Piroxicam For Pets
If your pet is showing signs that she’s in pain, then a trip to the veterinarian is a must. The pain can be the result of something simple, like arthritis, but there’s always the risk that it could be something more severe, like cancer.
If your pet is diagnosed with an inflammatory condition, then piroxicam may be prescribed by your veterinarian in order to help reduce your pet’s painful inflammation.
What Is Piroxicam?
Piroxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) that belongs to the oxicam class of drugs.
Why Piroxicam Is Prescribed in Veterinary Medicine
Piroxicam is routinely prescribed in veterinary medicine to treat pain being caused by inflammatory conditions, like joint disease, osteoarthritis, fevers, and minor aches. The drug is effective in managing pain because it reduces the enzyme COX-2, which is involved in the formation of prostaglandins, which cause swelling and inflammation.
Other Uses for Piroxicam in Veterinary Medicine
Piroxicam is also commonly used in veterinary medicine as part of a cancer-treatment protocol, especially among cancers of the bladder. Because of its ability to reduce the COX-2 enzyme, piroxicam is used in the treatment of many types of tumors, including nasal epithelial tumors, mammary tumors, colorectal tumors, oral squamous cell carcinoma, oral melanoma, prostatic carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder, and osteosarcoma, mainly because the COX-2 enzyme is often unregulated in these tumors.
Administration of Piroxicam
Piroxicam is to be administered orally daily or every other day, and preferably with food to help reduce the risk of stomach upset. Your pet’s dosage or frequency may differ. It is important that you administer the medication exactly as prescribed by the veterinarian for the expected results to be achieved. Piroxicam a fast-acting drug, so improvements in your pet’s pain can typically be noticed within one to two hours of her taking the medication.
If you miss a dose of piroxicam, give the next dose as soon as you remember or, if it is close to the next scheduled dose, wait and resume with the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not administer a double dose to catch up on a missed dose.
Special Precautions for Using Piroxicam
Piroxicam is only to be administered to the pet it has been prescribed for. The medication should be kept well out of reach of children and pets.
Piroxicam can be hard on the gastrointestinal tract, so it should be used with caution in pets with known GI or renal problems. It should also be used with caution in animals with decreased cardiac function.
Possible Side Effects of Piroxicam
The most common side effects associated with piroxicam include gastrointestinal irritation, loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness. In more severe cases, GI ulceration or nephrotoxicity can occur.
Because of piroxicam’s strong potential for GI-related side effects, it is not as frequently used for its anti-inflammatory properties as it used to be. It is more commonly preserved for use as part of a chemotherapy treatment program.
Known Drug Interactions With Piroxicam
Before giving your pet piroxicam, make sure your vet knows about any other medications, vitamins, herbal remedies, or supplements your pet is taking, including the dosages and administration schedules. This is necessary to help avoid any potential risk of interaction with piroxicam.
Piroxicam has been shown to interact with quite a few other medications, including aminoglycoside antibiotics, corticosteroids, bisphosphonates, aspirin, anticoagulants, phenytoin, salicylates, sulfonamides, furosemide, methotrexate, and sulfonylurea antidiabetic compounds.
Sources:
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/piroxicam/
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=102894&id=4951987
https://www.petmd.com/pet-medication/piroxicam
