Reptile · Pogona vitticeps · typical adult weight 0.38–0.51 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 0.1–0.2 mg/kg IM q24-48h in bearded dragons, per BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part B: Exotic Pets, p.195 (corpus p.209), Meloxicam DOSES - Reptiles: '0.1-0.5 mg/kg p.o., s.c., i.m. have been suggested'. Interval q24-48h from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th Ed, p.254, Meloxicam 'Most species' row. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: 'p.195' is the PRINTED page number, confirmed by finding the drug named on it in the held copy. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Meloxicam is used in bearded dragons for Acute pain, post-surgical, Pain, inflammation, Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory. Routes documented in bearded dragons: IM, PO, SC. A typical adult bearded dragon weighs 0.38–0.51 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Meloxicam in bearded dragons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|
| IM | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | q24-48h | 1-3 days | Acute pain, post-surgical | Extrapolated | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part B: Exotic Pets, p.195 (corpus p.209), Meloxicam DOSES - Reptiles: '0.1-0.5 mg/kg p.o., s.c., i.m. have been suggested'. Interval q24-48h from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th Ed, p.254, Meloxicam 'Most species' row. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: 'p.195' is the PRINTED page number, confirmed by finding the drug named on it in the held copy. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| PO | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | q24-48h | 3-7 days | Pain, inflammation | Extrapolated | Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 0.5% gel topically q24h; do not exceed 0.4 mg/kg52 Antiinflammatory for localized wounds |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1–0.5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.209 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg p.o., s.c., i.m. have been suggested although analgesic effect unproven in reptiles |
| 0.4 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.209 | 0.4 mg/kg i.m. q24h |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your bearded dragon's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Preferential COX-2 inhibitor, reducing prostaglandin synthesis. Provides anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic effects.
Use with extreme caution in cats. Jurisdiction-specific labeling: the US (FDA) label authorizes a single SC dose only, with a boxed warning against repeated use; EU/UK/AU labels authorize repeated oral dosing for chronic musculoskeletal pain — follow your jurisdiction's label. GI ulceration risk. Avoid in dehydrated, hypovolemic, or renally compromised patients. Do not combine with other NSAIDs or corticosteroids.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for bearded dragons may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose ranges in bearded dragons, with cited source references: IM 0.1–0.2 mg/kg q24-48h; PO 0.1–0.2 mg/kg q24-48h; SC 0.1–0.2 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in bearded dragons: IM, PO, SC.
Cited course lengths for Meloxicam in bearded dragons include: 1-3 days; 3-7 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Meloxicam is indicated in bearded dragons for: Acute pain, post-surgical, Pain, inflammation, Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the bearded dragon dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Use with extreme caution in cats. Jurisdiction-specific labeling: the US (FDA) label authorizes a single SC dose only, with a boxed warning against repeated use; EU/UK/AU labels authorize repeated oral dosing for chronic musculoskeletal pain — follow your jurisdiction's label. GI ulceration risk. Avoid in dehydrated, hypovolemic, or renally compromised patients. Do not combine with other NSAIDs or corticosteroids.
Why a species-specific page? Meloxicam pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in bearded dragons — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.
| SC | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | q24h | 1-3 days | Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory | Extrapolated | Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530 |
| 0.1–0.5 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg PO, SC q24-48h |
| 0.1–0.5 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg PO, SC q24-48h149-151 Most species |
| 0.4–1 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 0.4-1 mg/kg PO, SC, ICe q24h51 Antiinflammatory; presumptive analgesia; adjunct therapy for septicemia |
| 0.4 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 0.5% gel topically q24h; do not exceed 0.4 mg/kg52 Antiinflammatory for localized wounds |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.