My dog is in pain. Can I give her Metacam while she's on steroids?

Great question! No, you absolutely CANNOT give a steroid (prednisone) at the same time as a NSAID (Metacam). This is a very big no-no! This can cause huge, life-threatening side effects. He can take a muscle relaxant and/or an opiate along with the steroid. You should also you vet about these medications as they are prescription medications. All these medications work synergistically together. You should also consider acupuncture. It works wonders for these injuries. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

If I'm understanding her medication plan correctly, I'm a bit concerned because Metacam and prednisolone should not be given together - this combination of drugs can cause serious side effects such as stomach ulcers and internal bleeding, and I do not know of any veterinarians who would recommend giving both at the same time. I would recommend calling your vet in the morning to clarify the medication instructions, because it could be very dangerous for Peapumpkin to take both of these medications at once.

Tramadol and metacam can be given together. They are 2 different drugs with different mechanisms of action and different side effects. Metacam has a very narrow dose whereas tramadol has a wider, safer dose range. Metacam is an NSAID and can cause a variety of side effects, most notably gi ulceration and kidney injury. Dosing of both should be provided by your vet based on your pets health history and bloodwork. Monitoring of bloodwork is very important with metacam use. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

You are correct that drugs like Deramaxx should not be given currently with steroids because of the risk of GI ulceration. There should also be a wash out period after steroid use before starting NSAIDs (like Deramaxx) appropriate in length for the time on the drug. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello. You can wean her off the pred onto the Metacam , or you can add additional pain medications such as tramadol or gabapentin. I, personally do not like long-term prednisone because of the possibility of side effects, but even Metacam can cause some issues. Regardless of what you & your veterinarian choose for Sydney, make sure periodic blood work is run to pick up any early signs of problems. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rugby. You cannot use Rimadyl if she is taking prednisone. Giving these two medications together has a very high risk of causing gastrointestinal ulcers. Personally I do not start Rimadyl until a dog has been off of prednisone for two weeks. It can be done sooner if the dog is given additional medications to protect the GI tract, but it is still risky. Is she taken a muscle relaxer? In dogs with severe neck pain, I will use prednisone, gabapentin, a muscle relaxer and an additional pain medication such as tramadol. If her pain cannot be controlled though, she may need to see a neurologist for surgery. I hope this information helps!

You should not give Scotty the aspirin or any additional medications. Metacam is an NSAID and so is aspirin. The two can have negative interactions so you can’t mix them. If Scotty tolerates it, try a warm compress (not hot) to the sore area. Also encouraging him to walk around can actually help it to feel better. I hope he feels better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.