Last week I wrote a frustrated, Vet Stress post on Fido-the-dog (When pet therapies go wrong). The entry detailed Fido’s stressful family and the implication that Fido’s Metacam therapy was responsible for his gastrointestinal undoing.
We’ve come a long way since last week’s semi-confrontational moments. Although she’s relaxed a whole lot, his primary owner still manages to stress me out with every prolonged phone call. Complaints, pseudo-complaints, guilt and blame underlie each telephonic experience. I’m tired.
Fido’s situation has also altered—in rollercoaster fashion. Here’s the whole story from beginning to end…
Fido, a nine-year-old, ten-pound mix came in for a yearly 10 days ago. His list of ailments (as long as my arm) included his heart, liver, joints, thyroid gland, teeth and possibly his adrenal and/or pituitary glands. I had been trying to get him worked up for at least two years now. His owner had resisted—purportedly due to his chronically frail state. Catch 22.
Finally, she relented—just a little. She allowed me to try “shotgun” therapy, otherwise known as empirical medicine or provocative treatment (i.e., we don’t want to do any diagnostics so let’s try some drugs and see how it goes). So Fido got blood pressure meds and Metacam (for his increasingly debilitating arthritis) along with his glucosamine and chondroitin (a nutritional supplement for his joints).
Two days later he was in the hospital in his very own, “room with a view.” Vomiting and lethargy now compounded his basic frailty and orthopedic pain. Things got very messy at this point. His owner blamed the meds. I wasn’t quite sure how to proceed (since I couldn’t do many diagnostics) but since an X-ray showed he’d scarfed up some foreign material (supposedly from a planter) I started treating him supportively for pancreatitis.
He got a little better at first, but Fido didn’t rally for very long. More x-rays and bloodwork showed his liver was huge and his enzymes sky-high. Moreover, he was turning yellow, the hallmark of liver disease of some sort—not just pancreatitis. I needed an ultrasound. His owners wouldn’t agree to serious testing.
Finally, I got on the phone with the manufacturer of Metacam (the arthritis pain medication I used to spare him the potential liver effects more commonly associated with the alternative drug, Rimadyl). All NSAIDs (aspirin-like drugs) can cause liver problems but few are associated with severe, sudden reactions like Fido’s. Nonetheless, I felt the manufacturer might offer some ideas and I could log in a potential “adverse drug event” at the same time.
The vet on Metacam’s emergency help-line was more than helpful. He was knowledgeable and sympathetic, to boot. He understood that Fido and I were in a bind. We needed to get around his owners to get him some proper help. In the end, Metacam’s maker offered to pay for all his diagnostics—even if they revealed, as we expected, that two oral doses of the drug had nothing to do with his sudden illness.
That very day, Dr. Allison Cannon, internal medicine specialist at Miami Veterinary Specialists, agreed to perform all necessary ultrasounding and special testing required to elucidate the source of his problems.
So I drove him over and picked him back up at the end of the day. Dr. Cannon had determined that Fido’s hugely distorted gall bladder (“creepy” and “like the creature from the black lagoon” were her very descriptive terms for its appearance on ultrasound), its apparent rupture and subsequent peritonitis were to blame. She felt it unlikely that Metacam was responsible in any way, but acquiesced that acute inflammation from a simple gastritis (stomach irritation) due to the drug might have created conditions for Fido’s gall bladder problem to rear its ugly head.
Dr. Cannon sent needle-collected samples of Fido’s liver and abdominal fluid to the lab for evaluation. Cancer or gall bladder mucocoele (a nasty, cyst-like structure in the gall baldder) were her top two choices.
After the lab’s 48-hour turnaround, we had an answer: chronic peritonitis from a leaky gall bladder with no evidence of cancer or primary liver disease. In other words, this had been there for a while…a long while.
That seemed like the easy part after dealing with the owner’s response to the finding. In the end, it was hard to ignore. A full week had gone by and the dog had not yet responded to our ministrations. Surgery was offered as a 90% curative option. But I gave no promises that we wouldn’t find cancer and assured her that Fido still had at least three other organ systems with major disease unrelated to this finding.
She then asked me—get this—what I would do if this were my dog. I said I would have taken out a second mortgage two years ago to pay for the diagnostics he needed back then. Actually, I wasn’t quite so harsh but I did point out that she and I had different feelings about our dogs (which she had admitted to previously: “My pets are not children.”).
And so Fido was euthanized. The commitment level needed for a major undertaking to finally help this dog was just not there. What can you do?
Ultimately, what remains of this experience—beyond the sadness of Fido’s suffering and loss, beyond his owners’ stressful nature—is a tremendous respect for the drug manufacturer. Were it not for their intervention he might have suffered for much longer and lingered for weeks. We might never have gotten the answers we all needed to make good decisions for him.
When drug manufacturers take responsible actions it helps everyone. The pet gets proper care, the owners get satisfaction, the vet is off the hook for the possible reaction and the drug company is either exonerated and comes out smelling like a rose or it gets the information needed to make sure problems like this don’t happen again to other pets. What could be better than that?
Add Comment38 Comments
Its great to know that the drug company came through, even one good experience seems like a dream. I'm sorry about the dog, but as they say 'at least he's at peace'.
Carla February 4th, 2007 09:35:00 AM
Like Carla said, Fido will now rest in peace.
I think with owners like that, it's a good thing that Fido's ordeal is over. It's really sad that it had to come to this, and I can only hope that they never have another pet if they haven't trully learned from this experience, but Fido is finally free of his discomfort. Good for him.
Faragon February 4th, 2007 10:48:00 AM
I'm very pleased the makers of Metacam came through for you! It never would have occured to me to think about calling the drug company directly, or ask if my vet had done so. Poor Fido.
Georg February 4th, 2007 12:04:00 PM
This is a good story -- I hope you sent a thank-you letter to the Metacam manufacturer to encourage them to continue doing right.
Vasha February 4th, 2007 01:42:00 PM
Thought you might find this interesting:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/factsandarguments
Shannon February 5th, 2007 03:25:00 PM
Thanks, Shannon. It gives me a great idea for another post.
Dr. Patty Khuly February 5th, 2007 06:20:00 PM
As a mere pet guardian, I do not like the tone of your post at all. You make it sound as though the person was totally stupid to suspect the NSAID could have been involved in this dog's illness. Why wouldn't the person consider this as a possibility? You had a old dog with multiple medical problems and elevated liver enzymes who become ill within 36 hours of beginning a medication with a number of possible adverse effects. It was not unreasonable to consider the medication as a factor in the illness. Let us not forget that if this person had not insisted that the medication be investigated as a possible cause, that you would not have called the wonderful manufacturer who supplied the diagnostic tests. Therefore, while you are accepting the glory with a smug attitude for the actions of the manufacturer, in reality it was the dog's guardian who was really responsible for the manufacturer becoming involved.
BJ Thurman March 20th, 2007 10:12:00 PM
the only reason they are coming through for you all is because they dont want another class action suit like they did for rymdil. look it iup, pfizer paid out thousdands to pet owners for adverse reactions many pets died and metecam is the samd nsaids
doreen January 2nd, 2008 09:14:00 PM
People who do not intend to pay for necessary and proper veterinary care have NO business owning an animal. In my opinion the owners weren't merely stupid and stingy; they were cruel and selfish and should have been prosecuted for intentionally allowing this poor little dog's health to degenerate to the point at which he was suffering from numerous serious afflictions. Animals are entrusted to us and we have a responsibility to provide them with healthy, happy lives to the best of our ability to do so. They are entirely dependent upon us to recognize and attend to their needs, and any person who would permit a pet to endure the kind of agony this little dog went through, is beneath contempt. I suspect that these dreadful people probably went right out and got themsleves another helpless animal to torture. I hope it grows as big as an elephant, bites them regularly. chews the legs off the furniture and urinates on everything they own - and then has enough sense to run as far away from them as it can get. I have lived long enough to know that eventually everything that goes around comes around. God will see to it that these wretched misers get what they deserve. In the meantime, little Fido is better off. My little Maltese, like most dogs, wants nothing more than to be by my side and to love me. He lacks nothing and for as long as he graces my life it will be that way. It was my choice to bring him to live in my home, not his, and it is therefore my responsibility to do everything within my power to make his life a joyful, healthy, blessed existence. We inundate him with toys, treats and the best food available, not to mention love and affection in abundance and the very best of veterinary care. I cannot even begin to conceive the notion of denying him diagnostic tests or medication. He has a bit of OA and we have just started him on Metacam. I was astounded at the rapid improvement in his little knee. It commenced with the first dose and thus far we are thrilled with the results. Of course, he wasn't stricken with a list of other health problems caused by neglect and penny-pinching. I commend you for your patience with Fido's repugnant owners and for your extraordinary efforts to remedy his many ailments. It's also nice to know that the company which manufactures Metacam stands behind its product and was willing to pay for the tests this very victimized little dog needed. I've read some of these posts and - well- what can you do? Unfortunately there will always be people who, perhaps due to a guilty conscience, will defend the indefensible. You did everything you could do to help Fido and now he is released from a life no creature should have to endure. If you had been able to restore him to health, I'm sure you know it wouldn't have lasted long. He's much better off in heaven than he could ever have been in the hands of those heartless people. I think someone should start a website to list the names of people who mistreat animals, to shame them, to expose them, to prosecute them whenever possible and to keep them from ever getting their cheap, slimy hands on another living thing. In the meantime, you have the satisfaction of knowing in your heart that you went the last mile to help a little animal in dire need. I'm sure he knew it too. James Herriot would be proud! God bless you.
Laura August 29th, 2008 03:30:00 PM
Regarding "pet guardian's" response to your tone--he/she totally missed the point of this story. I have a beautiful geriatric on metacam and this helped me feel more comfortable (by the way so is she now.) Regarding "pet guardian" don't let these "guardian" phrases throw you. They prefer to use this instead of "owner" as it seems more "natural". In truth, the term "guardian" sets the "guardian" up for government intervention as the pet is no longer "property". Nice sentiment, but I don't want anyone from dog catcher to senator to be able to take my "property" (i.e my dog) so I remain, her OWNER (and she mine)
sheila metz September 23rd, 2008 11:33:00 AM
I didn't like your tone either. I love my dog dearly, and I do think of him as a little person. I would do anything I could to keep him from suffering. However, my income is limited. I can pay for ordinary care, but I cannot think of any way I could pay for surgery. I have been turned down for pet insurance for him because of his age. Without insurance, I wouldn't be able to pay for surgery for myself either. You speak of the owner as someone who cruelly "didn't want" to get the extensive diagnostics two years ago. Perhaps you could be more humane and consider the operative word as "couldn't."
Ginny October 12th, 2008 06:14:00 PM
Ginny: With all due respect, I've known these clients for many years and money is not a problem. Its non-allocation to their pets (instead of to their cars, tennis outfits and bling-bling jewelry) is the issue here. It's hard to believe but some people just don't like to pay for their pets' care. The only time I could ever get these people to pay for non-basic services is when there's a life-or-death emergency. In my view that's unfair when they clearly have money to spend.
Dr. Patty Khuly October 13th, 2008 12:36:00 PM
I have had a very similar experience with my spaniel after being given metacam by my vet - I was not warned of the dangerous side effects of this drug , she is vomiting , has become lethargic and her breathing is heavy and she is constantly wretching - my vet admits the vomiting was probably a reaction to the metacam but insists the breathing problem is not although on an information sheet I found on the internet it states rapid or heavy breathing is a sign of metacam toxicity- he has done xrays / scans which show nothing and has put her on antibiotics which are not improving her- I advise anybody not to allow this drug to be used except as a last resort!!
Ken Soper October 14th, 2008 03:18:00 AM
Hi,
I`ve just given metacam to my 13 year old german shepherd because of hip pain.in the past she`s had cancer when she was young.In the last 3 years she has had a new hip and twisted stomach. Since I have given her metacam she has stuggled to walk and has not eaten. I have stopped the meds,she had the metacam injected for the first dose and had 2 oral since. I`m sure it was a reaction to the meds. I`ll not be giving her anymore.
Gary Morton November 28th, 2008 04:13:48 AM
I would strongly advise anyone considering to use this product not too.I have heard of some people having a good exprerince with it BUT alot more BAD experinces than good ones.... My 4 year old cavoodle was given this a few weeks ago by an intern at my vet clinic as they told me she had a torn curtiate ligament in her leg. After the second dose she throw up, i called my vet for advise and was told to continue to use it. 12 hours later my dog was throwing up blood and had sever bloodly diarrohea. This ended up with my dog at an emergency vet at 4am ( who immediatley said it was from metacam and they had seen this before many times in dogs) she was very ill for several days on drips etc and i thought she was going to die. Thousands of dollars later she is now okay. I have been to a new vet since who has told me that she had only pulled a musle in her leg and that the minute i phoned my vet they should have told me to discontinue use of it. I would never use this drug again. Its amazing since coming online how many people i have met who have had their dogs die from this drug, yet vets are still handing it out! Since then i have changed vets too to a great new vet in sydney! My last vet will be hearing from my solicitor in the next week! Not happy
Metacam how many dogs have to die or be seriously ill before vet December 10th, 2008 04:10:30 AM
I am quite concerned about Metacam. A few weeks ago, our reasonably healthy, active 11 year old Boston Terrier was seen by our vet for a follow up, due to my concern that he might be developing arthritis. While he would still run and play, he seemed a little slower than usual going up the stairs and jumping on the couch. We had tried Cartrophen with no improvement and so Metacam was prescribed.
Within an hour of his first dosage, he started to look unwell. That night, he had diarrohea and vomiting in the house (extremely unusual). I consulted the Internet and saw that these symptoms could be common reactions. I gave him lots of water and vowed that this would be his first and last experience with Metacam.
The next day, he seemed 'off'. We took him to the emergency office (weekend) and were told that he would need a blood test. Fair enough. While we waited for the test results, one of the staff came to us and said that our dog had had a seizure and his heart had stopped. They were giving him CPR. They were able to bring him back for a few minutes after which his heart stopped again. We asked that they do nothing further, as clearly he was beyond saving by this point.
I cannot say with certainty that Metacam caused his death, but I do know that he was in pretty good shape before I gave it to him (moving just a little more slowly than he used to), and that within hours of it being administered, he had died.
Every day I beat myself up over having done this to my poor dog. I was only trying to help him live more comfortably, but his last hours were awful. The vet told us that he thought it was unlikely to be Metacam, but could have been a particularly rare reaction. He suggested that perhaps the dog had a tumour that we hadn't discovered.
I can't bring my dear dog back, but I now have a puppy who is going to be neutered on Monday. I asked what they would use for pain control and was told "Metacam". I am worried sick about giving it to this one, and yet I obviously want to control his pain.
Metacam might not have been 'the problem', but it certainly appears that way to me.
T from Canada December 12th, 2008 02:04:13 PM
Hi There, Im so sorry to hear about your dog, you cant beat yourself up over this, its not your fault. I trusted my vet who has looked after our family dogs for the last 10 years. Not only that but they were going to perform surgery on my dog for something that was not even wrong with her. If i was you i would change vets if you havent already. As i have now found out there are many other drugs alot safer to give to dogs that dont have such dire reactions. I have done alot of reseach on this drug and so many people have lost their pets because of it. You are more than within your rights to explain to your vet that you do not want your new puppy to be given this drug. There are many other ways of pain relief they can give after this kind of surgery. Both of my dogs had never been given metacam before this happen a week ago to me. I hope by all of us speaking out on these chat lines that people will understand that just like humans its important to get a second opipion on your animals befroe you allow a vet to just prescribe a drug for them you know nothing about. I hope all goes well with your new dog, good luck with everything this coming week! regards Dee
D from sydney December 12th, 2008 04:37:15 PM
I just wanted to say thank you to Dee for the kind words. Obviously, I am still grieving the death of my beloved dog. I just can't help asking myself, why didn't I take him to the emergency vet as soon as I realized he seemed to be ill from the drug? Why didn't I do more research online before I it to him? I feel that I failed to do my 'due diligence' for my dear pet, before subjecting him to Metacam.
Your suggested changing vets, and I did consider it - but up until this awful event, I had been quite pleased with their care for our 2 dogs & 2 cats. Many vets seem to prescribe Metacam, so it doesn't seem as though he was trying anything 'radical'. Our dog had a full examination the day it was prescribed and the vet said that everything looked fine. I like our vet and I would like to stay with his practice. I don't know what to make of it. Was this really just a rare occurrence that couldn't have been foreseen?
However, with my puppy's surgery coming up on Monday, I am beside myself with worry. I now wonder if there are more questions that I should be asking before turning him over to be neutered. Thanks again for your support.
T from Canada December 13th, 2008 05:41:31 PM
Hi T, I completely understand that you want to stay with your vet. Maybe just request they do not give the puppy Metacam. They can easily prescribe something else thats just as effective?? Anyway please let me know when the surgery is over with your new puppy. Im sure all will be fine, its normal to worry about your pets when something bad has happen in the past, i know mine are like my children!!! Have a great christmas with your new puppy! regards, Dee
Dee from sydney December 14th, 2008 04:09:01 PM
Hi Dee, Thanks again for your support. My little guy did just fine (actually, he had a hard night of shivering and whining...vet said likely a reaction to his anaesthetic as his heart rate was good). But today he is running and playing and looking very good. I'm so glad this is behind us! Once he's all healed up, we can get back to the business of playing :) Best, T.
T from Canada December 16th, 2008 05:45:18 PM
I want to add my experience to the others - Metacam is a dangerous medicine. My dog is nine years and she started to limp recently. We thought she had arthritis and went to the vet to see what could be done to help her. Metacam was prescribed and my dog appeared to lose her limp within 24 hours of medication and then within 3 days, she started to have diarrhea and bloody stools. I stopped the medication and sent her to the vet for further treatment - he kept her overnight and followed up with the drug company Boehringer. The vet claimed that he had never seen such adverse effects before and the drug company rep claimed that the typical adverse effect is vomitting and not bloody or dark stools and hence they would not pay for the subsequent treatment to nurse my dog back to health.
Lesson learnt - read up on possible adverse effects about medication for your pets and never trust the vet completely - do your own research.
N from Toronto February 1st, 2009 08:39:44 PM
I have a 12 year old dog and about 3 months ago (almost over night) went from a robust frisky dog ( with a little him arthritis) to very lethargic , didn't want to move or eat or drink. We took him to the vet and his temp was just over 105. The vet gave him a shot and gave us that medication in liquid form and other pills to give him. (dont remember the name of the liquid/shot) We were to take him back three days in a row to check his temp and on the third day it had come down to 103. He still was not eating very much and we were almost hand feeding him soft food and water just to get something inside him. He stayed very warm and after a week we took him back and his temp was back up to 105. We were sure this was the end and we were going to lose our beloved pet. The vet was very concerned about what was causing the temp to stay so high and suggested changing the shot and liquid mediation to Metacam and gave us this in liquid form to give him along with the other medication. He told us there may be some diarrohea and if there was any vomiting to being him right in. He said if he did not improve in a a couple of days we may be looking at blood tests and ultra sound. Almost as soon as he came home he was up walking (tho not as energetically as usual) and trying to eat. After a week he was up and like his usual self. He was on the medications for almost a month. I cannot say if it was the actual metacam or the combination of metacam and the other medications but this dog is now like the past 3 months never happened. He is up and moving, he is eating and playing. I know some breeds of dogs are more prone to certain ailments and diseases than others and am not sure if this would have been a factor in the problems some may have had with metacam; but perhaps it would be something to check out if certain breeds just can not tolerate what is in metacam? My heart goes out to you who have lost your beloved pets as we are senors and have had many pets over the years and have suffered their departure, but this time am grateful to our vet that we still have ours.
l from Canada February 18th, 2009 05:49:40 PM
I too have had a problem with this drug. My puppy was neutured last friday and given Metacam 1mg tablets to bring home and have one each day with a meal for the following three days. The first two days were fine, he was eating, drinking and toileting as normal. Then the third day he was being sick, had bloody loose stools, off his food and very sleepy. I phoned the vet who said he should be fine until his follow-up appointment the next day and it's unlikely to be Metacam, he's more likely picked up a bug. The next day he seemed a little better, the vet took his temperature which was normal and again said it's very rare for a dog to react like this to Metacam. All the same I insisted he wrote it on my dogs notes so that he wouldn't be given it again for anything else. It's now four days later and my dog has got worse. He's hardly eaten, still being sick and has blood in his stools. He is very sleepy and I am afraid I'm losing him. Will be phoning the vets again. Thank you for all your posts above, it's good to know what others have been through, and to know the probable cause for my dog feeling this way, just hope he pulls through! Sorry to all of you who have had heartache.
Omi February 21st, 2009 01:14:23 PM
PLEASE DO NOT USE METACAM...My dog's kidney's started failing, after several months on this per my vet's recommendation. Prior to the administration of the Metacam she was in very good health. Never any problems with her kidneys. When I contacted the company to inquire about the number of fatalities associated with Metacam I was told "yes, there have been a few". I asked for someone to pleased contact me regarding this and yes you guessed it, no one ever did. So I am trying to communicate in as many places as possible over the internet to warn those of you administering this to your pets. Please do not risk your dog's life! I no longer use this vet.
Linda M. Renkel February 21st, 2009 07:34:53 PM
Hi again, just wanted to let you know that my puppy pulled through. On Saturday I thought I was losing him (a week after having the 2 doses of Metacam) then on Sunday he was as good as new! I came down to open his crate fearing the worst, and he bounced out looking for his breakfast followed by a good play of tug in the garden. It's now Monday night and he continues to thrive. I know he and I are among the few lucky ones. Again, my heart goes out to all of you who have lost a loved one to this criminal drug. Had to post this to encourage those who are going through the same fears, there is hope. Good luck!
Omi February 23rd, 2009 01:23:14 PM
Please DO NOT USE THIS DRUG! My 5yo Cairn Terrier had an oral dose for 5 days to treat a minor ailment in his back. He is now vomiting and having bloody stools, screaming in agony. The vet did not warn us about the possible side effects and said it was like 'aspirin' for dogs. It is horrible that in the light of so much evidence the veterinary community has not brought this to the manufacturers attention. I'm sure money is a key factor. I just pray my dog's life doesn't suffer as a result.
Warren March 17th, 2009 08:05:47 PM
I want to post an opposite opinion to Metacam. I have a 5yr old mixed breed dog (Shar Pei and ????(think Doberman)). She was hit by a tow truck doing a "TV Style" repo of a neighbor's car but...that is another long story. Fortunately she did not suffer any broken bones but her foot was caught under a tire and almost completely severed. The vet did a GREAT job of putting her back together. However, with the severity of the injury, she has little flexibility of the leg at the hock (knee) and is in a fair amount of pain. They put her on some med (don't remember what it was) it solved her pain but made her very aggressive. We decided she was a mean drunk :) The vet then put her on Metacam and did several follow-ups to be sure there were no adverse side effects. She has done very well on Metacam for about a year now.
The only other thing I do want to say is that like med's for people, if there is a problem (or you suspect a problem) discontinue use unless it is a life saving drug. Pain meds can be stopped and the only major reaction will be the return of pain.
Jim April 17th, 2009 02:28:25 PM
I have to agree with Jim's post above. I've had a very positive experience with Metacam. My 11 year old lab was diagnosed with Lyme's disease several years ago, and has a hard time getting around. We started Metacam, and she is a different dog today. She has taken a daily dose for a couple of years now, and if we run out for even a day or two, the difference is startling. It has really given her a second chance at life. Kudos to the manufactorers for stepping up for Fido, but sorry it had such a sorry ending.
Kim June 29th, 2009 11:04:48 PM
You wrote: "She then asked me—get this—what I would do if this were my dog."
What's wrong with that? You're her vet. She's asking for your opinion. With all the compassion you claim to have for the dog, how about a little compassion for the owner? She was asking you for guidance and help.
Elizabeth July 1st, 2009 09:00:05 PM
Metacam just killed my beloved 9 year old Maltese. It was prescribed for a muscle pull in his hind leg. After 5 days of the med my dog had massive amounts of bloody stool and vomiting. I rushed him to the emergency vet services where they tried so hard to save him, but he started seizing and went into cardiac arrest and died. I will never forgive myself for giving this medication to my dog. I would rather have had him limp for a few days than kill him. These drug companies need to pay for the damages they cause.DO NOT GIVE THIS MED TO YOUR ANIMALS.
Christy July 28th, 2009 07:52:36 AM
My full size smooth coat fox terrier is currently on life support as I write, probably wont make it , sure she is 11years old , and was aging normally I thought , some arthritis , so went to vet to see if I could help her , METACAM prescribed , within two days is now in terminal kidney failure , whatever the risk or pain , find something else , DONT USE METACAM , DONT RISK IT , my most beautifuL friend is dying a horrible death I believe because of METACAM POISONING
DEE July 31st, 2009 01:23:01 AM
DDos Protection DDos Protection
Mr.cool October 12th, 2009 03:12:10 AM
Metacam like any other drugs can have side effects. Aspirin for instance can kill you, can perforate your stomach if you have an adverse reaction to it. Tylenol can kill a cat. Penicillin can kill you if your allergic. Lots of people cant afford testing, so the vet is stuck trying to alleviate a dog in PAIN and then if the dog ends up with a liver or kidney disease, Metacam is blamed. I blame the owner for not wanting to pay for bloodwork prior to metacam. Most of these dog that react to metacam have underlying medical issues to start off with. Medical issues that owner neglects in taking the responsibility in having bloodwork..because they say its to expensive. It is easier to lay blame on a drug but not lay blame on our own decision not to have bloodwork done against the recommendation of the Doctor. It is your decision to decline testing, then you are taking the responsibility of the side effects of any medication for that matter. In kidney or liver failure, even some antibiotics can be potential killers. Seriously, educate yourselves before posting stuff like rimadyl is the same drug as metacam..if people werent stupid and would actually read stuff online from credible sites, they would realize that they are not the same drugs and came out as direct competition to one and another..seriously peoples stupidity and lack of common sense baffles me. People blame lack of income for a lot of things, yet they can afford drinking beer, smoking and going out to restaurants ..it is all about priorties. If you cant afford the responsibilty of pet ownership, then you can go blaming the vets or the drugs if something goes wrong, because it is YOUR FAULT FOR REFUSING TESTING! It is easier to blame other people or drugs then look at oneself. If your stupid to think that drugs or medication, even natural meds are safe. YOUR STUPID. Grapes can kill your dog, aint nothing more natural then that. People need to get off their high horses about metacam and look at any other drug on the market, they can all be toxic if you have underlying issues. ONly way to know if you have underlying issues is to test. IF you decline testing, then it is all ON YOU from being STUPID..
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Deron January 21st, 2010 12:44:26 AM
Don't automatically assume a drug company is a good player if they cover some vet bills. I know someone who worked for a very large chemical company on their toxicity database and know decisions are made in advance knowing harm will be done as to whether it is cheaper to do payouts for damages, or to fix problems proactively. This company had expert public relations, too. My senior dog had severe GI bleeding after a couple of Metacam doses, also. He had several bouts of vomiting blood that nearly killed him, and I know he suffered great pain from this drug. There should be label warnings to vets about using this drug in dogs that have ANY GI trouble history. (He was able to use other drugs like Rimadyl and Dermaxx safely short term, and did have expensive geriatric blood work done prior to use.) Here is a warning letter from the FDA to the manufacturer that veterinarians should read before assuming this manufacturer to be a saint. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/ComplianceEnforcement/UCM042463.pdf
Better warnings needed March 3rd, 2010 01:05:16 AM
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