Hi all I have been so busy looking after Charlie my 15y/o cocker I havent been around for a while. I really could use some advice for my boy. He has arthritis in his back legs along with other serious health issues like a grade 6 heart murmur. He attends the vet every 3 weeks for acupuncture and we have been struggling to find pain meds to help him all we have tried so far he has been unable to tolerate. 3 weeks ago I was given previcox 57mg to be given one and a half tabs per day so around 86mg give or take. This week I began to notice some side affects I felt were enough for me to top giving then on Tuesday this week. They turned him into a supersonic bunny dashing about all over the place unable to rest so I gave no more from then on. On Tuesday he slept exhausted for 22 hours out of 24. I stayed down stairs with him that night he was so exhausted he couldnt even get up to go out so I placed a puppy training pad under him and changed it when it was used. I was sitting at 2am watching him sleep crying my eyes out trying to decide has he had enough and he is telling me it is time. I had almost decided I would call my chosen vet the next morning and ask her to make the arrangements to come to the house and send my auld lad on his journey to the bridge.
The next morning Wednesday he was up and at it his normal self a bit unsteady from laying so long with his auld legs. So that told me he wasnt ready. No at tea time that night I went to give him his heart meds as usual,. I have no idea why I did this but I stood in the kitchen with the previcox box in my hand looking at it when a light in my brain turned on. The label said 57mg the box said 227mg. My heart stopped. I opened the box took out the strip and checked the tabs also said 227mg. OMG I could have killed him with that dose he wasgetting 340mg not 86mg for nearly 3 weeks. Took charlie to the vets last night saw the vet who issued the prescription. I showed her the packet but refused to allow it to leave my hands. She said this isnt good, took a blood sample for a full blood test. Charlie was so upset after getting blood taken I took him home to get him cleaned up and settled for a sleep to recover. The senior partner called me last night saying that one of his levels was up and another down from last time didnt say which. Then some bull about having called the manufacturer who said he could have been given 130mg without it causing an issue. I kinda lost lost it and pointed out he had been getting 340mg for over 2 weeks. I plan to give then a letter of complaint on Monday when we go back for acupuncture and another blood test.
So I have the WE to plan my attack I am devastated for my lad he doesnt need this. What if I had not found the over dose and I had went ahead and PTS my boy. Has anyone ever made a complaint about this type of situation and is there a way I can find out how long it would take for kidney issues to show after an overdose of NSAIDS such as previcox. Sorry this is soo long
Cathy
Cheeckie Charlie