Reptile · Pantherophis guttatus · typical adult weight 0.20–0.90 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 0.1 mg/kg SC q48h in corn snakes, per 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). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — 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 — PROVENANCE (wave 3, two readers): the served 0.1 mg/kg SC q48h regimen is printed in NEITHER cited formulary. It is from Bercier M, Zoll W, Rosenberg JF, Giglio R, McCoy L, Castleman WL, Johnson MD, Heard DJ. Gastric Intussusceptions in a Red Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) Associated with Cryptosporidiosis. Case Rep Vet Med. 2017:4270904. doi:10.1155/2017/4270904 (PMC6005285) — a SINGLE-ANIMAL post-operative case report, n=1. The formulary tables print only the class row 0.1-0.5 mg/kg PO, SC q24-48h for Most species.. Meloxicam is used in corn snakes for Post-operative analgesia / anti-inflammatory. Routes documented in corn snakes: SC. A typical adult corn snake weighs 0.20–0.90 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Meloxicam in corn snakes, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 0.1 mg/kg | q48h | Post-operative analgesia / anti-inflammatory | Anecdotal | 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). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — 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 — PROVENANCE (wave 3, two readers): the served 0.1 mg/kg SC q48h regimen is printed in NEITHER cited formulary. It is from Bercier M, Zoll W, Rosenberg JF, Giglio R, McCoy L, Castleman WL, Johnson MD, Heard DJ. Gastric Intussusceptions in a Red Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) Associated with Cryptosporidiosis. Case Rep Vet Med. 2017:4270904. doi:10.1155/2017/4270904 (PMC6005285) — a SINGLE-ANIMAL post-operative case report, n=1. The formulary tables print only the class row 0.1-0.5 mg/kg PO, SC q24-48h for Most species. |
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 |
| 0.1–0.5 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg PO, SC q24-48h |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your corn snake'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 corn snakes may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose range in corn snakes, with cited source references: SC 0.1 mg/kg q48h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in corn snakes: SC.
Meloxicam is indicated in corn snakes for: Post-operative analgesia / anti-inflammatory.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the corn snake 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 corn snakes — 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.
| 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.