Equine · Equus caballus · typical adult weight 350.00–700.00 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 0.6 mg/kg PO q24h in horses, per METACAM - Meloxicam 15 Mg/ML Oral Suspension [Australia Product Label for Horses]. Boehringer Ingelheim; 2014. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.855 (2026-08-01).. Meloxicam is used in horses for Musculoskeletal pain, inflammation. Routes documented in horses: PO. A typical adult horse weighs 350.00–700.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Meloxicam in horses, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.6 mg/kg | q24h | 14 days max | Musculoskeletal pain, inflammation | Strong | METACAM - Meloxicam 15 Mg/ML Oral Suspension [Australia Product Label for Horses]. Boehringer Ingelheim; 2014. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.855 (2026-08-01). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your horse'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 horses may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose range in horses, with cited source references: PO 0.6 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in horses: PO.
Cited course lengths for Meloxicam in horses include: 14 days max. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Meloxicam is indicated in horses for: Musculoskeletal pain, inflammation.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the horse 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 horses — 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.