Metacam/Rimadyl - does anyone have a dog on either of these?

[_Acolyte_]

Just wondered if you have a dog which needs metacam or rimadyl? If so how long has your dog been on it, and is it a regular dose or an 'as and when required' situation?

Talisker (my lurcher) is having Cartrophen injections at the moment but they are not lasting that long, so the vet says we may need to consider anti-inflammatories in the future. This is always something I was aware of, but was wondering if there were any side-effects of administering the drug long-term (I always think equine now, so I was recalling the potential side effects for the long term use of Bute in horses!)

 

[Linz75]

My sisters 9yr old GSD has been on Metacam since he was about 2yrs old - he has both hip & elbow dysplasia.

Can't say he's suffered any side effects from it.

 

[CAYLA]

My mams Gsd has been on metacam since the beginning of time...

, about 7 years or so, for spinal problems, she has suffered no side effects, as most meds they do have indications for side effects, dependant on age, dosage, breed, e,t,c.
More commonly some dogs with sensitive stomachs do suffer , vomiting and or diarrhoea, and some may be so bad, they have to be put on replacememt meds, it's really imoportant to give with food.

It's really good stuff though, have seen many a dog placed on metacam, esp older dogs and has made a significant difference to their quality of life.
I used to give it to my old lurcher from time to time, when he got a little stiff, and alot of my old boarders are on it.

 

[nijinsky]

My staffie Blue is 3 years old and has ED in both front legs

Not that you'd know it, he is very full of life.

After surgery vets recommended 1/2 tablet of Previcox daily. This went on for around 6 months, another vet then recommended I take him off the previcox and try natural products.

I now buy Glucosimine (for joints) in tablet form and Turmeric (anti inflamatory) in powder form from Holland & Barrett & he has that daily. If he's had a very busy day and he's looking a bit stiff or sore I give him his 1/2 tablet of Previcox but only as & when now instead of every day.

My feeling is this: I can't guarantee that any of the supplements I give my animals work, how many of them are clinically proven & 100% guaranteed to make a difference - none. So I can't justify spending the £50 & £60 per product the vets/animal companies charge for supplements, whereas I don't mind paying £10 tub not knowing if it's actually doing anything.

 

[barbaraNcolin]

Our golden retriever has been on rimadyl since she was 18months, she's ten now. Has hip displasia, heart mummur, arthritis and blew her cruciate ligament last xmas plus many more problems. She hasn't has any side effects.

ETS: She is on 50mg a day, every day. She is sore and stiff without it.

 

[_Acolyte_]

[ QUOTE ]
After surgery vets recommended 1/2 tablet of Previcox daily. This went on for around 6 months, another vet then recommended I take him off the previcox and try natural products.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah thanks Nijinsky, that was the other product the vet mentioned, I couldnt remember the name! Thanks for your feedback, it is very useful

 

[nijinsky]

I've just re-read my last post. I am not doubting the medication the vets give because obviously they are tried & tested, my comments were relating to the supplements only, just thought I ought to clarify that.

 

[_Acolyte_]

Thanks very much everyone for the replies so far, they are very much appreciated

I am so pleased to hear that the drugs can be used long term, although realistically I am not sure how much longer Tal will be with me

(although thats another story, as I am stressing myself stupid about that

)

Cala - my mum did mention about sensitive stomachs, so thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten about that! Mum did say that usually if the dog doesnt get on with one, the other usually works

 

[woolly]

Hazzie puppy was on rimadyl on and off for around 3 years. We increased the dose as and when and on better days decreased or left it out. We had a pot of 200 and they were the big momma ones!

 

[MarleyandDarcy]

With all anti-inflammatory drugs you will get some dogs that react quite badly relatively quickly (ie stomach ulcers) and others that can take it for years fine.
As someone else said if your dog doesn't get on with one they could quite possibly be fine on another.
When I read up on it I think I found that Rimadyl has a slightly higher rate of side effects than some others.
My Springer is on Zubrin as and when needed for HD. He was orignally meant to take it daily but after putting him on Cortaflex I found he only very occasionally needs it after a very strenuous walk or weekend of agility (which he has now retired from at 11 1/2 years).

 

[Skhosu]

My lab has been on metacam for the past 4/5 years, since she was two, and it does help a lot, we keep her at a base level and if she gets bad, increase it a bit

 

[mattilda]

My old Rottie was on Metacam for arthritis and she always had a dodgy tum. Had an occasional problem with her but not sure whether that was due to the drugs or just her delicate insides! Have used Rimadyl but only as pain releif for short periods. I have just started my RR on Cartrophen so am only seeing early signs but so far she is much less lame. How long did they last for your dog? must admit don't really like giving her the jabs although she is a star and doesn't bat an eyelid.

 

[prose]

Is this more of a big dog thing? Stella will be six this time round, and her food already contains glucosamine and crushed eggshells. Should I be starting extra supplementation or would it be a waste, seeing as she's still very limber?

 

[happyhack]

Both of my Goldies have been on metacam for their joints. No obvious problems. They seem fine, appeared to have helped Bates (died of 2 strokes in 36 hours 2 yrs ago RIP) and Buddy (Aged 15-still going!)

 

[MarleyandDarcy]

[ QUOTE ]
Is this more of a big dog thing? Stella will be six this time round, and her food already contains glucosamine and crushed eggshells. Should I be starting extra supplementation or would it be a waste, seeing as she's still very limber?

[/ QUOTE ]

Prose - Metacam and Rimadyl is prescribed by vets for various reasons its not taken as a supplement. They are an anti-inflammatory drug.
Things like Glucosamine are supplements that you can give to help an existing problem or as a preventative. Although I think Glucosamine and Chondroitin mixes are better than just Glucosamine.
I know a lot of people with working dogs (field or agility/flyball) give supplements as an extra as a preventative as their dogs may be working their joints harder. Two of mine are on supplements, Cortaflex and the other on Cosequin, because of an existing problem, but two of my others are given it as a preventative as they do/will do agility, which can be quite hard on joints.

 

[chester1234]

Have a 12yr old beagle on Rimadyl as she's old and creaky. Did work experience at a vets and they used to give metacam before surgery as a painkillers - vet's said brilliant, but makes them bleed more. So if anything happens to your doggy and it bleeds, may look worse than it actually is

Beagle has Rimadyl [3/4's of a tablet] once a day in her tea

 

[_Acolyte_]

[ QUOTE ]
My old Rottie was on Metacam for arthritis and she always had a dodgy tum. Had an occasional problem with her but not sure whether that was due to the drugs or just her delicate insides! Have used Rimadyl but only as pain releif for short periods. I have just started my RR on Cartrophen so am only seeing early signs but so far she is much less lame. How long did they last for your dog? must admit don't really like giving her the jabs although she is a star and doesn't bat an eyelid.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mattilda - we did a weekly jab for four weeks as a loading dose, then Talisker had 4 weeks before his next injection (injection one).

He really improved during the loading period, but the good effects wore off after about 3 weeks, so a week before injection one was administered. Then we had another improvement, and another 4 week gap before injection two, but the effects wore off after only 2 weeks the second time, so 2 weeks before injection two (which was last night)

Hope that makes sense! I'm not going to rush into anything else, I will see what happens this time before I make any decision - it is difficult though, because I was so pleased with the improvement initially.

The vet did some manipulation of Talisker's hindquarters last night and (after nearly being bitten for his troubles) found the source of the pain was in the hips - Tal is very very good usually, so it obviously hurt quite a lot!

I know Mum said that one of her Cavaliers was violently sick with Metacam but was OK with Rimadyl, so I guess it is just a matter of trial and error with that!

 

[_Acolyte_]

[ QUOTE ]
Is this more of a big dog thing? Stella will be six this time round, and her food already contains glucosamine and crushed eggshells. Should I be starting extra supplementation or would it be a waste, seeing as she's still very limber?

[/ QUOTE ]

Prose - I wouldnt worry too much to be honest, Talisker has always had a weak back end (god knows what he is crossed with!) so I always knew I would have problems with him that way as he got older. I think for him it is just a bit of arthritis or something, but the glucosamine should be helping Stella with that if it should occur with her

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I have a little advice, and had written an answer, when HHO "died"/ceased to exist for me, AGAIN! And now I have to get ready to go to puppyclass, but I'll write it later this evening, IF only HHO allows me to get on...

from Sweden.

 

[prose]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Is this more of a big dog thing? Stella will be six this time round, and her food already contains glucosamine and crushed eggshells. Should I be starting extra supplementation or would it be a waste, seeing as she's still very limber?

[/ QUOTE ]

Prose - Metacam and Rimadyl is prescribed by vets for various reasons its not taken as a supplement. They are an anti-inflammatory drug.
Things like Glucosamine are supplements that you can give to help an existing problem or as a preventative. Although I think Glucosamine and Chondroitin mixes are better than just Glucosamine.
I know a lot of people with working dogs (field or agility/flyball) give supplements as an extra as a preventative as their dogs may be working their joints harder. Two of mine are on supplements, Cortaflex and the other on Cosequin, because of an existing problem, but two of my others are given it as a preventative as they do/will do agility, which can be quite hard on joints.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for that. I'll look into the Cortaflex supplement. Though she isn't a working dog in competitive terms, Stella is an avid fetcher, clocking up two hours without skipping a beat yesterday

But she suffers with no muscle stiffness/weakness at all--it's more of a preventative thing, as she is very active when outdoors.

 

[mattilda]

Thanks Acolyte. Matty dog is due her 3rd jab on Fri so we appear to be doing the same as you did. Will be interesting to see if it is more effective than with poor Talisker.

 

[nessie1288]

I have an 11 year old pug on Rimadyl. He has been on it for about 2 years and has no side effects. He has hemiverterbrae, not sure if that is how you spell it, and is on the tablets all the time and definitely is happier to move about even in the winter, though he is always a bit wobbly. A good friend of mine has just had her 13 year old cairn put on this as well and it has taken years off her, she is running round like she used to several years back.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

It wasn't much I wanted to say, but I was rather frustrated after having written it 3 times and as soon as I pressed continue -- HHO was gone. Soapbox haven't been any problem today, but dog forum, very frustrating...

Anyhow, both drugs can affect the liver, the thing is, that a liver that is born healthy, is probably the "toughest" of our organs. Even after it doesn't work 100%, it can usually continue to do it's job for quite some time. Therefor, unless you take a bloodsample to check the livers function, you can't tell whether or not x years of medicine use have affected the liver or not.

But there are a few things that you can do to make it easier for the liver, as CALA said, give the medicine after/together with food. If you can give food three to five times a day, that also makes it easier for the liver, than getting one or two big meals.
And make sure your dog gets enough B-vitamins, because ( in the right amount ) it helps the liver to function properly.

Hopes the medicines helps your dog Acolyte, from Sweden.

 

[_Acolyte_]

Thanks so much for your perseverance FinnishLapphund, you have far more patience than I have

That is interesting about the effect the drugs may have on the liver; if I do go down the route of trying either drug I might have a blood test done first, I can't imagine Tal's liver function is impared at all but I am gettng so paranoid about his health that I would feel better knowing for sure!

The feedback everyone has given me has been incredibly helpful, so thanks again to everyone who has replied

I will see how long this dose of Cartrophen lasts, then review it with the vet and decide whether anti-inflammatories are needed too

 

[at work]

I have an elderly dog on metacam - she couldn't cope with rimadyl but I think it is just that different treatments suit different dogs better, rather than a problem with rimadyl per se.

We too tried cartrophen first, but it only worked the first time, after that it didn't help.

Anyway, she was on natural remedies for 8 years and has been on natural remedies plus metacam (full maximum dose every day)for 2 years now - without it she would have been pts 2 years ago, so I don't worry about side effects. So far she has been fine, she has had a quality of life on metacam that she could not possibly have had without it. Sadly, I think the decision to pts becasue of increasing arthritis is inevitable soon anyway.

However, it is like bute - side effects are very posssible and can be serious. Your vet should advise. If the arthritis is severe, I'd choose to use a prescribed medication from your vet every time.

 

[Rosehip]

Pippa is on Metacam for a possible torn cruciate ligament, it doesnt seem to have adversley affected her. She is on the liquid not the pills btw x