You have it made, Paul. No wonder you have so many animals. Between you and your wife you can care for them all without spending an arm and a leg. I'm lucky because my vet and I have a closer relationship than client/doctor. I rented my grooming room from him for over 20 years. I learned most of what I know from hanging out on the vet side when I wasn't busting it doing dogs. I was a breeder of show dairy goats at the time and he tells folks that everything he knows about goats he learned from me. It's a relationship based on respect.
He texted me back that he has used meloxicam with great success in the past. He told me to promise not to eat her, but what does it matter if I take the same drug myself every day? (he doesn't think that I'd have the guts to put her in the stew pot, but that's exactly what I will do when the time comes)