Meloxicam availability

RE: Meloxicam availability

Andreas Ege — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 11:47:08 GMT

I'm probably not fully up to date, but generally the scientific evidence for "alternative" pain medication besides nsaid and some opoids is not huge, with tramadol being the exception (well, probably still not huge, but reasonably good).

A review of 2015 (2015 AAHA/ AAFP pain management guidelines for dogs and cats, Epstein et al, 2015) found only 1 unpublished study on degenerative joint disease in cats, which showed benefits, a review of 2013 (Outpatient analgesia in dogs and cats beyond nonsteroidal antiimflammatory drugs: an evidence-based approach, KuKanich 2013) cites a probable half live of less then 3 hours in cats, no effect in an acute thermal pain experiment and concludes there is overall only low evidence of efficacy.

Tramadol (same papers): Pain modifying effect has been demonstrated in thermal and clinical surgical models (Epstein), likely very efficient in cats at doses of 2-4mg/k bid (KuKanich).

Amantadine: no studies, only 1 case report in a dog (Epstein), KuKanich concludes not likely effective on their own, but, as mentioned, might provide benefits alongside other analgesia.

Non pharmaceutical pain relief you might want to consider:

acupuncture (especially with osteoarthritis), heat or cold application, physiotherapy.

RE: Meloxicam availability

Andreas Ege — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 11:28:54 GMT

Thanks for the answers.

RE: Meloxicam availability

Gwen Covey-Crump — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 14:00:24 GMT

For acute and chronic inflammatory pain Onsior (robenacoxib) is a licenced alternative to meloxicam for short and long-term use.

I frequently give advice on what to use in cats that can't tolerate NSAIDs. For chronic pain, I find gabapentin 3-10mg/kg BID or TID (available as a syrup and small compounded tablets) can be very useful in cats, as can tramadol. Amantadine (3-5mg/kg SID) is available as small compounded tablets and memantine (0.3-0.8mg/kg SID) comes in a 10mg tablet which can be divided small enough for adult size cats. The later are NMDA antagonists 'antihyperalgesic' rather than true analgesics, which take around 3-4 weeks to see a clinical effect. The small amount of clinical evidence we have for these is for use alongside NSAIDs but I have found them useful used alone in cats which can't have NSAIDs (nor paracetamol as I would for dogs)

RE: Meloxicam availability

Lucy Fleming — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 07:55:13 GMT

[quote userid="2131" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/anaesthesia/f/discussions/29226/meloxicam-availability/224256#224256"]What else are people using for "routine" oral analgesia for cats?[/quote]

I use quite a bit of gabapentin as well (but generally more for longer term issues, not really for post-op pain or acute short term discomfort, which I think is more what you are thinking of, forgive me for assuming)

Apparently tramadol is effective in cats (though bitter taste can make administering it very tricky)

If we can't get meloxicam I presume we'll also try to get Onsior

RE: Meloxicam availability

Joyce Whitehead — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 20:12:33 GMT

We have quite a bit of metacam in stock but onsior would be our other alternative. I believe there is an injectable version too although I’ve never used it. Licensed for surgical pre op use too.

RE: Meloxicam availability

Kate Richardson — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 18:08:32 GMT

Occasionally Onsior

RE: Meloxicam availability

paolovet — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 17:43:39 GMT

We usually use oral analgesia for feral cats. Chill protocol: Gabapentin + melatonin + acepromazin or buprenorfin. Very useful.

RE: Meloxicam availability

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 15:32:08 GMT

What else are people using for "routine" oral analgesia for cats?

RE: Meloxicam availability

Joyce Whitehead — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 22:10:17 GMT

As Bob says, the factory in Mexico that seems to make the world supply has been badly affected by Covid so is shut down or barely working. That combined with disruption to shipping to get the stuff out is apparently the issue. Pexion is similar affected. We can decant the bigger bottles if you can get them.

RE: Meloxicam availability

Bob Russell — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 15:27:39 GMT

Factory is in Mexico. Not quite clear why COVID has shut down a factory and it is going to take months for supplies(Includes Pexion) to go back to normal.

RE: Meloxicam availability

Neil Wheadon — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 15:14:48 GMT

Boeringer sent an E Mail yesterday, but it's been about for a week or so now

It's a COVID19 effect apparently, there is a factory in South America that's been affected. Loxicom as well.

So there you go, Kellogs don't make cereal for anyone else but looks like Metacam and Loxicom are one of the same

Neil