Wondering how good is Meloxicam for dogs?
Unable to determine if they are exactly what your dogs need.
Well, don’t worry at all.
Stay calm and take a good read of this guide and I will be guiding you on exactly:
- What exactly is Meloxicam?
- Is Meloxicam good?
- Under what Situations Meloxicam is good for dogs and under what situations Meloxicam should be avoided?
And much more so you know exactly what is good for your lovely pup.
WARNING: Never administer any drug without your veterinarian’s input. Serious side effects or death can occur if you use drugs on your pet without your veterinarian’s advice.
Before anything, let’s answer some of your questions regarding Meloxicam for dogs:
What is Meloxicam?
Meloxicam is used to cure dogs’ inflammation, give relief to your dogs from the pain they are suffering and help them recover from fever.
If your dog has undergone any surgery, then Meloxicam can help there too. Additionally, Meloxicam is an (NSAID) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug which is a big plus.
Quick Meloxicam Facts & Drug Info:
- Drug Name: Meloxicam;
- Common Name: Metacam, and Mobic for humans;
- Drug Type: NSAID;
- Used For: Pain and Inflammation;
- Species: Dogs/Cats;
- How Dispensed: Prescription Only (Highly Advised);
- Available Forms: 1.5mg/mL (10mL, 32mL, 100mL & 180mL); 0.5mg/mL (15mL);
- FDA Approved: Yes.
What are the tablets with Meloxicam Formula?
You would rarely find Meloxicam as the tablet name depending upon the region you reside in. It has got different names and I’ll list here a few:
- Metacam (most popular);
- Mobicbrand;
- Loxicom;
- OroCAM;
- Rheumocam;
- EloxiOral;
- Melonex;
- Meloxidyl;
- Ostilox.
These are all Meloxicam tablets with different branding, you can also verify by asking your Dog’s vet for your local version.
How to Feed a Dog Meloxicam? How do I give my pet meloxicam?
Meloxicam comes in different forms, so you can buy whatever suits your pet the most.
- Oral liquid;
- Oral spray;
- Injection;
- Chewable tablets for dogs;
- Pill form for large dogs (Only upon the prescription of a veterinarian).
What is the Right Dosage Of Meloxicam for Dogs?
Meloxicam for dogs must be given upon your dog’s vet’s advice.
While you need to remain strict with the dosage they have recommended, an overdose of anything is bad, and meloxicam overdose can have adverse effects like vomiting, dizziness, seizures, cardiac arrest, or other serious side effects.
Normally, the recommended dosage for dogs is .09 to 0.1 mg per pound on the first day of treatment.
If the dog doesn’t show any side effects and in fact gets better, then for the next few days, it can go up followed by .045 to 0.05 mg per pound once a day.
Your vet will best guide you on whether the medicine should be given with or without food, and the best time of the day. Additionally, some versions of meloxicam like Metacam come in liquid form, and again it comes for the vet to let you know properly what exactly you need to give to your pup.
What If My Dog Misses a Meloxicam Dose?
Firstly, you should be very careful in giving the proper dosage to your dog for its well-being and quick recovery. You can get an app to remind you of their dosage time or you can just add a reminder or an alarm.
Secondly, if you have missed the dose, try to give it at your earliest convenience. You should avoid giving the medicine when the next dose is due in a few hours as it would make 2 doses.
Storage of Meloxicam
Meloxicam should be kept out of the reach of your dogs, and you should store it in a dry place with room temperature between 59° and 86°F.
Meloxicam Dosage Precautions
While your veterinarian would best guide you about suitability for your dogs, you need to know that some dogs can be sensitive to medicines. Here are some of the cases that you should take to avoid:
- Meloxicam should not be given to dogs that are hypersensitive to NSAIDs.
- Not given to dogs less than 6 weeks of age.
- Pregnant, lactating, or breeding dogs shall be avoided the Meloxicam dose as it has not been sufficiently tested.
- Dogs with bleeding disorders.
Dogs that are dehydrated, on concomitant diuretic therapy, or those with existing renal, cardiovascular, and/or hepatic dysfunction are at a greater risk of experiencing adverse events.
Why Your Dog Should Not Eat Meloxicam?
Being an NSAID, Meloxicam is not a very safe option in some cases.
Meloxicam is available for humans too and most humans are tolerant to the effects; whereas, dogs are highly sensitive to Meloxicam. Although, recent developments have made it possible as stated by Veterinary Partner in the text below:
A new plane of safety for pets was made possible by new biochemical knowledge. Inflammatory biochemicals responsible for the pain and inflammation we want to allieviate are produced by an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase 2 or simply COX-2. The goal is to inhibit this enzyme without inhibiting its counterpart cyclo-oxygenase 1. Cyclo-oxygenase 1, abbreviated COX-1, is what is called a constituitive enzyme. This means it is involved in producing regulatory biochemicals called prostaglandins that are important in maintaining the normal health and function of our bodies.
We want to leave this enzyme alone. Cyclo-oxygenase 2, abbreviated COX-2, produces inflammation but also is important in regulating kidney blood flow and in some reproductive and central nervous system function. We want to inhibit COX-2 in such a way that we do not disrupt its healthful functions.
In the past, NSAIDs could not distinguish the COX enzymes and inhibited them both. With the development of COX preferential and COX selective NSAIDs, we can inhibit COX-2 and leave COX-1 alone. The introduction of COX-2 preferential NSAIDs has reduced stomach and intestinal side effects by 50% in humans and has made FDA approval of certain NSAIDs possible for pets. Meloxicam was already available for human use but human doses were way too high to be safe for most small animals. With understanding of the COX system, oral liquids that can be precisely dosed for pets are now available.
It’s clear that the current dosage is now safe to eat but it’s highly recommended to give Meloxicam to your dogs after your Vet’s advice as they can cause issues like:
- Gastrointestinal upset;
- Lack of appetite;
- Stomach ulceration;
- Platelet deactivation;
- Decreased blood supply to the kidney;
- Change in bowel movements;
- Jaundice;
- Unexpected weight loss.
You don’t need to worry much if your vet has recommended as the current dosage is approved by FDA but if you notice unusual changes/activities like loss of appetite or changes in urination or yellowing of the skin, then you need to immediately stop the medication and contact your veterinarian right away.
Med Benefits: Why Your Dog Should Eat Meloxicam?
Meloxicam is helpful for dogs with various issues like:
- Treatment of osteoarthritis;
- Relieve pain;
- Inflammation;
- Fever;
- Post-surgery;
- Muscle/Bone disorders.
How does Meloxicam work?
Meloxicam, being an NSAID doesn’t rely on steroids and reduces hormones in the body that cause pain and inflammation.
Meloxicam’s interaction with other Drugs
- As Meloxicam is an NSAID drug, such drugs should not be used concurrently.
- Whenever you change one NSAID to another, you should ideally give a one-week break.
- Switching to NSAID from Aspirin would require a 2-week break as Aspirin inactivates platelet abilities.
