This is vet bed. I think you can buy it at pets at home, or buy from several online sites.
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/dog-beds-pet-life-vet-bed-c-628_199_940
It's not unusual for metacam to be prescribed long term for various health issues. I know of several rabbit owners who's vets have prescribed it for many years with no ill effects. I have also read of a well known rabbit specialist stating that she hasn't seen evidence of it damaging the kidneys in rabbits. Though it would still be a good idea to have a blood test done to ensure your rabbits kidneys are functioning normally. Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits seem to tolerate metacam quite well, but do need higher and more frequent doses because of their fast metabolism.
But, I am in no way suggesting you give more than the amount your vet prescribed.
From the dosage information you gave, if I have figured it out right then your bun is at the very lowest recommended amount. If you feel your bun should be getting a higher dose, you either need to ask your current vet about changing the dose, or get a referral to or second opinion from a new vet and see if they recommend a higher dose. Chances are that if you see one of the rabbit specialists or savvy vets I've listed, that it's likely they will prescribe a higher dose
if it is needed and after a blood test has been done, as they are more experienced with treating rabbits and have more experience with the doses that are needed to effectively treat illness. Your vet could even consult with one of these specialists to get the correct treatment for your rabbit if going to a new vet would be too difficult. You have
numerous rabbit specialists in your country, that your vet could consult with, including Frances Harcourt Brown, one of the best rabbit specialists there is. These are just a few rabbit specialists. There are several others I could post links to as well. Though your bun will likely need to have xrays and blood tests done prior to a consult, so the consulting vet will have all needed information.
http://www.crablanevets.co.uk/our-practice/veterinary-surgeons/
http://www.highcroftvet.co.uk/staff-gallery/richard-saunders
http://www.cheshirepet.co.uk/?team-member=molly-varga
Molly Varga is a very good rabbit specialist in Holmes Chapel. There is also Simon Maddock in Dunston who is a rabbit savvy vet, that I have read good things about from other rabbit owners. So you have a lot of options for either your vet consulting a specialist, or if you can drive and your bun can handle travel without stressing too much, then you have several excellent vets within 1 1/2 hours distance. You can also contact the rwaf for a rabbit vet recommendation if you are needing something closer to you. If you do see a new vet, just make sure that all your rabbits information is sent over prior to your appointment.
http://www.catandrabbit.co.uk/meet_the_team.html
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/index.php?section=veterinary.html
Here are some vet based links you can read through, that supports the information I have relayed concerning metacam.
- Note: based on a study in New Zealand White rabbits, "Rabbits may require a dose exceeding 0.3 mg/kg given once daily to achieve optimal plasma levels of meloxicam over a 24-h interval." (J495.56.w1)
- 0.3 - 0.6 mg/kg subcutaneously or orally every 24 hours. "studies have shown that rabbits may require a dose exceeding 0.3 mg/kg every 24 hours to achieve optimal plasma levels of meloxicam over a 24-hour interval and doses of 1.5 mg/kg subcutaneously or orally are well tolerated for 5 days." (B546)
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Chem/ChComplex/Meloxicam.htm
"Meloxicam Up to 1.0 mg/kg twice daily"
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/Osteoarthritis_rabbits.htm
I don't know whether or not metacam may be helpful or not, it will depend on what the cause of the hind limb weakness is. If it is caused by EC or arthritis, then there is a good chance that metacam will be helpful if the correct amount is given. If this is caused by spinal damage and your bun has complete paralysis, then it's quite possible the damage is permanent, and giving metacam isn't likely to have an effect. If your bun still has some function in the back legs, then there is still hope that the condition can be reversed, or at least improved with the appropriate treatment. Though, even with permanent paralysis, if your bun adjusts well to the change, he can still have a good quality of life. Has your bun lost complete use of his back legs or just diminished use? Can he still hop around at all?
If you feel that your vet hasn't investigated the cause thoroughly and that it should be looked into more, than seeing a specialist, or at least a good rabbit vet, would be my next step. I don't know if your vet is a decent rabbit vet or not. I'm just basing my opinion on the information you have relayed regarding the treatment your rabbit received. If a good rabbit vet had suspected EC as the cause of the hind limb weakness, normally panacur and metacam would have been prescribed, and probably an antibiotic as well to cover the possibility of infection. This is the common treatment for this. If your vet didn't prescribe the panacur, you could ask why. Maybe there is a good reason your vet didn't. I would also want to know how arthritis and spinal damage was ruled out as a cause, or if not, then why wasn't it investigated as a cause as well. Maybe your vet did rule these out as a possibility, though I'm not sure how when no xrays were done.
