My dog accidentally took too much Metacam. What's the next step?

A one time early dose is unlikely to be problematic, but I would recommend that you don’t redose for at least another 24 hours. If she seems comfortable than you can wait for 36 hours and use the gabapentin. Monitor for any signs of nausea, vomiting, or dark tarry stools. These problems usually occur with chronic overdosing not just a one time event, but all dogs respond differently. Best of luck and I hope her pain improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi there. I'm assuming you mean Rimadyl? If so, this medication should NEVER be given more frequently than directed by your veterinarian, since overdoses can cause serious damage to the stomach and kidneys. I would recommend calling your veterinarian tomorrow morning to see what they suggest - they may ask you to skip Evie's next scheduled dose. You will also need to monitor her for any signs of a problem such as vomiting or not wanting to eat, and take her in right away to be seen if any problems are noted.

Oral Metacam should be ideally stopped and as a first approach I would suggest to withhold food for the next 8-12 hours and then start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice lethargy or inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Katie just ingested a very high dose of meloxicam. The big problem with an overdose of meloxicam (or any other NSAID) is that it can definitively result in side effects such as gastrointestinal ulceration (which may manifest as black, tarry stools which basically means digested blood), kidney disease, liver disease and gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia. I advice that you take Katie to a veterinarian (perhaps a bit farther from you) for evaluation and further treatment. If it has been less than 2 hours, vomiting could still be induced which could make the outcome better. If there is no way possible you can do that then take her first thing in the morning tomorrow. Good luck!

Hello. As a general rule of thumb, we will begin to see gastrointestinal problems with Metacam if a dog receives 4-5 times the regular therapeutic dose. In Louis' case, he is just at that point. His gums look to be a nice pink color, but he may still be experiencing a fairly intensive gastroenteritis. He may need some stomach protectants & anti-nausea medication to help him get over this, so please call your veterinarian as soon as you can. He should feel much better once he has some medication to treat his symptoms. I hope Louis is feeling better soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

That may result in gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting, diarrhoea even with fresh or digested blood in it (due to ulcers) or may lead to kidney failure ( which can happen acutely). Metacam is a liquid and gets rapidly absorbed ( so make her sick is usually not very useful). If you notice any of signs such as vomiting ,diarrhoea ,lethargy ,depression ,inappetence,increased drinking level increase urination or complete cessation of it, then I would recommend (even after several hours or few days from ingestion) to take her to your veterinarian for a check up.

Hello, Lola is indeed at higher risk for adverse reactions even after a single dose of meloxicam, however your veterinarian is likely not too concerned with the severity of her kidney disease. Therefore, the side effects of meloxicam to her kidneys would be dependent on how severe her kidney disease is. I would recommend monitoring her kidney values for the next five days as Meloxicam has a long half-life and can take up to 5 days to remove completely from the body. This could be done with daily blood checks. Also know that of all the NSAIDs, Meloxicam has the widest safety margin in the phase of kidney disease. Look for any signs of increased drinking, decreased urinations, lethargy, painful abdomen, vomiting, or a decreased appetite and have her evaluated immediately if you note any. Hope this helps and best of luck.