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A veterinary blog for pet lovers, vet voyeurs and the medically curious...
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Mordecai had been getting fouler tempered over the years. It had become a family joke to quip that no one should approach him barehanded while he’s sleeping. And absolutely no one is to scratch him anywhere except behind his ears and under his chin—which he still loves.
This big black behemoth of a cat had never been so ornery. Before the age of ten he’d been the sweetest-natured of beasts, rubbing himself between legs trippingly and bouncing off walls playfully well into his middle age.
Despite his size he’d never been a fat cat—just a big one. Panther-esque even now in his early teens, he lumbers lazily to the food bowl or litterbox and back to one of half-dozen favorite spots he protects with a stare that says, “go ahead….make my day.”
In the office for his yearly visit it was hard to believe this cat could be so ill-tempered. Mordecai’s two healthy canines protrude comically from his upper lip, lending him a not-so badass façade for all his owners’ anxiety over his personal flaws.
Then again, I guess you have to know him in his natural habitat to question that vampire grin. According to his owner, it promises a couple of unpleasant punctures should he be inadvertently touched anywhere except around his head.
Because of his behavior, Mordecai hadn’t seen a vet since before his inner Sybil materialized. But a punctured pad, the result of some seriously curled front toenails (no way to trim those bad boys with that nasty temper) finally occasioned a multi-family member pillowcase chase and his eventual capture.
Here at the hospital, however, Mordecai was the very picture of pleasant catdom. Sometimes the stress of a new environment has a way of changing behavior patterns…but not always for the better. Luckily Mordecai is one of those who chills in resignation at the sight of a scrub top.
Nonetheless, a full exam revealed his grouchy side whenever his back was manipulated. His muscle mass and coat quality had also suffered, the former due to lack of exercise from stiffness and discomfort, the latter likely the result of poor self-grooming habits (often the result of pain on the required twisting maneuvers).
X-rays confirmed the diagnosis: moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the spine, hips and elbows. Who wouldn’t be ticked off by attention to all these stay-away zones?
A course of anti-inflammatory medications (Metacam every three days) combined with some occasional non-sedating opiates (Tramadol) and the obligatory nutraceuticals (glucosamine, chondroitin, green lipped mussel extract and the occasional course of Adequan, for good measure) has turned him back into the pussycat of years past.
This guy is my most obvious example of success in the relief of chronic pain in cats. He’s done so well his owners are actually considering a hip replacement for him. With his fine labwork and extreme good health in other respects, Mordecai’s a model candidate, despite his thirteen years.
Given their success rate with procedure in small dogs, we expect our local surgeons (experts in teensy-weensy hip replacements) to consent to his candidacy. If so, stay tuned…I’ll have a lot more to talk about on the subject of Mordecai the monster kitty.
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I also just love happy endings for big black cats. :)
www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1752
The above link is a link to a veterinay website with information on Metacam.
It says:
"Meloxicam can be used in cats but with caution. The original oral solution of meloxicam was commonly dosed in drops from the bottle. Since the wrong dose of meloxicam can be very dangerous for cats, it is important not to drop the drops directly into the cat's mouth from the bottle as squeezing too strongly could easily deliver an overdose. There is currently a newer formulation at one third the strength of the original, which can be dosed more accurately with the included syringe. In cats. this product is given either as a single one time injection in association with surgery (its FDA approved use) or long term 2 to 3 times per week.
"Cats are even more sensitive to NSAID side effects as a general rule and the quest for a feline NSAID is still on-going; still, meloxicam has been approved by the FDA for use in cats for surgical pain so long as only one dose is given. Longer term feline protocols have been developed (though not approved by the FDA at this time) and are in wide though cautious use in needful cats.
Patients being considered for long term meloxicam use should be evaluated with a complete physical examination and initial screening blood test to identify any factors, such as liver or kidney disease, that might preclude the use of this or any other NSAID.
"If a patient has borderline kidney function, NSAIDs should not be used as they reduce blood flow through the kidneys. It is also important that NSAIDS not be given to dehydrated patients because of this potential side effect. This is particularly true in cats."
"The side effects of concern are the same with all NSAIDs: stomach ulceration, loss of kidney function, and inappropriate bleeding . . . "
I find it scary
http://www.persiancats.org/nss-folder/filefolder/M...
specifically:
"Metacam has a narrow margin of safety . . . meaning that there is very little difference between a safe, effective dose and a toxic dose. Repeated doses of Metacam Oral in cast have been known to result in death, as documented in the clinical tests submitted to the FDA. The narrow safety margin in cats is reflected in the FDA's Adverse Drug Experience (ADE) reports for Metacam Oral . . . in 320 cats, 105 cases of kidney failure, 48 deaths and 35 cases resulting in euthanasia have been reported."
I created www.metacamkills.com to educate about the dangers of this drug..
check out the site before giving this drug and make your own decision....
good health to you and yours...
Dave & PB
I dislike the concept of limiting our power to relieve suffering pharmaceutically on the basis of side effects alone. ALL drugs have them. It's up to us to determine where the balance lies for each individual patient.
My philosophy can be pretty much summed up in this post:
http://www.dolittler.com/index.cfm/2006/10/5/pet.v...
I wish the drug companies would come out with NSAIDs specifically for cats. There are so many for dogs, but cats get arthritis, too. Are they just supposed to suffer?
It never occurred to me to do full body radiographs, though - I think I'll ask for them. He gets blood screening at least annually if not every six months - everything has always looked great (CBC and chem12). Thanks for the post - I'd be more than willing to try what you prescribed to Mordecai w/mine if it's appropriate - judiciously, of course, and w/lots of follow-up bloodwork to monitor kidney/liver function. I think it'd be worth it. :)
For example, my cat Katie has hypertrophic cardiomyopothy (sp?) and is on a med regimine that includes 12.5 mgs of Atenol twice a day and 20 mgs of ASA every three days. Many have told me that the aspirin shouldn't be given to cats but after a discussion with a veternanian cardiologist and my vet, I decided to use it. Katie is a different cat (more so a result of the atenol than the aspirin).