Trade name for Meloxicam– a modern NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) this is a most useful drug especially for inflammation involving the musculo-skeletal system. It gives pain relief as well as exerting an antiinflammatory effect on the cause of the pain for 24 hours following its administration.
We use it extensively and as a product it tends to sell itself: people out on walks see the improvement it causes in their friends old dog and they come in and ask us if their old dog can have some of the same!
There are all sorts of potential side-effects mostly involving the guts. Any NSAID, similar to aspirin in people, can cause tummy upsets and even ulceration of the bowel with bleeding into stomach and intestines. If your dog is sick or has diarrhoea stop using it and seek advice.
However, the majority of individuals show no ill-effects and it can be used continuously in its pain relieving life enhancing way.
It should not be used in conjunction with any other NSAID or with corticosteroids but used with the above in mind it can be very useful indeed. There is a version for cats where it is proving to be extremely useful and efficacious.
