POM-V Prescription Required Companion Animal

Metacam 5 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Dogs and Cats

Active ingredient: Meloxicam

Form

Injection

Species

Cats Dogs

Manufacturer

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH

VMD MA No.

04491/5025

What it's used for

and soft tissue surgery. Amended pages: March 2025 Cats: Allevation of mild to moderate post-operative pain and inflammation following surgical procedures...

Full indications, dosage and side effects ↓

View official SPC (PDF)

The prescription itself has a price. See what practices near you charge for a consultation and the written prescription fee.

Paying less for Meloxicam

1

Ask your vet for a written prescription

They must provide one on request. Under the CMA Order the fee is capped at £21 from 2027.
2

Fill it at a registered online retailer

The CMA found online pharmacies 50–60% cheaper than practice dispensing on common medicines — typically £200–£300 a year.

Your prescription rights → VMD register of retailers →

Prescription required

Your vet must provide a written prescription on request. You can then purchase from any licensed online retailer.

Clinical information

Metacam 5 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Dogs and Cats — SPC Details

Source: VMD Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Last updated 27 Mar 2026.

and soft tissue surgery.

Amended pages: March 2025
Cats:
Allevation of mild to moderate post-operative pain and inflammation following
surgical procedures in cats, e.g. orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery.

1 mg and 2.5 mg chewable tablets for dogs may be used for continuation of
treatment at a dosage of 0.1 mg meloxicam/kg body weight, 24 hours after
administration of the injection.
Reduction of post-operative pain (over a period of 24 hours):
Single intravenous or subcutaneous injection at a dosage of 0.2 mg meloxicam/kg
body weight (i.e. 0.4 ml/10 kg body weight) before surgery, for example at the time of
induction of anaesthesia.
Cats:
Reduction of post-operative pain and inflammation when administration of
meloxicam is to be continued as an oral follow-up therapy:
Single subcutaneous injection at a dosage of 0.2 mg meloxicam/kg body weight (i.e.
0.04 ml/kg body weight) before surgery, for example at the time of induction of
anaesthesia. To continue treatment for up to five days, this initial dose may be
followed 24 hours later by administration of Metacam 0.5 mg/ml oral suspension for
cats at a dosage of 0.05 mg meloxicam/kg body weight. The oral follow-up dose may
be administered for up to a total of four doses at 24 hour intervals.
Reduction of post-operative pain and inflammation where no oral follow-up treatment
is possible e.g. feral cats:
Single subcutaneous injection at a dosage of 0.3 mg meloxicam/kg body weight (i.e.
0.06 ml/kg body weight) before surgery, for example at the time of induction of
anaesthesia.
In this case do not use oral follow up treatment.
Particular care should be taken with regard to the accuracy of dosing. To ensure a
correct dosage, body weight should be determined as accurately as possible. The
use of suitably calibrated measuring equipment is recommended.
Avoid introduction of contamination during use.

Do not use in animals suffering from gastrointestinal disorders such as irritation or
haemorrhage, impaired hepatic, cardiac or renal function and haemorrhagic
disorders.
Do not use in cases of hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the
excipients.
Do not use in animals less than 6 weeks of age nor in cats of less than 2 kg.

Dogs and cats:

Amended pages: March 2025
Very rare
(<1 animal / 10,000 animals treated,
including isolated reports):
Appetite loss
, lethargy
Vomiting
, diarrhoea
,
blood in faeces
1,2
, haemorrhagic
diarrhoea
, haematemesis
, gastric
ulcer
, small intestine ulcer
Elevated liver enzymes
Renal failure1
Anaphylactoid reaction
1
These adverse events occur generally within the first treatment week and are in
most cases transient and disappear following termination of the treatment but in
very rare cases may be serious or fatal.
Occult
Should be treated symptomatically.
If adverse reactions occur, treatment should be discontinued and the advice of a
veterinarian should be sought.
Reporting adverse events is important. It allows continuous safety monitoring of a
veterinary medicinal product. Reports should be sent, preferably via a veterinarian,
to either the marketing authorisation holder or its local representative or the national
competent authority via the national reporting system. See the package leaflet for
respective contact details.

None.

Special precautions for safe use in the target species
Avoid use in any dehydrated, hypovolaemic or hypotensive animal, as there is a
potential risk of renal toxicity. During anaesthesia, monitoring and fluid therapy
should be considered as standard practice.
For post-operative pain and inflammation following surgical procedures in cats:
In case additional pain relief is required, multimodal pain therapy should be
considered.
Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal
product to animals:
Accidental self-injection may give rise to pain. People with known hypersensitivity to
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should avoid contact with the
veterinary medicinal product.
In case of accidental self-injection, seek medical advice immediately and show the
package leaflet or the label to the physician.
This veterinary medicinal product can cause eye irritation. In case of contact with the
eyes, immediately rinse thoroughly with water.
Special precautions for the protection of the environment:
Not applicable.

Other NSAIDs, diuretics, anticoagulants, aminoglycoside antibiotics and substances
with high protein binding may compete for binding and thus lead to toxic effects. The
veterinary medicinal product must not be administered in conjunction with other
NSAIDs or glucocorticosteroids. Concurrent administration of potential nephrotoxic
drugs should be avoided. In animals at anaesthetic risk (e.g. aged animals)
intravenous or subcutaneous fluid therapy during anaesthesia should be taken into
consideration. When anaesthesia and NSAID are concomitantly administered, a risk
for renal function cannot be excluded.
Pre-treatment with anti-inflammatory substances may result in additional or
increased adverse effects and accordingly a treatment-free period with such
veterinary medicinal products should be observed for at least 24 hours before
commencement of treatment. The treatment-free period, however, should take into
account the pharmacological properties of the products used previously.

Amended pages: March 2025

This veterinary medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.

Not applicable.

Amended pages: March 2025

This information is sourced from the official Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). It is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before administering any medication.