Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 0.2 mg/kg IV once in dogs, per METACAM - Meloxicam 5 Mg/ML Solution for Injection [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.; 2019. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.827, Meloxicam monograph spanning p.825-828. Meloxicam is used in dogs for Peri-operative analgesia, Soft tissue surgery analgesia, Pain, osteoarthritis, post-operative analgesia, Chronic osteoarthritis (long-term). Routes documented in dogs: IV, PO, SC. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 6 cited dose rules for Meloxicam in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 0.2 mg/kg | once | Single peri-operative dose | Peri-operative analgesia | Strong | METACAM - Meloxicam 5 Mg/ML Solution for Injection [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.827, Meloxicam monograph spanning p.825-828. |
| PO | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | q24h | 3-5 days | Soft tissue surgery analgesia | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Meloxicam, Dosages/DOGS, printed p.827, citing METACAM US product labels for dogs (refs 1-3); corroborated by Papich printed p.490 (PDF 518) and BSAVA Part A printed p.251 (PDF 267)Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | 0.2 mg/kg once on day 1, then 0.1 mg/kg PO q24h | Acute: 3-5 days; Chronic: ongoing with monitoring | Pain, osteoarthritis, post-operative analgesia | Strong | METACAM - Meloxicam 0.5 Mg/ML Oral Suspension [US Product Label for Dogs]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455; METACAM - Meloxicam 1.5 Mg/ML Oral Suspension [US Product Label for Dogs]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455; METACAM - Meloxicam 5 Mg/ML Solution for Injection [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.825, Meloxicam monograph spanning p.825-828. |
| PO | 0.1 mg/kg | q24h | Chronic with monitoring every 3-6 months | Chronic osteoarthritis (long-term) | Strong | METACAM - Meloxicam 0.5 Mg/ML Oral Suspension [US Product Label for Dogs]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.827, Meloxicam monograph spanning p.825-828. |
| PO | 0.1 mg/kg | q24h | 3-5 days post-dental | Post-dental analgesia | Strong | METACAM - Meloxicam 0.5 Mg/ML Oral Suspension [US Product Label for Dogs]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.827, Meloxicam monograph spanning p.825-828. |
| SC | 0.2 mg/kg | once | Single peri-operative dose | Post-operative analgesia | Strong | METACAM - Meloxicam 5 Mg/ML Solution for Injection [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.827, Meloxicam monograph spanning p.825-828. |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 | SC | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.267 | Initial dose is 0.2 mg/kg s.c., p.o.; if given as a single preoperative injection effects last for 24 hours. Can be |
| 0.1 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.267 | last for 24 hours. Can be followed by a maintenance dose of 0.1 mg/kg p.o q24h |
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.
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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 dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 0.2 mg/kg once; PO 0.1–0.2 mg/kg q24h; PO 0.1–0.2 mg/kg 0.2 mg/kg once on day 1, then 0.1 mg/kg PO q24h; PO 0.1 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in dogs: IV, PO, SC.
Cited course lengths for Meloxicam in dogs include: Single peri-operative dose; 3-5 days; Acute: 3-5 days; Chronic: ongoing with monitoring; Chronic with monitoring every 3-6 months. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Meloxicam is indicated in dogs for: Peri-operative analgesia, Soft tissue surgery analgesia, Pain, osteoarthritis, post-operative analgesia, Chronic osteoarthritis (long-term), Post-dental analgesia, Post-operative analgesia.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the dog 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 dogs — 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.