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. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.854 (2026-08-01).. Meloxicam is used in dogs for Peri-operative analgesia, Soft tissue surgery analgesia, Pain, osteoarthritis, post-operative analgesia, Post-dental analgesia. 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 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.854 (2026-08-01). |
| PO | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | q24h | 3-5 days | Soft tissue surgery analgesia | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook 9th ed, Meloxicam, Dosages/DOGS, printed p.827 (corpus PDF p.854), 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) |
| PO | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | 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 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.854 (2026-08-01). |
| 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 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.854 (2026-08-01). |
| 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 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.854 (2026-08-01). |
| 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 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.854 (2026-08-01). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your dog'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 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 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; 3-5 days post-dental. 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, Post-dental analgesia, Chronic osteoarthritis (long-term), 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.