Pocket Pet · Rattus norvegicus var. domestica · typical adult weight 0.25–0.70 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 1–2 mg/kg PO q24h in pet rats, per Allweiler SI. How to improve anesthesia and analgesia in small mammals. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2016;19:361-377. doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2016.01.012 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.792 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Rodents). 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 pet rats for NSAID / pain (post-op, mammary tumour), NSAID / pain. Routes documented in pet rats: PO, SC. A typical adult pet rat weighs 0.25–0.70 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Meloxicam in pet rats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 1–2 mg/kg | q24h | NSAID / pain (post-op, mammary tumour) |
| Allweiler SI. How to improve anesthesia and analgesia in small mammals. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2016;19:361-377. doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2016.01.012 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.792 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Rodents). 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 | 1–2 mg/kg | q24h | NSAID / pain | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part B - Exotic Pets, Meloxicam monograph, p.195: 'Rats: 1-2 mg/kg s.c., p.o. q24h'. Corroborated by Quesenberry FRR 4th ed., Appendix Table A.4, p.627, Rats/Mice column: '1-2 mg/kg PO, SC q24h (R)' — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: 'p.195' is the PRINTED page number, confirmed by finding the drug named on it in the held copy. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | SC | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.209 | 1-2 mg/kg s.c., p.o. q24h |
| 1 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.4 | 1 mg/kg PO, SC,125 1-2 mg/kg PO q12-24h,122 Ra |
| 1–2 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.4 | 1 mg/kg PO, SC,125 1-2 mg/kg PO q12-24h,122 Ra |
| 4 | SC |
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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 pet rats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose ranges in pet rats, with cited source references: PO 1–2 mg/kg q24h; SC 1–2 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in pet rats: PO, SC.
Meloxicam is indicated in pet rats for: NSAID / pain (post-op, mammary tumour), NSAID / pain.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the pet rat 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 pet rats — 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.
| 4 mg/kg SC q96h |
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.