We are terrible cat owners

[FenellaVelour]

My ten year old cat has been undergoing investigations for lameness on one of her back legs for the past few weeks. Might need an MRI scan as X-rays and blood/urine tests were clear. The vet has her on Metacam to see if things improve before sending her off to the specialist.

I’ve been giving her the Metacam in the morning every day for over two weeks. I had to be in work early yesterday so asked my husband if he could do the medication to save me some time. He forgot, so I did it.

I was working from home today. I gave the cat her Metacam around 9.45 as usual. Only to get a message from husband ten minutes later to say that he’d given the meds to her at 7.30am and forgot to tell me.

Double dose. Not good.

Anyway, my poor cat is in the vet now, will be there overnight tonight and possibly tomorrow, on an IV drip and charcoal biscuits. I’m missing her sleeping on the bed right now, she’ll be stuck in a cage on her own, and it’s all our stupid fault.

I hope she’ll be ok and no permanent damage done 😕

Anyone else had accidental overdoses or is it just us idiots?

Yeah I think the vets have taken the piss a bit there.

So easy done don't worry. My DH wouldn't know how to give it so I know I'm safe there.

If it makes you feel better I shut my horse in a gate once and she had to have 12 staples.

Before MRI or any further investigation, ask them what they expect it to change in terms of treatment. Or is just going to bring a definitive diagnosis and then carry on with Metacam.

I am normally one to massively defend vets and the fees, but this really sounds like profiteering here....

Metacam injection is given to cats at 0.3mg/kg as a one off, to be followed by the oral suspension at 0.05 mg/kg. If you start with the suspension, the loading dose is 0.1 mg/kg. So even the double dose you gave between you both is well within safe limits. And in order to get a licence, it has been tested at up to 5x the intended dose for 6 months.

In my eyes terrible cat owners are those that neglect and beat their cats. You are not terrible! It was a mistake and you have taken the correct actions to fix it. Hopefully your cat will be home with you shortly.

Thanks GooseFeather good advice. She is definitely walking better than she was, so I’m not sure what difference an MRI will make.
Re the vets, I’ve used the same vets for 25 years and never had any issues like this before, so trusted their judgement. I may have to have a good think, though.

How’s your wee cat now?

Thank you... She is much better, still not moving perfectly but much more mobile, and no harm done from the metacam (except to our bank account...)

Fingers crossed she won’t need any more medical intervention.