Metacam effect on rabbits

[jb1994]

Hi everyone,

My 6 year old rabbit recently had to go to the vet (yesterday) to be treated for having an Ileus issue (GI). She was prescribed with Metacam (0.7mL twice a day – every 12 hours) and to be fed 100mL of critical care in 4-6 intervals. Were now on her second dose of Metacam, and attempted to syringe feed her critical care and she wouldn’t swallow it (it would just sit in her mouth).

I’m wondering if this is a normal thing for a rabbit to do after taking Metacam (she seems EXTREMELY out of it). We’re going to give her a bit of time before attempting to feed her again.

[jerseygirl]

It’s usually the drug of choice for pain management in rabbits because they do cope with it well. That’s not to say all rabbits will though. If your vets are still open, it might be worth ringing to report what you are seeing.
Did they weigh her to work out the dose. Is she on the cat or dog strength metacam?

How long after her dose of metacam did you attempt to feed her?

Last Qu, are you offering other things to try entice her to eat?

[jerseygirl]

I also meant to ask about her temperature. Does she seem cold? Do you have a thermometer you can check her rectal temperature with?

[jb1994]

They have her at 0.7ml/dose (twice daily) which seems like a lot for a 4 lb rabbit. She’s also not cold, but seems very out of it, and is refusing to eat anything (any treats, veggies, and wont swallow her CC)

[Muchelle]

The metacam dose for my rabbit when he was 1.5kg was 0,68ml twice daily… not being a vet I can’t say if 0.7ml/2lbs would count as over-dosing but to be sure check the “unwanted effects” and “overdose symptoms” list on metacam’s leaflet, then report immediately to the vet!

[Bam]

Rabbits need a higher dose of Metacam than previously thought, they metabolize Metacam much more effectively than dogs and cats. 1,4 ml/24 hours for a 4 pound bunny is not very high and well below the maximum dosage (1,5 ml per kg rabbit) as stated by Medirabbit, but just as humans, rabbits are individuals and some are more sensitive to certain drugs than other. So you could cut back on the Metacam and see how that goes. She mustn’t be so out of it that she won’t swallow her CC, because getting CC in her is of the utmost importance.
If she won’t eat you’ll need to take her back to the vet for sub q fluids. Sub q fluids + vitamin B12 often helps spark an appetite in a bun. Vet techs are also pros when it comes to syringe feeding sick animals. It can be very tricky before you get the hang of it and for that you need lots of practice.
Here’s a list of safe analgesics for rabbits, with dosages. Nowadays the lowest doses stated for Metacam are deemed insufficient, but all buns are individuals:
http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Analgesics/safe_analgesics.htm
(Meloxicam is the name of the substance, Metacam is the brand name).

[jb1994]

Hate to break this news but unfortunately Abby passed on tonight. She was on her pain medication and relaxing most of the day but around 8PM EST she started stumbling around and died of what looked like a heart attack.

[tobyluv]

I’m very sorry about the loss of your sweet Abby.

[flemishwhite]

So sorry to hear of Abby’s passing. In my life I’ve looked at my very beloved and best friend parents in death, two beloved dogs, a beloved cat, and a beloved house rabbit, Bunny. 

About Metacam.  Bunny was not eating her cecum pellets…as a rabbit should. She was about 9 years old at the time. Not eating the pellets meant that some were deposited on our bedroom carpet where we would step on them unknowingly smoosh them into the carpet. 

Also, some of the cecum pellets would get caught up in the hair around her rectum and create a big mass of cecum pellets which we had to clean off..  To clean her, we had to catch her, turn her upside down and place her between out legs to clean off her rectum area….not a happy bunny with this carry on.

The reason she was not eating the cecum pellets as they came out of her rectum, was that she had spinal stenosis!  Arthritis of the spine. Our vet showed us the X-ray.  It was painful for her to bend over and eat the cecum pellets as they came out.  We gave her Medicam and amazingly she could bend over and eat the cecum pellets. 

Every morning Bunny expected a banana slice.  We cut a conical section in the banana slice and put her 1 1/2 ml of Medicam in the banana. She then ate everything in the banana…she also was eating her cecum pellets. Such a good solution.

We now feed our two Flemish rabbits (10 months old) banana slices.  When they get to be old bunnies, we’ll feed their meds in the banana slices.

[Bam]

jb1994, so sorry to hear about Abby.

Binky free, Abby.

[Muchelle]

I’m so sorry be strong

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m so very sorry. ((((Binky Free Abby)))))

[jerseygirl]

I’m am so sorry to hear that Abby passed away. It is hard to know how a individual rabbit will cope with ileus. Be it a stand alone issue or a secondary symptom of something else. 

***Binky Free Abby***

[vanessa]

I am very sorry to hear that. It is hard to tell what could have caused it, but that wouldn’t ease your pain anyway. Very sorry for your broken heart 🙁

[LuvFurBabies80]

I am so sorry about your baby

[Author]

Messages