Metacam

Is it bad just for long term? Is it safe for a few days after tooth extraction?
My vet uses/used it for pain, decreasing dosage,then skipping a day.
It's been a while, so I don't remember exactly.
Checkers' dental is next week, and I want information in advance, so I know what to tell them.

 

Metacam is risky for kidneys. If there are no issues with other types of drugs, buprenex is much prefered over metacam. I'd suggest doing a search for posts on the topic of metacam...

 

Just remember that Metacam and some other drugs have anti-inflammatory properties which are very desirable in many situations, as well as anti-pain properties. Buprenex on the the other hand is only an anti-pain drug.

 

I did a lot of research on this when Bandit had his dental. If your cat doesn't have pre-existing kidney problems, and is only being given a few small doses after a dental, the risks involved with using Metacam are very low. As Larry mentioned, it has anti-inflammatory properties which will help your cat manage the post-dental pain much better than buprenex, and speed up recovery time especially if extractions are involved.

Bandit is 8, and has no other medical problems other than his diabetes, so I opted for Metacam based on my vet's suggestion. My other cat, Gabby, is 15 and has renal insufficency, so she had buprenex instead. I can definitely say that the pain management was far better for Bandit than Gabby, but because of Gabby's age and kidney problems I didn't feel comfortable giving her Metacam.

Edit: I actually found the old post where I explained my decision to use it with Bandit. Here it is:

 

I've really tried to keep my blinders on with this topic, but I just can't.

Obviously, it's individual pet parent decision what medication to used with their cat. Informed decisions are certainly the best. When risks of using metacam are described as being low, one must consider the "what if" if your kitty becomes the kitty of "low risk."

This is a touchy and passionate subject for me. I lost a beloved kitty man with big beautiful blue eyes to kidney failure and $10,000 because of "low risk" with one recommended dose of metacam. This is a drug with a clear label warning of kidney insults with a high margin of death in the drug information. The company has also been cited by the FDA for improper promtion of the use.

At minimal, the kidney risks should be clearly explaned without minimization before prescribing. A statement, "I've never had a cat to have problems with metacam is not sufficient." When deciding to use or not to use metacam, consider the "what if'' should your kitty be the "low risk" cat or the "first" cat in a practice to suffer ill fate from metacam use.

Sunshine
w/ clouds of metacam.

 

Thank you for responses. I appreciate the advice.