# Metacam- Dosage? Very sick hedgie!



## FamilyOfExotics (May 19, 2012)

I have been looking everywhere trying to find the dosing for Metacam. Does anyone know what the dosages are? I'm looking for both concentrations. The vet in town gave me some metacam, but I am not sure which concentration it is. It was just put into small pre-measured syringes. She isn't technically specialized, which is why I would like to double check her dosing. I tried calling but had to leave a message with the receptionist, hopefully she will call me back! 

He gets 0.05ml once a day. Does this sound correct for either dosage? He weighs 359g, but I'm pretty sure she just rounded to 300g :| 

He is really sick, she said it looks like a systemic infection. The issue is that he was perfectly fine yesterday! He was eating and wheeling and pottying fine, but this morning he was laying by his food dish and wheezing and had a slight discharge from his penis. He doesn't want to eat or drink so we are syringing him food and water, and keeping him extra warm. It looks like the skin around his neck is a little swollen, but there was no lump or anything and it isn't red. He opens his right eye when he wants to see whats going on, but keeps his left eye closed. Mostly he just has both his eyes closed. He seems like he is in pain and doesn't want to move around, which is why I asked for metacam. We also got antibiotics (antirobe 25mg/kg) that he has to be on for 14 days. 
I'm just so worried about the little guy, I can't decide if I should rush him to the nearest exotic emergency clinic which is 3 hours away, or if I should wait a couple days and hope he improves? I don't even know if he would make it that long, because I don't know entirely whats wrong with him  

To make it all worse, I lost my job about a month ago and haven't been able to find a new one, so we are broke as **** over here. I only have about $800 available on my credit card to boot. Why do they always get sick when you are broke?! I had a vet fund set up, but my ferret got sick about 2 months ago and ate through that money pretty quick. 

I guess I am just looking for some support and some advice. I am really lost on what to do here


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

From what I remember when I had a hedgie on Metacam, that sounds like the right dosage. I hope it helps your baby get better.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

I did a quick search and found this: http://www.hedgehog-rescue.org.uk/docum ... s_2010.pdf and this: http://www.hedgehoghelp.co.uk/index.php?topic=3833.0

Hopefully that helps with the dosages. I'm sorry your little guy is so sick  Do you know how much the emergency vet charges? Maybe it won't be too bad... I wish I knew the answer


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## FamilyOfExotics (May 19, 2012)

Thanks guys. I guess I could have googled it more, I was just in a slight panic :roll: I really hope he gets better too! The clinic charges $150 just to show up. I took my ferret there once when he developed a blockage. $800 total for some meds and a couple xrays :| I'm just nervous since the vet here isn't 'technically' specialized, but she does see most of the exotics in town and does pretty good. I'm a nervous wreck! 

I bumped the temp up in his cage, but he still feels cool whenever we check on him. His cage is at 77-78 right now, I think I will bump it again to 80. Syringe feeding him is hard, he seems to spit most of it out. Any advice on how to syringe feed? I'm giving him Hills A/D critical. He's really weak so I really want to get some food into him.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

If it's canned food, probably just mix it with water until it reaches a consistency where he can swallow it like water. How old is he? Is there anything he could have gotten into and eaten between yesterday and tonight?


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## FamilyOfExotics (May 19, 2012)

Yea its canned, and I have it mixed so its only 'slightly' thicker than water. The problem is that he doesn't WANT to eat, at all  I think he might be nauseous, but he hasn't thrown up at all. Good news is that he isn't wheezing anymore, thankfully! I am going to take that as a good sign. He couldn't have gotten into anything as far as I am aware of, we were pretty busy last night so we only really got time to do his food and water and give him some quick kisses. He basically stayed in his cage all night.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Besides being sick, antibiotics upset their stomach and make them want to eat even less. He definitely needs the food though, so you need to make sure he gets something into him. The advice I was giving for syringe-feeding is try to get 12-24 mL into him in 24 hours - so if he eats 4 mL, feed him again four hours later. If he doesn't want to eat much, feed him more often. Try different positions like sitting on your lap, being held against your chest, etc. Try different size syringes too - I tried using 3-mL syringes with Lily, but I couldn't keep myself from pushing the food through so fast that she would get upset and pull away. Switched to the 1-mL size and we did a lot better. Try with the food both warm (but test it with your wrist or something first, to make sure it won't burn) and room temperature. If you think he doesn't like the A/D, does he like any other foods/baby food? You could try mixing a baby food like peas, sweet potato, or apple in with it and see if the extra flavor changes his mind. Nancy or Kalandra also told me to keep a container of food & a syringe nearby during normal cuddle time with Lily - if she seemed to be calm and open to the idea, try to get some food into her then. 

One last thing you can do to help - since antibiotics kill the good bacteria in the gut in addition to the bad, that'll be another reason he doesn't feel good, and he'll probably have green poop. You can get small animal BeneBac (pet stores) or Acidophilus (pharmacy section, by the vitamins) to sprinkle into the food (after heating), to help re-establish good bacteria and maybe help a bit with the whole upset stomach/GI system thing. You'll want to do it mid-way between antibiotic doses, if you do it 2x a day, or the other end of the day if you do it once - otherwise the antibiotics will kill the good bacteria in the probiotics and they'll be useless.

I agree, keep his cage temp up too, that'll help his body out, not having to work as hard to stay warm. Good luck, I hope he starts feeling better soon! Keep us updated!


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