Does anyone know if you can buy this as a bottle. Megan has needed it a couple of times and its costing £36 everytime we visit the vet for a 10ml bottle. Wondered if anybody keeps a supply in their house. Thanks.

A quick google search shows it can be bought relatively cheaply, but it is prescription only. I imagine the majority of your £36 cost is for the vets time. If they have decided it's a long term treatment perhaps you could ask for a repeat prescription, but if it's for one off incidents I suspect you're going to have to pay the vet for their expertise as well as for the metacam itself.

I believe a vet is only allowed by law to give you a prescription for a certain period - I think that might be 6 months - and then you have to visit again before you will get a renewal prescription. If the vet charges you for the consultation and for supplying the prescription you might not be any better off than just getting the metacalm from your own vet.

www.pet prescription.co.uk 180ml is 17.99 on multibuy. Hyperdrug.co.uk is 32ml 13.52.

Metacalm and Rimadyl, the two common painkillers used, like human painkillers, have recognised side effects, so they should only be given following advice by a vet. If a dog had a condition requiring long term administration, I'm sure most vets would have repeat prescription terms or refer you to an appropriate website.

Thanks Marion, thats what we really thought anyway. Because calpol for kids is so widely used we hoped there would be the doggie equivalent lol. Thanks everyone though for replies and obviously we wouldn't put Megan's health at risk if we weren't sure on something. We love her too much!