long term metacam - what's the longest you have had a bunny on it?

just wondered as bisc and matt have been on it quite a while now and it does concern me even though the vet has reassured me on many occasions. i think i'm just having another worry moment about it really. :?

they are doing really well lately and are stable and i want to try a lower dose, but i'm also worried of causing problems from doing it. i can adjust the dose slightly as discussed with the vet, but he says that if you go too low with the dose, then you may aswell not give it at all really.

just to add, they aren't on it for pain relief, it's for the inflammation in their noses, especially matt as the back of his nose has been drained on a few occasions and was always found to be swollen and inflammed. bisc has scar tissue that makes his nostrils close up when asleep, so we have to keep his nose as clear as possible.

at the moment, i have reduced their doses by 0.1ml each.

i think i just worry every so often.

so how long have you had a bun on metacam, what dose, and do you think it caused any problems or damage to them?

eta: i would just love so much for them to be stable on just nebulising and not the metacam, but i know both together has probably keen the key to controlling their respiratory problems, thinning of the mucus and keeping any swelling down.

Oscar has been on 0.5ml daily metacam for nearly two years to help him with his back legs (he'd been confined in a 24" x 18" hutch for 4 years)

He has zantac with his to protect his stomach from ulceration, which I think is important if they're on it longer term.

BB Mommy said:

Oscar has been on 0.5ml daily metacam for nearly two years to help him with his back legs (he'd been confined in a 24" x 18" hutch for 4 years)

He has zantac with his to protect his stomach from ulceration, which I think is important if they're on it longer term.

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bisc and matt are on/have been on 0.5-0.8ml twice a day for ages now, at least a year, probably alot longer though... with no zantac either.. vet didn't think it necessary and due to them always being on so much other meds, we decided not to add zantac aswell.. although now they are on alot less meds i was thinking zantac would be a good idea. it just seems like yet another long term med they have to have, and i wanted them on as little a possible. i assume long term zantac is ok? i don't know..:?

poor oscar i can't believe he was in that small space for so long do you ever worry about his long term metacam? i go through phases where i know it's needed and they have to be comfortable and stable in the 'now' but then every so often i get panicky about what it could do to them long term.

the vet also said it's just a warning that has to be given for metacam just because of the group of meds it belongs to, not because it has actually caused any problems.. i do worry though.

i might speak to the vet again about it all and see if we can trial a lower dose. i've put it down by 0.1ml now. bisc is on 0.6ml now and matt 0.7ml, twice a day. i would love them to be on 0.5ml though, that would make me feel better about it, but i guess ultimately it is what they can deal with.

maybe them having zantac aswell would lessen my worry. the vet said i can give that if i want to but didn't think it was necessary so we went with that at the time.

is it the liver or kidneys that could get damaged by long term meds? i always mix them up. but that is what worries me. and them being five next week aswell and always having been on one med or another since a few months old, it just really concerns me.

casper has been on 0.7 twice a day for ages now and poppy is on 1ml twice a day (shes alot bigger) my vet told me to look at it as what would you rather, them to live longer but be uncomfortable , or give them the metacam and let them live the best quality of life they can have in your case help them breath more easy, maybe for less time but id always want them to be happier and comfortable I went through the same worry as you, but i know my two need it to stay happy and healthy, it would be no life for them otherwise.. casper certainly wouldnt be running around binkying for shore :lol: xx

BB Mommy said:

Oscar has been on 0.5ml daily metacam for nearly two years to help him with his back legs (he'd been confined in a 24" x 18" hutch for 4 years)

He has zantac with his to protect his stomach from ulceration, which I think is important if they're on it longer term.

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My vet didnt tell me that :shock: i think ill ask next time! thank you, does it cause ulcers in there stomach??

beccimarie said:

casper has been on 0.7 twice a day for ages now and poppy is on 1ml twice a day (shes alot bigger) my vet told me to look at it as what would you rather, them to live longer but be uncomfortable , or give them the metacam and let them live the best quality of life they can have in your case help them breath more easy, maybe for less time but id always want them to be happier and comfortable I went through the same worry as you, but i know my two need it to stay happy and healthy, it would be no life for them otherwise.. casper certainly wouldnt be running around binkying for shore :lol: xx

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same as my vet says.. and i do agree.. i think i just go through panic stages! :roll: you know what i'm like! :roll:

do you give zantac aswell?

beccimarie said:

My vet didnt tell me that :shock: i think ill ask next time! thank you, does it cause ulcers in there stomach??

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i think anything long term has the potential to cause that, but then do you end up giving them even more medicines and then they could potentially cause damage aswell.. :roll: i don't know. i always go with my vets advice and trust it, but i have started to feel less ok with the no zantac thing lately. :?

biscandmatt1 said:

i think anything long term has the potential to cause that, but then do you end up giving them even more medicines and then they could potentially cause damage aswell.. :roll: i don't know. i always go with my vets advice and trust it, but i have started to feel less ok with the no zantac thing lately. :?

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yes that is very true.. i may dicuss it with my vet when i go back (im always up there now :lol: ) she really good with bunny meds so im suprised she didnt say, although she may have told me before and i was hysterical (as usual) and didnt take it in

The other problem with zantac is casper has excess ceacs.. and misshaped poops, but this may be because every time he has had it its because he was in stasis and his tummy wasnt very good anyway.

we are both a bunch of worriers :lol: im no help :lol:

beccimarie said:

yes that is very true.. i may dicuss it with my vet when i go back (im always up there now :lol: ) she really good with bunny meds so im suprised she didnt say, although she may have told me before and i was hysterical (as usual) and didnt take it in

The other problem with zantac is casper has excess ceacs.. and misshaped poops, but this may be because every time he has had it its because he was in stasis and his tummy wasnt very good anyway.

we are both a bunch of worriers :lol: im no help :lol:

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:lol: you make me laugh. not that you worry, just how you describe it.

hmm.. i think i annoy the vet because i ask the same things over and over

i post this thread every so often i think... get replies, calm down again, and carry on as i was... :roll:

i think i will reduce their metacam gradually to what the lowest is that has been discussed for them and see how they do. the last thing i want to do though is make them unstable again after all this work to get them to this point. :roll: so i have reduced by 0.1ml for now and will stick with that for a while.. then mention the zantac again to the vet..

At the sanctuary we have many animals on long term metacam. On our vets advice we always give Zantac alongside it to protect them.

In humans we prescribe Zantac routinely for people taking asprin based products to protect the stomach from ulceration, so as its a fairly innocuous drug imo its worth giving - it also helps stimulate their appetite a little, which is a bonus in an animal coping with pain.

biscandmatt1 said:

:lol: you make me laugh. not that you worry, just how you describe it.

hmm.. i think i annoy the vet because i ask the same things over and over

i post this thread every so often i think... get replies, calm down again, and carry on as i was... :roll:

i think i will reduce their metacam gradually to what the lowest is that has been discussed for them and see how they do. the last thing i want to do though is make them unstable again after all this work to get them to this point. :roll: so i have reduced by 0.1ml for now and will stick with that for a while.. then mention the zantac again to the vet..

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:lol: me too my vet must repeat hersel so many times to me she is so good though and always smiles and is happy for me to call her up when i get back home and calm down too, im very lucky she is nice

Well when i go back ill ask her about zantac and we will compare notes and find the best options for our buns

i must have warning signs by my notes at the vets *worrier alert* :lol: hypercontriact owner :lol:

BB Mommy said:

At the sanctuary we have many animals on long term metacam. On our vets advice we always give Zantac alongside it to protect them.

In humans we prescribe Zantac routinely for people taking asprin based products to protect the stomach from ulceration, so as its a fairly innocuous drug imo its worth giving - it also helps stimulate their appetite a little, which is a bonus in an animal coping with pain.

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this is interesting as i was going to post that sometimes when matt is quite bad, he doesn't seem that interested in his fresh herbs. he will eat some somedays then all the next, then other times it's like he can't smell them almost. :?

do you give metacam twice a day and the zantac once a day? is it a fairly low dose of zantac?

beccimarie said:

:lol: me too my vet must repeat hersel so many times to me she is so good though and always smiles and is happy for me to call her up when i get back home and calm down too, im very lucky she is nice

Well when i go back ill ask her about zantac and we will compare notes and find the best options for our buns

i must have warning signs by my notes at the vets *worrier alert* :lol: hypercontriact owner :lol:

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it makes a difference having a vet that's nice doesn't it. although i think mine is getting a bit sick of me now.

it's so funny you said that because my o/h says they must have warning notes against my name and my surname is bennett and he says they probably call me b*tch bennett! then when he rings it's bennetts b*tch! :lol: we have had a few run ins with the staff so they don't like me very much.

see what your vet says about zantac then and let me know!

for a update, i went to my vets today and asked about the zantac she said they dont usually give it regually unless the rabbit needs it, somtimes the zantac causes excess ceacs and diarrhoea. I asked if she has any other on long term metacam she said she has lots that have been on metacam for years without any issues twice a day for arthritis with no problems she has given me zantac for casper as casper has always had a unusual tummy so if he has any problem i can start using it straight away xx

Winnies been on metacam for about 4 1/2 years now sometimes he has 1ml twice day and he doesn't have zantac.
Angel however gets zantac if she goes onto metcam which I find confusing why her and not him. He seems ok and is currently on anergesic and metcam twice a day now

beccimarie said:

for a update, i went to my vets today and asked about the zantac she said they dont usually give it regually unless the rabbit needs it, somtimes the zantac causes excess ceacs and diarrhoea. I asked if she has any other on long term metacam she said she has lots that have been on metacam for years without any issues twice a day for arthritis with no problems she has given me zantac for casper as casper has always had a unusual tummy so if he has any problem i can start using it straight away xx

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thanks for the update. sounds like what my vet has told me aswell so that puts my mind at ease a bit more. i also have zantac here but only for their tummies when needed. maybe we are worrying for nothing then about the zantac. i think trust my vet and stop worrying all the time! :roll: x

winnies angel said:

Winnies been on metacam for about 4 1/2 years now sometimes he has 1ml twice day and he doesn't have zantac.
Angel however gets zantac if she goes onto metcam which I find confusing why her and not him. He seems ok and is currently on anergesic and metcam twice a day now

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that's a long time then and no problems which is good. bisc and matt haven't been on it as long as that, probably a year to a year and a half ish but they are on it for life which is hopefully going to be a long time yet with no problems from it. i think i just panic every so often about it all. but the vet seems confident that it's fine.

yep i wounder what we will think to worry about next :lol: its good to know other people who have been on metacam for longer, puts your mind at ease

beccimarie said:

yep i wounder what we will think to worry about next :lol: its good to know other people who have been on metacam for longer, puts your mind at ease

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yeh, it makes me alot calmer hearing other peoples stories and that other vets think the same about everything.

maybe a break from worrying?? i'll have tomorrow as a no worry day as it's bisc and matts birthday! yay!

biscandmatt1 said:

yeh, it makes me alot calmer hearing other peoples stories and that other vets think the same about everything.

maybe a break from worrying?? i'll have tomorrow as a no worry day as it's bisc and matts birthday! yay!

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awww! do i hear carrot cake being made? :lol: unfortuantly i have a big worry poppy isnt doing aswell as we hoped.. that why i was at the vets today

beccimarie said:

awww! do i hear carrot cake being made? :lol: unfortuantly i have a big worry poppy isnt doing aswell as we hoped.. that why i was at the vets today

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oh i'm sorry hun, i didn't know. poor poppy. give her nose rubs from me x