Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Long-term safety, efficacy and palatability of oral meloxicam at 0.01-0.03 mg/kg for treatment of osteoarthritic pain in cats.
- Journal:
- Journal of feline medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- Gunew, Marcus N et al.
- Affiliation:
- The Cat Clinic Mt Gravatt · Australia
Plain-English summary
Osteoarthritis is a long-lasting and painful condition that many cats experience. This study looked at the long-term safety and effectiveness of a medication called meloxicam, given at a low dose of 0.01-0.03 mg per kilogram of body weight once a day, to help manage this pain in cats. Over the course of about 5.8 months, 40 cats were treated, and only 2 cats (about 4%) had mild stomach upset as a side effect. The owners reported that the treatment worked well or very well for 85% of the cats. Overall, the study found that meloxicam is a safe and effective option for treating osteoarthritis in cats when given with food.
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is a chronic, painful condition that is now recognised as affecting a large proportion of cats. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have proven efficacy in dogs and humans but there are limited published data on the use of NSAIDs in the long-term management of this condition in cats. This prospective study aimed to assess the long-term safety and palatability of oral meloxicam and its efficacy in treating osteoarthritic pain in cats when given at a dose of 0.01-0.03 mg/kg once daily. Forty cats diagnosed with osteoarthritis completed the trial with a mean treatment duration of 5.8 months. Gastrointestinal upset in 2/46 (4%) cats was the only adverse effect noted. No deleterious effect on renal function was detected in cats studied. Owners subjectively assessed treatment efficacy as good or excellent in 34/40 (85%) of cases. The results of this study showed oral meloxicam to be safe and palatable long-term treatment for osteoarthritis in cats when given with food at a dose of 0.01-0.03 mg/kg.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18440263/