Pocket Pet · Mus musculus · typical adult weight 0.02–0.04 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 10 mg/kg SC every 12 h in mice, per High-dose Meloxicam Provides Improved Analgesia in Female CD1 Mice: A Pharmacokinetic and Efficacy Study. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci (JAALAS). PMID 36755203; DOI 10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-22-000064. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9936853/ URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9936853/. Meloxicam is used in mice for Post-operative analgesia (ovariectomy via ventral laparotomy); authors' concluded efficacious high dose, Peri- and post-operative analgesia (Mouse Grimace Scale), peri- and post-operative analgesia, Study recommendation to maintain plasma concentration at or above the COX-2 whole blood IC50. Routes documented in mice: SC, unspecified. A typical adult mouse weighs 0.02–0.04 kg. ExoticRx lists 4 cited dose rules for Meloxicam in mice, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 10 mg/kg | every 12 h | — | Post-operative analgesia (ovariectomy via ventral laparotomy); authors' concluded efficacious high dose | Weak | High-dose Meloxicam Provides Improved Analgesia in Female CD1 Mice: A Pharmacokinetic and Efficacy Study. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci (JAALAS). PMID 36755203; DOI 10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-22-000064. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9936853/ URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9936853/ |
| SC | 20 mg/kg | daily (for 6 d) | Maximum 6 consecutive days at this dose (the cited study's longest tested duration). | Peri- and post-operative analgesia (Mouse Grimace Scale) | Weak | Sarfaty AE, Zeiss CJ, Willis AD, Harris JM, Smith PC. Concentration-dependent Toxicity after Subcutaneous Administration of Meloxicam to C57BL/6N Mice (Mus musculus). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2019 Nov 1;58(6):802-809. PMID: 31540585. DOI: 10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-19-000037. URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31540585/ |
| unspecified | 20 mg/kg | q24h | Maximum 6 consecutive days at this dose (the cited study's longest tested duration). | peri- and post-operative analgesia | Weak | Sarfaty AE, Zeiss CJ, Willis AD, Harris JM, Smith PC. Concentration-dependent Toxicity after Subcutaneous Administration of Meloxicam to C57BL/6N Mice (Mus musculus). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2019 Nov 1;58(6):802-809. PMID: 31540585. DOI: 10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-19-000037. URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31540585/ |
| unspecified | 1.6 mg/kg | every 12 h | — | Study recommendation to maintain plasma concentration at or above the COX-2 whole blood IC50 | Weak | Subcutaneous meloxicam suspension pharmacokinetics in mice and dose considerations for postoperative analgesia. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. PMID 26896236; DOI 10.1111/jvp.12297; PMC7166601. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7166601/ — SOURCE EDITION: Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics — ISBN 9781118855829, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781118855829 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | SC | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.209 | 2 mg/kg s.c. p.o. q24h |
| 1–5 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.4 | 1-5 mg/kg PO, SC q24h |
| 5 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.4 | 5 mg/kg PO, SC |
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 mouse'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 mice may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose ranges in mice, with cited source references: SC 10 mg/kg every 12 h; SC 20 mg/kg daily (for 6 d); unspecified 20 mg/kg q24h; unspecified 1.6 mg/kg every 12 h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in mice: SC, unspecified.
Cited course lengths for Meloxicam in mice include: Maximum 6 consecutive days at this dose (the cited study's longest tested duration).. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Meloxicam is indicated in mice for: Post-operative analgesia (ovariectomy via ventral laparotomy); authors' concluded efficacious high dose, Peri- and post-operative analgesia (Mouse Grimace Scale), peri- and post-operative analgesia, Study recommendation to maintain plasma concentration at or above the COX-2 whole blood IC50.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the mouse 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 mice — 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.