Lab had awful reaction to Metacam

[KnewYearKnewMe]

Hi all,

our 7 year old Lab started limping. We took him to the vets, who booked in for an X-Ray, joint taps and blood tests, turned out he’s had arthritis for a while and was having a flare up.

He was given Metacam to take home.
We gave it on top of his food as directed. He is 30kg so the amount equating to that weight. Within 36 hours, he was lethargic and not eating at all, by the next day, he was pouring with blood-red diarrhoea that was leaking out of him.

Long story short, he had an awful reaction to the Metacam, it’s caused awful problems with his gut,, was was admitted for 5 nights, intravenous medication, catheter in his bum, fluids, etc, still bloody, red, liquid diarrhoea for days. The vet did scans, blood tests, etc, nothing else looking like the cause.

he’s home now. Able to hold his diarohea which is improving and importantly, no blood. He’s still on antibiotics, probiotics to firm up poo, and paracetamol.

getting his appetite back slowly. Sleeping most of the time, no walks.

we have a follow up with the vets in a few days. He’s not limping anymore.

before this limping episode we had no idea he had arthritis. He’s only 7.

anyone got experience of medication that might suit a lab? obviously not an NSAID - we honestly thought we might lose him at one point.

So sorry to hear that, @Spanador

it does seem to be quite common - I’m probably being unreasonable but I don’t know why they didn’t prescribe Omeprozol (sp?) at the same time as the Metacam at least. They were very clear about not giving it on an empty stomach and if any problems,
stop giving it immediately, so it seems it definitely can have serious consequences in some dogs.

K-laser worked wonders for our old boy's arthritis. It was done at our vet's surgery and covered by his insurance.

Some dogs do very well on Librela, but there are concerns - it made my friend's dog extremely ill, after working well initially.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/235489239569004

www.researchgate.net/publication/391608674_Musculoskeletal_adverse_events_in_dogs_receiving_bedinvetmab_Librela

There’s quite a few alternatives to NSAIDs, your vet should have options for you.

They won’t give things like omeprazole for a longterm medication (or what was intended to be) because of the side effects from that. It stops magnesium and calcium from being absorbed and can lead to bone fractures.

Please make sure it’s arthritis. Our 4 year old lab had a limp, the vet thought it was arthritis- but he agreed to send him for a scan because he was young. A week or so later he died, we got the results and turned out he had a lower spinal tumour. Inoperable so we had to have him PTS.

xrays don’t always show tumours. Our lab had one and it didn’t show it.

Our last dog had arthritis, and we stopped Metacam quickly as it gave him clear diarrhoea. He was on gabapentin for the rest of his life. It worked pretty well.

@CheffymcchefI’m so sorry about your dog, that’s awful.

the vets did scan him too so he’s all clear in that respect - we did worry about that, especially as the limping appeared to come on quickly.

sorry about about your beautiful boy xx

I’m glad they scanned your dog. Hope he’s ok soon.

I was about to say we had our old retriever on it for about 12 months and he was, doing well. Then he went to my parents for a month we missed an injection and he was full of life and beans.

So we did another 2 months with no injection and noticed a big different, so in our case the injections had actually slowed him down we’d put it down to old age.

So I’d always recommend having a little break to 100% check it’s having the effects you want.

Sorry about your dog, such a worry isn’t it?
Mine reacts badly to metacam, bloody diarrhoea as you describe. Last year had surgery, so they gave her Rimadyl (another NSAID) and omeprazole (because they really like to give NSAIDs). Same result, broadly: 20 minute bouts of retching and vomiting with 10 minutes between them. Back to vet for anti emetics.
This year further surgery. Prescribed some expensive different NSAIDs called Onsior …. It didn’t help! My experience is that using something totally different is the only option.

@Theoscargoesto I’m so sorry your dog has had those reactions too, and interesting that a similar reaction to other NSAIDs - I did wonder if my lab would have the same. Not worth risking it.

thank you for sharing. I have a follow up with the vets tomorrow. My dog’s stomach seems fine now and he’s not limping but he has no energy and is panting after a 5 min walk (which is the longest we’re giving him).

My non-lurcher dog is part lab and she’s having an awful reaction to another NSAID prescribed for post-op pain. It’s been terrifying OP, I’ve been sure she’s dying. I think she’s over the worst. Hugs to you and your pooch!

I can see someone else has posted a link to the most recent publication on Librela. It is horrendous. Please please please do not use it on your dogs.
Development of anti-NGF antibodies has been stopped for humans because of the severe rapidly progressing arthritis they produce. The manufacturer is doing damage limitation and claiming it is only a human issue. They are taking a 'we didn't see it in our studies so it didn't happen' approach. Except dogs were not followed for long enough, nor were X-rays taken after dogs had been on treatment.

The US label has recently been changed to include side effects like ataxia and inappetence. Both of which my own dog experienced after being on Librela. At her worst, she couldn't stand, and became incontinent. I managed to nurse her through but she never fully regained bowel control. And no, it wasn't the underlying problem.

Not enough is known about how these products impact all sorts of physiological functions.

While NSAIDs can cause side effects, these are well known and usually manageable/reversible.

Thank you @lurcherlove - big hugs to you and your dog too, awful isn’t it 💕💕

Thank you @Schweden - I’m reading through everything now

It’s awful. My girl hasn’t eaten for a day and a half which is not at all like her. I don’t know what to do for her. She also had a tumour biopsy :( she’s only 8.

In case it helps @KnewYearKnewMe and @lurcherlove they took mine off the NSAIDs-they like them because they are anti-inflammatory but there are other good pain killers. Mine was on gabapentin post surgery which seemed to work well, and Pardale is another one I have been given rather than metacam: it’s paracetamol and codeine and again seems to work well and not upset her stomach.

One of my dogs can't have metacam because of a kidney injury when he was younger. Have you had your dog's kidney levels tested?

So anyway he takes leflumonide for arthritis and he has the librella injections too.

how is she today, @lurcherlove? Has she been back to the vet?

I’m really sorry about your dog, but I’m another one saying be very, very cautious about Librela. So many dogs have had horrific side effects from it. Vets, unfortunately haven’t been the best at being aware of the scale of the side effects, potentially because Zoetis haven’t necessarily been forthcoming about it.

To answer your question, my dog takes Galliprant, which unfortunately is an NSAID, he also takes gabapentin to supplement it, and that helps too although I believe amantadine is more popular due to less likely to cause long term unsteadiness issues.

Injectable adequan can also be really helpful for preventing further degeneration. There are some great Facebook groups about this.

She went yesterday and they gave her the antisickness injection. The d&v has all stopped for now but she’s still not eating. She is showing a bit of interest in food now and is still drinking water. She also has enough energy to potter about and resist the medication 🥴

@Theoscargoesto we’ve been given pardale but I can’t get her to take it and now she has had enough teeth taken out to just spit it out through a gap!

I hope she’s on the mend, @lurcherlove- sounds like she might have turned a corner 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

We’ve started our boy on Gabapentin. The vet was very good. Understood why I was worrried about Librela, although she did think Librela was a good option for him.

but we are doing to do 2 weeks of Gabapentin with the Parvale, and if he tolerates that well, they will add in Amantine.

he starts hydrotherapy on Monday.

i hope these meds will help him. I’m open to trying Librela if they don’t, but feel reluctant to go straight to it just yet.

@KnewYearKnewMe She still isn’t eating, so I think I will phone the vet for advice tomorrow. Maybe she will have improved by the morning. I just don’t know what to do.

@lurcherlove 2 cruciate surgeries mean I’m getting expert at pushing the pills far enough down her throat so she has to swallow….

I seem to remember mine was slow to start eating again when she was so sick and ill last time. I hope yours picks up soon, it’s horrible when they aren’t ok.

This morning she has eaten a tiny bit of chicken and a tiny bit of my toast. Hurrah!