Metacam for allergies?

[Bringonthechange]

I took my cat to the vet because he’s been sneezing a lot after going outside. He said it was an allergy and prescribed 4ml of metacam everyday for a week. We’ve been using it all week and it’s made no difference. I’ve been googling and this doesn’t seem to be a prescribed use for it and I’ve read some very worrying things about the impact it can have on cats.

Worrying now!

I've not heard of it being used for allergies but we use it daily as an anti inflammatory for our cat. It's prescribed regularly when they have arthritis, you just have to be careful of kidney issues but it's not dangerous.

My cat was prescribed Metacam for sneezing too - along with a powder to help with mucus. She still sneezes a bit but nowhere near as much. My older cat had Metacam for arthritis but it really didn’t suit her.

Metacam is essentially animal ibuprofen, so i cant really understand why it would be beneficial for allergies....unless the nasal cavitie is swollen and it might help with inflammation - but im stretching it at that. I would think an antihistamine would be better.

My ddog has just been prescribed metacam for injury pain relief.

She has had piriton previously for allergies.
I would def be asking about it as it doesn't seem the normal treatment

Our cat and dog both have Apoquel for allergies. Only ever had Metacam for pain relief.

Metacammightbe being used tostop the inflammation rather than the allergy. Cats can't be given antihistamines like dogs as they don't respond the same way, prednisolone a steroid is often used, but does have other disadvantages too.

I give my cat human piriton if her hayfever is bad..

As advised by a vet!

It's an an anti inflammatory medicine.
A non-steroidal (same class as ibuprofen) .
If the worst of your cat's allergies are manifesting as congestion it may be that an anti-inflammatory medicine is more effective than an antihistamine.

That's an inherently risky strategy given how much more toxic chlorphenamine is to cats compared to humans.
Are you dosing with the cetirizine formulation instead?

No, chloarphenamine. She said to give 1/4 of a tablet. She's only needed it a couple of times. And it turned out that what I thought was a runny wit due to bay fever, was actually a punctured eye ball due to a fight with another cat. 🙄 it was lock down so the vet did t actually see her.

Can anyone recxomend anything I can give to my cat for his sneezing instead?