Meloxicam

[jennifervb]

Just for the record, my little rat man Jerry was DESPERATELY allergic to the anti-inflammatory/pain killer Meloxicam.

The vet was amazed since she had never encountered a rat with an allergy to it.

If you are giving your rat meloxicam, pay close attention to whether or not he/she is itching or scratching him/herself shortly after taking the med.

Jerry scratched his little mouth raw and bloody. I didn't figure out what he was allergic to until day 2 when I gave him the med and then watched him like a hawk. About 5 minutes after he received the meloxicam, the scratching started. He was at it for almost an hour and when he was finished his little mouth, nose and paws were blood saturated.

I didn't give him the med the next day and he was fine so I called the vet and told her that meloxicam was being black balled from Jerry's little list.

Keep an eye on your little four-footer if he/she is on meloxicam. It may work wonders most of the time but it doesn't work wonders all of the time!

 

[lilspaz68]

And for all not sure what meloxicam is, it is Metacam.

 

[jorats]

We had a couple of rats have a severe reaction to Metacam as well. They just went lethargic.
It's good to remind everyone when your rat is trying a drug for the first time, you have to watch closely.

 

[Bati]

How much should they have to make the allergic reaction? When I get a new medicin, everybody is allowed a small taste (hoping that the day they need it, it's not new and dangerous, but known and delicious)

 

[mamarat2]

For an allergic reaction, its not how much they need but whether or not they react to it. For example if a person is allergic to peanuts, it may only take a small amount of peanut product for them to have a very bad reaction (anaphalactic shock). A rat, like a person can also have a reaction to a very small amount of something.

 

[Bati]

Thankyou - it means I'm testing mine for allergic reactions when I let them have a taste, I'll keep that in mind!

 

[jorats]

My mom had a rat have an allergic reaction to Novotrimel aka Bactrim. It took the second dose to finish him off.
He became lethargic and his tongue swelled up 100 times it's normal size. He couldn't close his mouth, that's how thick and big it was, it was also completely blue. He was rushed into the vet but it was too late.

 

[mamarat2]

Along those lines Jorat, that's also why I keep liquid children's benedryl onhand because if there is any notice of a reaction starting, even just getting them to swallow a drop of the stuff will help since it is an antihistamine.

 

[jorats]

That's a good tip mamarat2

 

[jennifervb]

My mom had a rat have an allergic reaction to Novotrimel aka Bactrim. It took the second dose to finish him off.
He became lethargic and his tongue swelled up 100 times it's normal size. He couldn't close his mouth, that's how thick and big it was, it was also completely blue. He was rushed into the vet but it was too late.

Oh God... I would have been absolutely devastated. :cry: