Metacam - Long term fix?

[Ilovefoals]

Just after a bit of advice really.

I have a 6yr old Border Collie who is the product of a meeting between the 2 least perfect collies ever! I recently had her at the vet as she's been very stiff and sore on her back legs. She's full of beans running around and spends most of the day outside doing her "thing", stalking the horses up and down the fence line. But after she's had a sleep and goes to get up, she's really stiff. She can't get her back legs under her to push herself up and really waddles and limps for 5 mins or so once she is up. She finds it hard to jump in the car etc and being such a young dog, I was shocked at what the vet said.

Basically, she was x-rayed and her hip joints are not like a ball and socket, rather a square and socket. Her knee joints are the worst with bad arthritic changes. I saw the x-rays and the amount of extra boney growth was huge! She also has very slack ligaments in both her knees and hips. The vet said she was shocked at how bad she is and thought she was more like 15 than 6! She has recommended Metacam as a long term treatment for the pain after checking her kidney function and finding they are ok. I have also started her on a supplement too but just wondered, at such a young age, how long can we keep her on the Metacam without side effects?

She's so much more comfortable now, in fact she's currently acting like a pup! But it breaks my heart to know that without this medication, she's in agony

 

[PucciNPoni]

I would suggest perhaps maybe starting her on a joint supplement?

I have a 16 year old miniature pinshcer that without her supps would be stranded to rooms where there are no steps up or down. And unfortunately for her, my house is on several levels (from the kitchen down four steps to LR, from teh kitchen up a step to the hall, then up 2 flights to bedrooms, out in the garden down a couple of steps to the lawn or down a few more out the front). About three years ago she had a slipped disc - and I knew that the arthritis was causing her some serious grief. Put her on NAF Canine Relief and within six weeks or so she was definitely starting to move much better. Now and again I even see her galloping the length of the hall and taking a flyer off the step on to the front door way landing (on purpose., LOL).

It's definitely given her another three yeas of mobility. The trouble is that NAF may not continue to make this product (one of my feed merchants told me that they can't buy it in for me, so I bought it online - like six bottles to last me a while)!

 

[paulineh]

One of my Springer Spaniels was diagnosed with Arthritis (In his elbow) in 2008. He was first put on Metacam but it upset his stomach so he is now on Previcox.

I have recently started to feed him on Hills Scientific prescription j/d diet http://www.petmeds.co.uk/p-228-hills-canine-jd-reduced-calorie.aspx

Also "Stride Plus" http://www.viovet.co.uk/p1273/Strid...mine_and_Chondroitin_-_500g/product_info.html

Within 2 weeks I saw a difference and more of a difference in 21 days. Although both look expensive they last a long time.

Another thing you could try is Hydrotherapy if you have a center near you. This will help the hips.

 

[s4sugar]

The above food & supplement have the same active ingredient - Glucosamine & chondroitin which is less than half the price if you buy it packaged for humans.

Another option is green lipped mussel but I would try glucosamine first.

 

[*Spider*]

I doubt to see how a joint supplement will work if there are bony lesions within the joint capsule. By all means try the supplement to help the soft tissue (ligaments etc.) but without the painkiller, she's still going to be in pain.

 

[PucciNPoni]

I doubt to see how a joint supplement will work if there are bony lesions within the joint capsule. By all means try the supplement to help the soft tissue (ligaments etc.) but without the painkiller, she's still going to be in pain.

You may be right, but from what I understand about joint supplements is that they make the synovial fluid more viscuous, less thin and can help cushion the joints which can alleviate the pain?

However, I'm not a vet, or even a scientist. Pain killers quite often have anti-inflammatory properties which is brilliant if there is inflammation (not just an analgesic). I suppose it depends on whether there is inflammation (and I believe metacam is an anti-inflammatory - but don't quote me on that!).

But as pointed out earlier, sometimes animals develop other issues when on painkillers too long. Personally, I would rather use them now and again, rather than long term. Joint supplements I'd use every day without hesitation.

 

[*Spider*]

You can feed 'No Bute' to dogs I believe?

 

[paulineh]

Metacam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to reduce pain and inflammation in arthritis in dogs.

 

[MileAMinute]

I'd be worried about giving Metacam long term.

My dog is arthritic but it seems to come in spurts. During these 'off' times I give him Rimadyl, but for daily use he gets Turmeric powder. I hadn't heard of it until I came on here, but so glad I looked into it - apart from yellow lips (!) he seems much happier and healthier and has less 'spurts'.

 

[Ilovefoals]

Thanks for all the comments guys. As I said in my OP, I have recently started her on a joint supplement too. She had been on a glucosamine one before which didn't seem to have much affect so I've now put her on a green lipped muscle one by Nupafeed which I have one of the horses on. It seems to have worked well for the mare so I'm hoping it'll do the same for Molly. Do you think there's a chance of me reducing the Metacam or even stopping it if this supplement proves effective?

 

[SusieT]

I have a 10/11 yr old who has been on metacam regularly since she was 4/5 and on/off since she was 2...
She has recently had blood tests and there are no problems at all with her kidney and liver function, she loves her metacam. Considered going to previcox but she hated the tablets whereas metacam she licks off teh syringe!

 

[misterjinglejay]

My 13 year old has really bad hips and has done for several years (impossibly high hip score for a samoyed!).
We've had her on devils claw tablets from Holland and Barratt - she is like a different dog on them, and seems much happier!