Meloxicam in Veterinary Medicine
Meloxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in both human and veterinary medicine, but the products and approvals are not interchangeable. In U.S. veterinary labeling, meloxicam has species-specific approved products and important restrictions, especially for cats.
FDA states that all currently marketed FDA-approved NSAIDs for dogs and cats are available by veterinary prescription only.
FDA-approved veterinary meloxicam products
FDA identifies meloxicam among approved NSAIDs for dogs and cats. The approved routes and products depend on the species.
For dogs, currently marketed FDA-approved meloxicam products include oral and injectable veterinary formulations. Metacam Oral Suspension is an established reference product for control of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in dogs, and FDA has approved generic animal drugs referencing it. FDA documentation for generic meloxicam oral suspension confirms the dog indication and the existence of 1.5 mg/mL products, while Metacam also has a 0.5 mg/mL oral suspension presentation.
For cats, the U.S. approval is much narrower. FDA states that meloxicam is approved for cats as a one-time injection given before surgery for control of postoperative pain and inflammation in specified surgical settings. Oral meloxicam products are not FDA-approved for cats in the United States.
That distinction is critical when researching "meloxicam for pets." A dog oral-suspension label cannot be generalized to cats.
Cat-specific boxed warning
FDA requires a boxed warning on veterinary meloxicam labels concerning repeated use in cats. The agency states that repeated use of meloxicam in cats has been associated with acute renal failure and death. FDA-approved injectable meloxicam for cats is a single, one-time dose in the labeled setting; additional injectable or oral meloxicam is not part of that approval.
This page does not provide cat dosing instructions. The practical research point is that "meloxicam for cats" is not a broad approval for routine oral use.
Human meloxicam versus veterinary meloxicam
Human meloxicam products and veterinary meloxicam products share an active ingredient name, but that does not make them the same product.
Veterinary products have animal-specific labeling, concentration, route, dosing system, package instructions, and approved species. A human tablet should not be treated as a simple substitute for a veterinary oral suspension or injectable product.
When a veterinarian prescribes an extra-label use of an approved drug, that is a professional veterinary decision under the applicable legal framework. Extra-label use should not be confused with FDA approval of a human product for an animal species.
Brand and generic examples
Metacam is a well-established brand name in the veterinary meloxicam category. FDA also lists generic veterinary products, including Meloxidyl, Loxicom, Meloxicam Injection, Meloxicam Solution for Injection, and generic Meloxicam Oral Suspension products in its current safety and approval materials.
Brand versus generic comparison should be made at the product level. Important details include:
- species on the approved label;
- oral versus injectable dosage form;
- concentration;
- reference application or generic approval;
- dispensing status;
- product-specific measuring device or administration instructions;
- warnings and contraindications.
The same concentration should not be assumed across all products.
Prescription status
FDA's current consumer guidance is explicit: no over-the-counter NSAIDs for dogs and cats are FDA-approved. Approved NSAIDs in these species, including meloxicam products, are prescription drugs.
If a website or marketplace offers a dog or cat NSAID without a veterinary prescription, that should not be taken as evidence that the product is an FDA-approved OTC animal drug.
What owners should verify
Before obtaining veterinary meloxicam, useful verification points include the exact product name, species, concentration, dosage form, prescription directions, and whether the veterinarian intended an FDA-approved labeled use or an extra-label use.
For cats in particular, owners should confirm that the prescribed product and instructions are consistent with the veterinarian's plan and should not extend or repeat treatment based on another animal's directions or a dog product label.
For another veterinary NSAID used in dogs, see Carprofen Veterinary Products.
Contact the pharmacy to confirm current availability and prescription requirements for a specific product, and ask the veterinarian about product- or species-specific questions. Return to Veterinary Medication Research for the veterinary hub.
Oral suspension and injection are not the same product
A veterinary meloxicam prescription should identify more than the active ingredient. Oral suspensions and injectable solutions have different routes, concentrations, packaging, and species-specific labeling. Even within oral products, concentration can differ.
For product research, a useful checklist is to compare the trade or generic name, concentration in mg/mL, route, species, application or reference product, and dispensing status. A match on the word “meloxicam” alone is not enough to establish that two products are equivalent for the intended veterinary use.
FDA approval versus extra-label veterinary use
Veterinarians may lawfully use approved drugs extra-label under qualifying circumstances, but that does not change the FDA-approved label. For example, FDA acknowledges that some veterinarians prescribe meloxicam in cats outside the approved single-injection use. That professional decision should not be rewritten as a broad approval for oral meloxicam in cats.
Keeping these categories separate prevents two common errors: assuming that a human meloxicam product is an approved veterinary substitute, and assuming that a veterinarian's extra-label use means the product has FDA approval for that species, route, or duration.