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Metacam/perscription needed?

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  • 23-12-2008 8:05pm
    #1
    thetyreman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 451 ✭✭


    Folks we have a 17yr old,cross between a labador and a doberman,anyway she has developed arthritus and the vet has perscribed her Metacam ,which is a anti inflamatory and pain killer.As we are going to be leaveing her on this for some time (untill she dies)we are trying to source it as cheap as possible.The price we paid today was 25euro for 32ml,now looking on the net on some online stores in the UK it can be got for 20pound sterling for 100ml which is a third the price,but you need a perscription to buy it.So the question is does anyone know were it could be got at a better price.

    T he 32ml bottle will last 5 days,so you see why we need to source as cheap as possible.

    thanks in advance


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    #2
    Ado86
    Registered Users Posts: 372 ✭✭Ado86


    Metacam is a what they call a POM-V (Prescription only medicine-veterinary). It will be illegal for any other company to sell the drug. If you could get a prescription from your vet and send it to one of the online "pet pharmacies" then you would be able to buy it online and cheaper... but in all honesty the vet is quite unlikely to want to do this because you would be taking your business elsewhere...and another reason...metacam is a drug which does need monitoring and the vet would not like to give a prescription without knowing how the animal is doing on it.


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    #3
    looserock
    Closed Accounts Posts: 302 ✭✭looserock


    I'm pretty sure you're vet is legally required to give you the prescription once he has examined and diagnosed you're animal.

    Where you get you're medicine is not his business.


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    #4
    Little A
    Registered Users Posts: 321 ✭✭Little A


    I asked my vet for a perscription for Advocate as it was a fraction of the price through England, but they said it was illegal for them to issue a perscription if they know it's to be bought on-line.....not sure if that true, never checked it out any where else


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    #5
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,425 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Little A wrote: »
    I asked my vet for a perscription for Advocate as it was a fraction of the price through England, but they said it was illegal for them to issue a perscription if they know it's to be bought on-line.....not sure if that true, never checked it out any where else
    There has to be something illegal about that practice, surely?

    My sister's dog back in the UK has been diagnose with diabetes, and she gets her insulin on-line ... much, much cheaper than from the vets.


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    #6
    Jules
    Registered Users Posts: 6,756 ✭✭✭Jules


    Your vet should give you a perscription, but will probably be for only 6months as he would require a check up to make sure everything is ok as metacam can be hard on liver/kidneys. I'm sure if you go to your vet and ask and explain they will be ok or they might do you a deal on the metacam. I do know a vets were you can get 180ml bottle for something like 75 quid.


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    #7
    Ausone
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Ausone


    Metacam is Meloxicam, a commonly used NSAID in humans.
    What dose are you giving at a time and how often?
    You can get tabs in 7.5mg or 15mg tabs. 30 tabs would cost approx €15-16 for 7.5mg and €21-22 for 15mg. normal dosing in people is one a day.
    €25 for a 5 day supply seems expensive (just for a liquid).


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    #8
    boomerang
    Registered Users Posts: 3,189 ✭✭✭boomerang


    You could ask for Flexicam instead, which I understand is cheaper, but has the same active ingredient as Metacam?


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    #9
    sinead1
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭sinead1


    I have been using Metacam on an elderly cat and I must say it does seem to help, but I gave cod liver oil and tuna (in oil) to my old springer who seemed to be seizing up she also has made a vast impovement maybe you could try a more oily feed and see if you could get a cheaper anti inflamatry on line? (a legal one.. to be sure!)


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    #10
    suraheg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭suraheg


    Usually vets only prescribe Metacam if its for a short period of time as its very harsh on the kidneys, and can cause gastric ulcers. its recommended that you monitor their faeces for red or black colouration, as this can indicate gastric problems. You should try putting you dog on nutritional supplements such as arthri-aid and maybe a new diet? Hills Science Plan J/D maybe? And as far as i know its illegal for a vet to give a prescription to buy something online.


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    #11
    fenris
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭fenris


    Have you tried a hot water bottle under her bedding - it can give a good bit of relief to aching joints - my GSD gets a lot of relief from this, he gets cartrofen every few months with Rymadil when he needs it. The hot water bottle really helps him when he gets a flare up. It was suggested by the doggie physio.


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    #12
    hadook
    Registered Users Posts: 792 ✭✭✭hadook


    For arthritis it's also worth looking into supplements likes Arthri-Aid, Syn-flex, Sasha's Blend or Stride (Plus). They're all glucosamine and chondroitin with various other things added and should make a huge difference to your dog.


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    #13
    Linguo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,127 ✭✭✭Linguo


    I use Cod liver oil for my dog's joints and it really does help, my bf uses metacam for his dog and it's given him alot of relief but he'd still use the oil too


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    #14
    doolin101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22 ✭doolin101


    It is not illegal to supply a presciption but it is illegal to buy a medicine from another country as it has to be the product with exact licencing in the rep of Ireland. Thats just the way it is- causes serious headaches for vets too- they cant get drugs easliy available in other countries if they are not licenced her and a lot are not licensed as the licensing procedure is very expensive for the drug companies and Ireland is a small market


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    #15
    sorella
    Closed Accounts Posts: 923 ✭✭✭sorella


    Our collie developed hip dysplasia; she could hardly get up. We looked at the options and decded against meds. She has glucosamine and cod liver oil - secreted in a cooked sausage - and is much, much better. It took a couple of weeks to take full effect but now she races around as she used to do.

    These we get from LIDL or ASDA very cheaply.

    Maybe we tend to use meds too much; Sandy was in a lot of pain, and hard to watch her.

    But to see her now and to know that she will not be in danger of bad side effects..... And so easy to buy.


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