Rheumocam Injection 5 mg/mL (Canada)

Company: Merck Animal Health

Meloxicam

Veterinary Use Only

DIN: 02413868

Description

A clear yellow solution containing 5 mg of meloxicam per mL. Ethanol (dehydrated) Ph. Eur. 150 mg/mL is the preservative.

Therapeutic Classification: Rheumocam Injection is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the oxicam group.

Presentation: 10 mL or 20 mL bottles

Rheumocam Injection 5 mg/mL Indications

Rheumocam injection is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for use in dogs and cats. It is indicated for the alleviation of inflammation and pain in both acute and chronic musculo-skeletal disorders in dogs and also for the control of perioperative pain following orthopedic and soft tissue surgery in dogs and cats.

Dosage: Musculo-skeletal disorders: Dogs:

Rheumocam injection should be given as a single subcutaneous injection at a dosage of 0.2 mg meloxicam/kg body weight (i.e. 0.4 mL/10 kg body weight). Rheumocam 1.5 mg/mL Oral Suspension for Dogs should be used for continuation of treatment beginning after 24 hours and employing a dosage of 0.1 mg meloxicam/kg body weight.

Control of Perioperative pain: Dogs:

Single intravenous or subcutaneous injection at a dosage of 0.2 mg meloxicam/kg body weight (i.e. 0.4 mL/10 kg body weight) before surgery, for example at the time of induction of anaesthesia.

Cats:

Control of perioperative pain:

Single subcutaneous injection at a dosage of 0.2 mg meloxicam/kg body weight (i.e. 0.04 mL/kg body weight) before surgery. Give the lowest effective dose; giving a dose of 0.2 mg/kg is not always necessary.

Do not exceed the recommended dose (see Contraindications and Cautions sections). Repeat dosing in cats exceeding the recommended dose or number of days of treatment has been associated with acute renal failure and death.

Maximum number of piercings is 42 for all presentations.

The use of parenteral fluids during surgery should be considered to reduce the risk of renal toxicity when using NSAIDS perioperatively.

Owners should be advised when their pet has received a meloxicam injection, and be informed of the potential for adverse reactions and clinical signs associated with NSAID intolerance.

Always provide client information sheet with prescription. Dogs undergoing prolonged treatment with Rheumocam should be monitored periodically.

Concurrent Perioperative Therapy: Meloxicam has been used in combination with the following anaesthetic protocols with no adverse events having been reported.

Dogs

● Diazepam/Propofol/Isoflurane

● Acepromazine/Thiopentone/Isoflurane

● Acepromazine + Butorphanol/Thiopentone sodium/Halothane

Cats

● Acepromazine, Thiopentone and halothane

● Acepromazine, glycopyrrolate, propofol and isoflurane.

Contraindications

Rheumocam injection should not be administered if gastric or intestinal ulceration or bleeding is suspected; if there is evidence of cardiac, hepatic or renal disease; or if there is evidence of a haemorrhagic disorder or individual hypersensitivity to the product.

Do not administer concurrently other steroidal or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aminoglycoside antibiotics or anti-coagulant agents. Pre-treatment with other steroidal or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may result in additional or increased adverse effects and accordingly a treatment-free period with such drugs should be observed for at least 24 hours before commencement of treatment depending on the pharmacokinetic properties of the products used previously. Do not use if there is evidence of dehydration, hypovolemia or hypotension, because of the increased risk of renal injury caused by the destruction of protective prostaglandins secreted by the kidneys in this risk situation.

Cautions: Use only as a single injection. Particular care should be taken with regard to the accuracy of dosing in cats. The safe use of this product has not been established in breeding, pregnant or lactating animals; the potential benefits vs. the potential risks must be considered in each case. Do not exceed the stated dose. In case of overdosing, symptomatic treatment should be initiated.

Perioperative use requires careful assessment of risks and benefits for each individual patient. Increased risks of drug intolerance may occur in patients already debilitated or highly stressed, when there is concurrent use of other drugs (premedication, anaesthetics) which may lower blood pressure or increase the risk of renal or hepatic toxicity or in cases where there is surgical blood loss resulting in reduced tissue perfusion.

Animals being treated with meloxicam should be monitored for the occurrence of adverse effects as susceptibility varies with the individual. During anesthesia, monitoring of blood pressure and fluid therapy should be considered as standard practice.

If vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, diarrhea, increased drinking, increased or inappropriate urination or other suspected adverse reactions occur, IMMEDIATELY discontinue treatment and seek the advice of a veterinarian (see Adverse Reactions). The most common adverse reactions reported involve the gastrointestinal tract in the dog (inappetence, vomiting, diarrhea, potential ulceration) and the renal system in the cat (inappetence, lethargy, vomiting, elevated creatinine and BUN, acute renal failure).

As for all NSAIDs, use in any dog less than 6 weeks of age or cat less than 4 months of age or in debilitated aged animals may involve additional risk. If use in such animals cannot be avoided, a reduced dosage and careful clinical management may be required.

When additional pain medication is administered, a non-NSAID analgesic should be chosen (see Contraindications).

When administering any NSAID, appropriate laboratory testing to establish hematological and serum biochemical baseline data is recommended prior to use.

Safety has not been established for intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) use in cats. Appropriate monitoring procedures should be employed during all surgical procedures, particularly with cats.

The use of concomitantly protein-bound drugs with Rheumocam injection has not been studied in cats. Commonly used protein-bound drugs include cardiac, anticonvulsant and behavioural medications.

The influence of concomitant drugs that may inhibit metabolism of Rheumocam injection has not been evaluated. Drug compatibility should be monitored in patients requiring adjunctive therapy.

Warnings

- Keep out of reach of children.

- People with known hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should not handle this product.

- Pregnant women should not handle this product unless adequate exposure protection can be assured.

- Caution should be taken to avoid accidental self-injection, ingestion and contact with eyes.

- This product can cause eye irritation. In case of contact with the eyes, immediately rinse thoroughly with water.

Adverse Reactions

Dogs: Postmarketing Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (SADRs) following field use of meloxicam have been monitored worldwide since 1995. Typical adverse reactions of NSAIDs, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, apathy or polyuria and polydipsia associated with renal failure have occasionally been reported. These adverse effects are in most cases transient and disappear following termination of the treatment but in very rare cases may be serious or fatal.

Although not all adverse reactions are reported, the following adverse reaction information is based on voluntary post-approval drug experience reporting by veterinarians and pet owners/caregivers. It should be noted that suspected adverse drug reactions listed here reflect reporting and not causality. The categories of adverse reactions are listed in decreasing order of frequency by body system. In rare cases, death has been associated with some of these adverse reactions.

Dogs:

Digestive tract disorders: Vomiting, diarrhea, melena, hematemesis, ulceration.

Systemic disorders: Inappetence, lethargy, jaundice.

Neurological disorders: Ataxia, seizures, trembling.

Behavioural disorders: Behavioural disorder (not otherwise specified), hyperactivity.

Renal and urinary disorders: Acute renal failure.

Investigations: Elevated creatinine and BUN, elevated liver enzymes.

Skin and appendages disorders: Pruritis, eczema, alopecia local, moist dermatitis (hot spots), allergic dermatitis.

Immune system disorders: Urticaria, immune mediated hemolytic anemia, immune mediated thrombocytopenia.

Cats:

Renal and urinary disorders: Acute renal failure. Repeat dosing in cats exceeding the recommended dose or number of days of treatment has been associated with acute renal failure and death.

Investigations: Elevated creatinine and BUN

Immune system/Systemic disorders: Anaphylaxis/Sudden death: Body twitching, temporary cardiac arrest within 1-7 minutes of administration.

Digestive tract disorders: Vomiting.

Information for Dog and Cat Owners: Rheumocam^® (meloxicam) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and as with others in this group, adverse reactions may occur in treated animals. The most common adverse effects reported involve the gastrointestinal tract or the kidneys and usually occur within the first week of treatment. Typical symptoms include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dark stools, depression, increased drinking and increased or inappropriate urination. It is important in these situations to IMMEDIATELY discontinue treatment and contact your veterinarian. In most cases, the adverse reactions are transient and disappear after termination of treatment but in rare instances may be serious especially if treatment is not discontinued. Consult your veterinarian.

Clinical Pharmacology

Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the oxicam class which acts by inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects.

Maximum plasma concentrations are obtained after approximately 1.5 hours (cats) to 2.5 hours (dogs) post subcutaneous injection. There is a linear relationship between the dose administered and plasma concentration observed in the therapeutic dose range. Approximately 97% of meloxicam is bound to plasma proteins. The volume of distribution is 0.3 l/kg.

Meloxicam is predominantly found in plasma and is also a major biliary excretion product whereas urine contains only traces of the parent compound. Meloxicam is metabolised to an alcohol, an acid derivative and to several polar metabolites. All major metabolites have been shown to be pharmacologically inactive. Meloxicam is eliminated with a half-life of 15 hours (cat) and 24 hours (dog). Approximately 75% of the administered dose is eliminated via faeces and the remainder via urine.

Target Animal Safety

Dogs: The safety profile of meloxicam has been evaluated in well controlled target animal safety studies. Dogs treated with placebo, 1X, 3X and 5X label dosages were closely monitored over a 180 day (26 weeks) period. The study determined that there were no drug related adverse effects on clinical observations, normal bodyweight gain, food consumption, physical and ophthalmic examinations, clotting times, mucosal bleeding times or on a panel of clinical pathology parameters monitored throughout the study.

Cats: Studies on cats have demonstrated much higher sensitivity to NSAIDs than dogs.

Cats receiving 1.5X or 3X the recommended subcutaneous dose followed by the same dose orally for 8 additional days had decreased appetites, acute gastrointestinal and circulatory disorders after day 7. Necropsy (day 9) confirmed treatment related pyloric/duodenal ulceration and secondary peritonitis. In a second study, cats received 1.5X or 3X the recommended subcutaneous dose followed by 0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg orally for 9 additional days. One cat in each group was clinically depressed on the last day of treatment. Duodenal ulceration and secondary peritonitis were observed at necropsy. A third study evaluated 1.5X, 4.5X and 7.5X subcutaneous injections for 3 consecutive days. Histopathology demonstrated slight to minimal papillary necrosis in the kidneys and mucosal erosion in the 4.5X and 7.5X groups. No treatment related changes were noted in the 1.5X group.

Storage

Store at or below 25°C. Shelf-life after first opening the immediate packaging: 28 days. Protect from freezing.

Manufactured by:

Chanelle Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Ltd., Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland

Distributed by:

Intervet Canada Corp., subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., 16750 Route Transcanadienne, Kirkland, Quebec H9H 4M7.

1-866-683-7838

LB8620

CPN: 1208279.1