he was videoed by phone who witnessed him being cruel to her toy poodles but he threatened not treat her dogs and to close her account she needed her account open as her dogs had on going issues she wanted desperately to go public she couldn't but I can. Is a low dose of Metacam safer or more dangerous than the equivalent dosage of Tramadol needed for pain management? She will probably want to see him back to make sure he isn't having an abnormal reaction, possibly check … This means that rather than be dangerous, long term meloxicam may actually delay the worsening of disease in cats with otherwise stable chronic kidney failure. The dose is less than 1/4 of the recommended canine dose, only .01 mg. of Meloxicam per lb., about the dose recommended for cats in other countries, and Spot is doing very well on it. You owe that to your cat.While I expect anyone who's cat may have had side-effects to comment (and no, this article has not been sponsored by anyone), please let my know below how pain killers have helped your cat live a healthier, happier life. For other cats, those seriously affected or known to have very sensitive intestines it may be that alternative treatments are then explored.Stop if your pet appears depressed, becomes unwell or stops eating or drinkingIf your cat is unwell for any other reason, if they stop eating or drinking then do not continue to give meloxicam. Does metacam make dog sleepy? Post to Facebook . Having read up a bit more, I will not give it to Dushka, who already has severe renal issues and is on kidney meds and diet, prescribed by this same vet 6 months ago! Metacam does occasionally make a pet a little less active than usual but your cat sounds very sensitive to this medication as he sounds abnormally sleepy. Metacam is licensed for use in dogs, cats and guinea pigs. We used to think cats weren't too affected by pain. The vet I saw this morning (not my regular one but a member of the practice) wants me to give her Metacam to relieve the pain. I trust her. Thanks for the clarification. Cats metabolize NSAIDs like meloxicam via kidneys; dogs metabolize NSAIDs via liver and kidneys, but more prone to hepatotoxicity if overdosed. But their conclusion was that in Europe the Metacam for cats is at a lower dosage than the US version and has been demonstrated to be safe. This guide explores Metacam and its use in cats, including side effects and risks, so that cat owners can make an informed decision about this pain relief medication for their cat.Metacam is the commercial name of meloxicam: a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim and used for pain management in dogs and cats. Many cats tend to be dehydrated during surgery because they had not been fed for six hours prior to the procedure (sometimes longer). Us offset the costs of running this site, so thank you for your support their!, does metacam make cats drowsy mentat realising how dangerous it can actually be fairly safe, compared to the FDA has that... 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