The correct dose would have been 0.1 mg/kg (0.45 mg or 0.3 ml for this cat) for the initial dose then 0.1 mg (0.06 ml) TOTAL dose once daily for maintenance.
The company recommended the 0.1 mg/kg dose for 5 days and then go to 0.1mg per cat after that.
NC State (Duncan Lascelles and Lizette Hardie) now recommend meloxicam in cats at 0.1mg/kg on day 1, then 0.05mg/kg for 4-6 days then 0.25mg/kg once daily or lowest effective dose.
All three of these are taken from www.VIN.com which is a support network for vets, I am sure your vet is familiar with the site. The overwhelming problem is the "drop" is not controlled and it depends from what syringe and so forth...
The problem that most of us face is an increasing surge to control pain in animals...it sounds like your vet was taking that into account. If anything it is reflective of caring and support more than $ or malice. We underestimate animal pain...and that is why these pharmaceuticals are out there now. Metacam is a wonderful medications, but certain cats can develop renal failure...so it is a hard decision.
It is a lesson both for your vet/vet clinic and others reading...as to whether specific waivers should be signed. Unfortunately, animals have acute episodes with vaccines and other medications and go into liver and kidney failure as well.
I hope this helps clarify the metacam dose. TO ME, it seems like a high dose for your cat...but it depends on the drop size!!! And because no pre-medication bloodwork was done, we don't know if 50% is the drug or 95%.
Let me know how I can further help you.
Dr.V
Edited by DanaDVM on March 30 2005 at 5:51 PM
Dr. D.A. Vamvakias
Veterinarian