Another issue of significance that the new owner must be aware of is the tendency for Sighthounds to be hypersensitive or even allergic to several other medicines and narcotic analgesics such as opiates. One particular opiate that one of my Irish Wolfhounds had a severe reaction to was Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine. This drug is often used by veterinarians and administered as a pain reliever before surgery. Soon after waking from surgery, she encountered respiratory distress with significant panting so profound and prolonged that she developed edema on both sides of her tongue. The edemas were substantial in size so that the attending veterinarians were very concerned that her tongue would swell and block the trachea. The excessive respiratory stimulation, an after-effect of a severe reaction that continued for over 10 hours, was believed to be the reason for the edema. Due to the excessive panting and subsequent dehydration, the wolfhound was administered intravenous fluids.
The respiratory distress diminished after nearly 12 hours, and the edema resolved after several days. A scary incident that shall not be forgotten, and although there is no conclusive evidence, short of re-administering this drug again, it was logically concluded that it was a severe and abnormal reaction to the opioid. Consequently, all my veterinarian's files have a medical warning banner NOT to use any opiate drug on our Irish Wolfhounds.
Meloxicam. It is a human prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory to control pain and to relieve inflammation, and has been routinely prescribed for canines. I have been using Meloxicam for 12 or more years without any incident. However, there is always a first time for everything. Kellyanne, our 5-year-old Wolfhound, had undergone surgery and was prescribed Meloxicam for only 4 days post-surgery to relieve inflammation. All went well while she was taking the drug, or so it seemed.
On the 7th day post-surgery, approximately one hour after eating her dinner, Kellyanne was resting when she began to vomit an enormous amount of bright red blood with small debris that appeared to be fine in appearance, almost like coffee grinds. Her gums were pale pink, her abdomen was swelling and retaining fluid, and she was somewhat sluggish with no temperature. She then immediately developed black, tarry, liquid stools, along with a lack of appetite and general weakness. The black tar stools were the fluid from her abdomen and blood from the ulcerations. See the photos below of what Meloxicam can cause.
After she had ceased vomiting, the blood was absorbed and eliminated through the intestines. Kellyanne was administered 2 grams twice daily of Sucralfate, which is an oral anti-ulcer drug used to coat ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract to protect them from stomach acid and allow them to heal, which were caused by the Meloxicam. Though she ceased vomiting, it took Kellyanne five long days for her stomach to improve, her tarry black stools to disappear, and nearly seven days for the abdomen's swelling to dissipate completely. Even 16 days after surgery, she still ate somewhat sparingly compared to her normal, healthy appetite.
These two photos show Meloxicam Side Effects. Bright red blood vomited and tarry black stools from the gastrointestinal bleeding.
