METACAM is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which is a type of painkiller used for the treatment of long-term pain, such as arthritis, and short-term pain, such as injury, in dogs and cats. It plays a vital role in improving the quality and enjoyment of life of pets with arthritis. METACAM is the most popular medicine (NSAID) used by vets in New Zealand to treat arthritis in dogs and cats.

METACAM is only available with a prescription from your veterinarian.

METACAM works by relieving pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, certain types of injury and surgical pain.

METACAM oral suspension can be added to food or given directly into your cat's or dog's mouth, making it very easy to give. METACAM chewable tablets for dogs can be placed in your dog’s food or offered to them directly. Always use the dose that your vet prescribes.

Your vet will prescribe the dose required by your pet, so always follow their instructions carefully. If you have any questions relating to the dose of METACAM please contact your veterinary practice directly.

METACAM oral suspension has a honey flavour, which most pets love. METACAM chewable tablets for dogs are meat flavoured.

Treating arthritis will generally involve life-long therapy for your pet. For shorter courses, such as following an injury, your vet will advise how long treatment should be continued for.

If you forget a dose, do not give an extra dose or a larger dose; simply give your pet the usual dose at the next scheduled time. This may mean missing a daily dose.

Normally, pets tolerate METACAM very well. If your pet becomes unwell while receiving METACAM or you are worried at all, you should contact your veterinary practice immediately. You should stop giving METACAM until your vet advises that you can continue using it. This is because in some cases, METACAM and other medicines like it can cause side effects, so your vet needs to ensure any changes that develop in your pet are not related to the medicine they are taking. Occasionally, side effects such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, blood in faeces, unusual tiredness or problems with the kidneys have been reported in pets. Other signs are very rare, but if you are concerned about your pet for any reason, please discontinue treatment and contact your vet for advice.

When METACAM is being used for arthritis, as with any long-term medicine, your vet will need to see your pet regularly to ensure they are in good health. How often this will be will depend on a number of things, such as whether your pet has any other illnesses and their age. Vets may recommend performing blood and/or urine tests to check your pet’s health status when they see them.

When METACAM is only being used for short courses your vet will tell you how often you will need to visit them.

METACAM oral suspension for dogs is available in 10 mL, 32 mL, 100 mL and 180 mL bottles. METACAM chewable tablets for dogs are available in 1 mg and 2.5 mg tablets.
METACAM oral suspension for cats is available in 3 mL, 15 mL and 30 mL bottles.
METACAM oral suspension for guinea pigs is available in 3 mL, 15 mL and 30 mL bottles.

If you think your pet has had too much METACAM (an overdose), or another pet has taken it when it wasn’t prescribed for them, you should immediately contact your veterinary practice for advice. Tell the veterinarian the full details of how much was ingested and when.

Your vet will be able to supply you with a new METACAM dosing syringe; ask them to phone Boehringer Ingelheim to request additional dosing syringes.

With some small changes to your pet’s lifestyle, you can help support the health of their joints. As your pet can’t control what they eat and drink themselves, make sure you keep them at a healthy weight to avoid extra strain on their joints. Regular, gentle exercise can prevent your pet’s joints from stiffening up so they can remain active. Hydrotherapy (which involves your dog swimming in a purpose-built pool) helps to build muscle mass to better support joints.  And for your cat a regular, gentle exercise through playing with your cat can prevent their joints from stiffening up so they can remain active.