Meloxaid for Dogs
Formulation
Liquid
Active ingredient
Meloxicam
Category
Pain relief / anti-inflammatory
What is Meloxaid?
Meloxaid is a type of dog pain relief called a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) containing the active ingredient meloxicam. It is a honey-flavoured liquid pain relief and anti-inflammatory for dogs and cats that might be prescribed for joint pain and other painful conditions.
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How does Meloxaid work?
Meloxaid works by inhibiting an enzyme called COX. This enzyme is responsible for creating prostaglandin H₂, a signal that triggers inflammation and pain, while also attracting cells that further worsen the inflammation. By blocking COX, Meloxaid reduces the production of these prostaglandins, helping to ease swelling and discomfort.
One benefit of the meloxicam in Meloxaid is its selective action on COX-2, the form of COX linked to pain and inflammation. This means it has less impact on COX-1, which is essential for the health of the stomach and kidneys. This targeted approach makes Meloxaid a safer option for managing pain and inflammation than some other, older drugs, as it reduces the likelihood of side effects compared to medications that block both COX enzymes equally.
What is the drug Meloxaid used for?
Meloxaid is commonly prescribed in situations where your pet is experiencing pain, especially if inflammation is present. Here are some common examples:
- Arthritis management: Meloxaid helps reduce joint inflammation and eases discomfort, making movement easier for pets with arthritis.
- Post-surgery recovery: It’s often used after surgery to manage pain and reduce swelling in affected areas like the skin, muscles, or organs.
- Injury treatment: From minor cuts and bruises to more severe strains or sprains, Meloxaid offers effective pain relief for a wide range of injuries.
- Dental pain: Pets with dental disease, whether waiting for surgery or recovering from one, can benefit from Meloxaid for pain relief. Our vet-written dental care in dogs course offers more insights into the treatment of dental pain and disease.
Which pets is Meloxaid not suitable for?
Some pets shouldn’t have Meloxaid, or it should be used only after a detailed risk-benefit discussion with a vet. These include:
- Pregnant or lactating dogs or cats
- Dogs or cats who are allergic to meloxicam or the other ingredients
- Dogs or cats less than 6 weeks old
- Dogs or cats with severe heart problems, liver problems, or kidney problems, because of the risk of COX inhibition causing more problems for these pets
- Dogs or cats with tummy and gut issues, especially blood in the vomit or stool
- Dehydrated dogs or cats or those with a low blood pressure
- Dogs or cats with clotting problems such as von Willebrand’s disease
Some dogs have the conditions above but still need pain relief. While there are alternatives to Meloxaid, your vet might still recommend your dog has Meloxaid if these alternatives aren’t suitable or aren’t working. For example, dogs with chronic kidney disease might still be prescribed meloxicam for arthritis so they can live pain-free, even if there’s a risk the Meloxaid makes their kidneys worse. If you’re unsure whether Meloxaid is the right choice for your pet, you can talk to your vet about why they think it’s necessary.
What are the side effects of Meloxaid in dogs and cats?
Like any medication, Meloxaid can have side effects, although they are generally rare when the drug is used correctly. Here’s what we currently know about possible side effects of Meloxaid in dogs and cats:
- Digestive upset: Vomiting, diarrhoea, or a reduced appetite may occur in pets taking Meloxaid. Although this is reported to affect less than 1 in 10,000 pets, I believe it may be more common. Watch out for serious signs like bloody vomit, diarrhoea, or black, tarry stools, which could indicate gut ulceration and require urgent attention.
- Kidney issues: In rare cases, Meloxaid can lead to kidney failure, especially in pets with pre-existing kidney problems. Your vet may run blood tests before and during treatment to monitor kidney function.
- Allergic reactions: Though uncommon, some pets may experience allergic reactions, including itching, skin irritation, or swelling, particularly around the face.
- Behaviour changes: A small number of pets may become lethargic while taking Meloxaid. This typically affects less than 1 in 10,000 pets and usually resolves once the medication is stopped.
It’s important to note that not all side effects are listed here, and many are temporary, disappearing once treatment stops. If you notice any side effects, stop administering Meloxaid and consult your vet immediately.
Your vet is also responsible for reporting suspected side effects (called Suspected Adverse Reactions) to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). Pet owners can also report suspected Meloxaid side effects to the VMD directly. For more guidance, check out our article on how to report suspected pet drug side effects.
How to give Meloxaid safely
Like all pet medicines, it’s important to use Meloxaid safely to reduce the risk of side effects. Here’s my top tips for safe use of Meloxaid:
- Follow vet instructions: Always use Meloxaid exactly as your vet has prescribed. This includes the right dose and frequency of doses. Never adjust the dose on your own, even if your dog or cat seems to be feeling better or worse. If you aren’t sure of the dose prescribed, please call your vet to confirm, as this will be individual to each pet.
- Syringe use: The syringe provided with Meloxaid is a special syringe. For ease of dosing, the numbers on the side correspond to your pet’s weight. This means that the ‘5’ on the syringe is for 5kg, not 5mls, and giving 5mls instead of a ‘5kg dose’ would be an unsafe overdose. If you lose the syringe that comes with the Meloxaid, call your vet and arrange to get a spare. Do not use a syringe from a different brand or product as this could lead to the wrong dose being given.
- Shake the bottle: Meloxaid is a liquid suspension (a powder suspended in a thick liquid), meaning the meloxicam can settle at the bottom of the bottle over time. To ensure an even distribution of the medication, always shake the bottle well before attaching the syringe and drawing up the correct dose. This helps make sure your pet gets the right amount of meloxicam with each dose.
- Give with or after food: It’s safest to give Meloxaid on a full stomach as this reduces the side effects of meloxicam. You can either put it on your pet’s food or syringe it directly into their mouth after they’ve eaten. It’s best to put Meloxaid on a small portion of food so if they don’t eat it all you can be sure they’ve had the full dose of meloxicam.
- Check with your vet if giving anything else: Your vet should know about any other medications your pet is taking, but it’s always a good idea to double-check in case something has been missed. This includes supplements or over-the-counter treatments, even herbal ones. When your vet prescribes Meloxaid, make sure they are aware of these, as they may interact, either reducing effectiveness or increasing the chance of side effects.
- Report any accidental overdose to your vet immediately: If you have mistakenly given too much Meloxaid, speak to a vet as soon as you realise the error. They may recommend blood tests, intravenous fluids, or monitoring, depending how much the overdose is.
How much monitoring do pets need on Meloxaid?
Moderate
Pets on Meloxaid need occasional blood tests
If Meloxaid is prescribed for short-term use (less than two weeks), your vet may not suggest any monitoring, especially if your pet is young and healthy. However, for long-term use, even in younger pets, regular blood and/or urine tests are generally recommended. The frequency of these tests typically ranges from every 3 to 12 months, depending on your pet’s overall health.
What does Meloxaid cost?
£ – Relatively inexpensive
Meloxaid costs £8-20 per month
The cost of Meloxaid varies based on your pet’s size, but it can be as low as £8 per month. When comparing prices, don’t forget to factor in any additional costs like prescription, dispensing, and postage if you’re buying Meloxaid online.
You don’t have to buy Meloxaid from your vet, but if you choose to buy it elsewhere your vet will need to give you a written prescription. Vets are allowed to charge a reasonable fee to cover their professional time checking doses and writing a written prescription for use elsewhere.
Meloxaid FAQs
Is Meloxaid the same as Metacam?
Meloxaid and Metacam both contain the active ingredient meloxicam. They are also both honey-flavoured, so are very similar drugs.
Is it better to give meloxicam morning or night?
You can give meloxicam either in the morning or at night—what matters most is that it’s given with a meal or on a full stomach. It’s also crucial to administer it at the same time each day to maintain consistency.
If both morning and evening are equally convenient for you, morning might be a slightly better option. This way, your pet benefits from the medication during the day when they’re more active, and it starts to wear off while they’re resting at night when they need it less.
How long does Meloxaid last?
Meloxaid is absorbed into your pet’s bloodstream and gets to work within a couple of hours. The drug has a half-life of 24 hours, which means that the body will have got rid of half of the drug after 24 hours. This way, a single dose of Meloxaid should last for 24 hours and then needs to be topped up.
Is meloxicam a strong painkiller?
Meloxicam is an effective anti-inflammatory often used as a first-line painkiller for pets. This doesn’t mean it’s weak though – it’s generally considered a stronger painkiller than ibuprofen in humans (please note, this is for comparative purposes only – Ibuprofen is toxic to dogs!).
Meloxaid is suitable for managing mild pain but wouldn’t be sufficient on its own for more severe conditions, like fractures. In such cases, meloxicam is typically combined with other pain medications. For more details on alternative options, see Meloxaid Alternatives below.
How much Meloxaid for dogs?
Your dog’s dose of Meloxaid is individual to them, so you’ll need to phone your vet and ask if you aren’t sure of the dose. That said, the syringe that comes with Meloxaid has a scale in kilograms on the side of it – for most dogs, their weight on this syringe corresponds with their correct dose. For this reason, it’s essential that you have a correct and up-to-date weight for your dog before giving them Meloxaid – your vet may have this recorded, but if your pet hasn’t been seen recently they’ll need to be weighed.
Please double-check your vet’s recommended dose before giving your dog Meloxaid, as vets may recommend changing the dose if your dog is overweight, underweight, or has concurrent health conditions.
Meloxaid Alternatives
If Meloxaid isn’t suiting your pet or there are problems with supply, there are lots of alternatives. The alternative brand names of meloxicam that may work for your pet include:
- Liquids: Inflacam, Rheumocam, Metacam, Chanoxidyl, Animeloxan, Melosus, Meloxidyl, Arthrocam, Meloxoral, Meloxyl, Metaxx, Movocam
- Tablets: Inflacam (pork flavoured), Rheumocam (pork flavoured), Lemicam (unspecified flavour),
Different NSAIDs
If meloxicam (like Meloxaid) isn’t suiting your pet, your vet might prescribe another NSAID with a different active ingredient. In cats, the only other licensed NSAID is Onsior. Dogs have several options:
- Carprofen (Rimadyl, Dolagis)
- Firocoxib (Previcox)
- Cimicoxib (Cimalgex)
- Grapiprant (Galliprant)
- Robenacoxib (Onsior)
Other pain-relief drugs
If Meloxaid isn’t fully controlling your pet’s pain, your vet might recommend starting another medication alongside it, or instead of it. Generally, using several drugs together is more effective, as they target different parts of the pain-feeling mechanism. Options include:
- Tramadol (Tralieve, Tramadog, Tramalgesic, Tramtab, Tramcoat, Tramsan, Tramvetol)
- Gabapentin
- Amantadine
- Buprenorphine
- Ketamine injections
They might also recommend complementary therapies alongside, like laser therapy, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, or anti-inflammatory supplements.
Don’t forget, all pet pain relief is prescription-only, so you should talk to your vet if you think your pet is in pain. They will be able to help. It is illegal in the UK to buy human drugs with the intention of giving them to your pet, unless you have a veterinary prescription to do so.
Meloxaid Datasheet
All drugs have a manufacturer’s datasheet, which gives information about the drug’s use and possible side effects. There should be one in your Meloxaid box, but if you have lost it you can click on the button below to be taken on an online version.
More help for your painful pet
Meloxaid is good pain relief for your pet, but there may be more you can do to help them. Our courses have been written by vets to help pet parents learn about their pet’s condition and how to help them holistically, whether that’s through medicines, products, environmental changes, or supplements. The following courses may be helpful if you’re concerned your pet is in pain:
Please note that the information contained herein is provided for informational purposes only. Although it has been written by a vet, we cannot consider the individual nature of your pet’s problems so it does not constitute veterinary advice. If you have questions about your pet’s medication or their health you should contact a vet, who will be able to help.
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