Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 0.2 mg/kg PO q24h in ferrets, per Jepson L. Ferrets. In: Jepson L, eds. Exotic Animal Medicine: A Quick Reference Guide. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.944 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Meloxicam is used in ferrets for NSAID / pain, inflammation. Routes documented in ferrets: PO, SC. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Meloxicam in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.2 mg/kg | q24h | NSAID / pain, inflammation | Strong | Jepson L. Ferrets. In: Jepson L, eds. Exotic Animal Medicine: A Quick Reference Guide. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.944 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| SC | 0.2 mg/kg | q24h | NSAID / pain, inflammation | Strong | a. Chinnadurai SK, Messenger KM, Papich MG, et al. Meloxicam pharmacokinetics using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling in ferrets after single subcutaneous administration. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2014;37:382-387. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.944 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855 |
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 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.209 | 0.2 mg/kg p.o., s.c., i.m. q24h |
| 0.1–0.3 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.6 | 0.1-0.3 mg/kg PO, SC, IM q24h,55,57 |
| 0.2 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.6 | 0.2 mg/kg SC19a |
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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These ranges are per kg. Enter your ferret'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 ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose ranges in ferrets, with cited source references: PO 0.2 mg/kg q24h; SC 0.2 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in ferrets: PO, SC.
Meloxicam is indicated in ferrets for: NSAID / pain, inflammation.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the ferret 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 ferrets — 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.