Reptile · Trachemys scripta elegans · typical adult weight 0.20–2.20 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 0.2–0.4 mg/kg IM q24h in red-eared sliders, per Innis CJ, Feinsod R, Hanlon J, et al. Coelioscopic orchiectomy can be effectively and safely accomplished in chelonians. Vet Rec. 2013;172:526-531. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.255 doi:10.1136/vr.101475 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). 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 red-eared sliders for Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory / analgesia. Routes documented in red-eared sliders: IM, IM, IV, PO, SC. A typical adult red-eared slider weighs 0.20–2.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Meloxicam in red-eared sliders, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | q24h | Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory |
| Moderate |
| Innis CJ, Feinsod R, Hanlon J, et al. Coelioscopic orchiectomy can be effectively and safely accomplished in chelonians. Vet Rec. 2013;172:526-531. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.255 doi:10.1136/vr.101475 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). 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 |
| IM, IV | 0.2 mg/kg | not stated in source | Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory / analgesia | Weak | Uney K, Altan F, Aboubakr M, et al. Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta scripta) after single intravenous and intramuscular injections. Am J Vet Res. 2016;77:439-444. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) after single intravenous and intramuscular injections. (American journal of veterinary research, 2016). doi:10.2460/ajvr.77.5.439. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.77.5.439. The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "njections in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans). ANIMALS 8 healthy red-eared […]". This is a second source alongside the book already cited; it corroborates the figure and does not by itself establish that the dose is correct. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 — INTERVAL IS PRINTED: "0.2-0.4 mg/kg IM q24h — Red-eared slider turtles, Eastern painted turtles, yellow-spotted Amazon […]". |
| PO, SC | 0.1–0.5 mg/kg | q24-48h | Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory | Weak | Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530 |
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 (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 0.5% gel topically q24h; do not exceed 0.4 mg/kg52 Antiinflammatory for localized wounds |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1–0.5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.209 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg p.o., s.c., i.m. have been suggested although analgesic effect unproven in reptiles |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your red-eared slider'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 red-eared sliders may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose ranges in red-eared sliders, with cited source references: IM 0.2–0.4 mg/kg q24h; IM, IV 0.2 mg/kg not stated in source; PO, SC 0.1–0.5 mg/kg q24-48h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in red-eared sliders: IM, IM, IV, PO, SC.
Meloxicam is indicated in red-eared sliders for: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory / analgesia.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the red-eared slider 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 red-eared sliders — 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.
| 0.2 |
| IM |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.209 |
| 0.2 mg/kg i.m., i.v., intracoelomic e,f. |
| 0.2 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.2 mg/kg IM, IV;472 SC q24h,378 |
| 0.5 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.5 mg/kg PO, IM q24h or 0.22 mg/kg IV q24h |
| 0.22 | IV | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.5 mg/kg PO, IM q24h or 0.22 mg/kg IV q24h |
| 1 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 1 mg/kg SC |
| 0.1–0.5 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg PO, SC q24-48h |
| 0.1 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.1 mg/kg IM, IV q24h 0.1-0.2 mg/kg PO, Che IM q24h x 4-10 days |
| 0.1–0.2 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.1 mg/kg IM, IV q24h 0.1-0.2 mg/kg PO, Che IM q24h x 4-10 days |
| 0.1 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.1 mg/kg IM, IV175 Loggerhead sea turtles/PK; plasma concentrations not consistent with analgesia |
| 0.1–0.2 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.1-0.2 mg/kg PO, IM q24h × 4-10 days81 Chelonians; no evidence of efficacy |
| 0.2 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.2 mg/kg IM, IV;332 SC268,269 Red-eared slider turtles/PK; plasma concentrations consistent with therapeutic efficacy for 48 hr by IM and IV administration routes;332 Mojave deser |
| 0.5 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.5 mg/kg PO, IM, or 0.22 mg/kg IV278 Red-eared sliders/PK; found better absorption IM vs PO;278 after IV administration, plasma levels decreased rapidly and the elimination half-l |
| 0.22 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.5 mg/kg PO, IM, or 0.22 mg/kg IV278 Red-eared sliders/PK; found better absorption IM vs PO;278 after IV administration, plasma levels decreased rapidly and the elimination half-l |
| 0.4–1 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 0.4-1 mg/kg PO, SC, ICe q24h51 Antiinflammatory; presumptive analgesia; adjunct therapy for septicemia |
| 0.4 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 0.5% gel topically q24h; do not exceed 0.4 mg/kg52 Antiinflammatory for localized wounds |
| 0.1–0.5 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg PO, SC q24-48h149-151 Most species |
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.