Meloxicam for Dogs with Arthritis: What the Evidence Says, and Metacam vs the Equivalents (How to Pay Less)

The stairs take a little longer now. He waits at the bottom before the car boot. On cold mornings he gets up in stages: front legs first, then a pause, then the rest.

That isn't "just old age". It is very often arthritis, and it is painful. The good news is that it is also one of the most treatable conditions in an older dog, and the medicine most UK vets reach for first, meloxicam, is one of the best-studied drugs in veterinary medicine.

The less good news is the price. Meloxicam is usually given every day, for years. Paying brand prices at the practice counter for something your dog will take for the rest of its life adds up quickly. This guide covers both sides: what the evidence actually shows, and how to pay less for exactly the same active ingredient.

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How Common Is Arthritis in UK Dogs?

More common than most owners think. A study of 455,557 dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK, run by the Royal Veterinary College's VetCompass programme and published in Scientific Reports in 2018, found that 2.5% of dogs were recorded with osteoarthritis in a single year. That is roughly 200,000 UK dogs every year.

• Average age at diagnosis: 10.5 years.
• Weight matters: dogs above the average bodyweight for their breed had 2.3 times the odds of osteoarthritis.
• Breeds at higher risk included Rottweilers, Dogues de Bordeaux, Old English Sheepdogs, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds and Border Collies.
• Pain relief was recommended in 75% of cases, which is why medicines like meloxicam matter so much.

What Is Meloxicam, and How Does It Work?

Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It reduces the production of prostaglandins, the chemical messengers that drive inflammation and pain inside an arthritic joint. Less inflammation means less pain, and less pain means a dog that moves more, which in turn helps keep the muscles around the joint strong.

In the UK it is a POM-V medicine: it can only be supplied with a veterinary prescription. For dogs it is most often given as an oral liquid, dosed by bodyweight once a day with food, using the measuring syringe in the box.

What the Research Says: Does Meloxicam Really Work?

This is where meloxicam stands apart from many products sold for joint pain: it has been tested in controlled clinical trials, not just in marketing claims. Here are the studies worth knowing, in date order.

2000: The first clinical trial in arthritic dogs

A Canadian trial published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal (Doig et al., 2000) followed 40 dogs with chronic osteoarthritis. In the first week, meloxicam was compared with a placebo; dogs then continued on meloxicam for four weeks. Vets scored lameness, stiffness, difficulty rising, exercise intolerance and behaviour. After four weeks, clinical signs had fallen significantly, and side effects were described as "minimal in extent and duration".

2003: Meloxicam vs carprofen vs a joint supplement vs placebo

In a double-blind study of 71 client-owned dogs published in the Veterinary Record (Moreau et al., 2003), dogs were randomly given meloxicam, carprofen, a nutraceutical joint supplement or a placebo for 60 days. The researchers measured how much weight each dog put on its legs using a force plate, an objective test that doesn't rely on anyone's opinion.

• Meloxicam: weight-bearing improved significantly and returned to the values of healthy dogs. Both owners and orthopaedic surgeons judged the dogs to be better.
• Carprofen: improved significantly, but did not return to normal values.
• Joint supplement: no significant improvement on the force plate.
• Safety: blood and faecal tests showed no changes in the treatment groups, with one case of liver problems in a dog given carprofen.

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2010: Is long-term use better than short courses?

A review in the Veterinary Record (Innes, Clayton and Lascelles, 2010) looked at NSAID use for 28 days or longer. Of seven papers comparing long-term with short-term treatment, six found more benefit from long-term use. Across 14 papers assessing safety, the length of treatment was not linked to a higher rate of side effects, although the authors stressed that large, long-term safety data are still limited.

2013: What about side effects?

A systematic review in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Monteiro-Steagall, Steagall and Lascelles, 2013) pulled together 64 studies covering 14 NSAIDs. The evidence for meloxicam was rated high quality. In the best-designed trials (randomised and placebo-controlled), no difference in adverse effects was found between NSAID and placebo groups. Where problems did occur, they were mostly gastrointestinal (vomiting, diarrhoea); liver and kidney problems were rare.

2020: Is meloxicam better than carprofen?

An independent evidence summary in Veterinary Evidence (2020) concluded that both meloxicam and carprofen are effective for canine osteoarthritis, but there isn't enough high-quality evidence to say that one is superior. In practice, the right one is the one that suits your dog, and your vet is best placed to judge that.

Metacam vs Loxicom, Inflacam, Meloxidyl and Rheumocam: What's the Difference?

Metacam was the original meloxicam product for dogs. Since then, several equivalents have been authorised in the UK by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). They contain the same active ingredient, are licensed for the same use, and go through the same regulator.

• Metacam (the reference brand)
• Loxicom
• Inflacam
• Meloxidyl
• Rheumocam

So why do prices differ? Mainly brand positioning, bottle size and where you buy, not what's inside. Prices for the same active ingredient can vary a lot from one seller to another, for reasons we explain in why pet medicine prices vary so much in the UK.

5 Legitimate Ways to Pay Less for Long-Term Meloxicam

1. Ask for a written prescription. Your vet must provide one if you ask. Following the CMA's final decision in March 2026, the fee for a written prescription is capped at £21 for the first medicine. For a medicine your dog takes every day, that one-off fee is often recovered within the first bottle or two. We explain the full rules in your legal right to a written prescription.

2. Ask whether an equivalent is suitable. If your dog is doing well on Metacam, ask your vet whether they are happy for you to use one of the authorised equivalents, and whether they'll write the prescription in a way that allows it. Don't switch on your own: the decision belongs to your vet.

3. Compare price per ml, and buy the size that fits. A dog on daily treatment gets through a bottle steadily. Larger bottles are usually better value per ml, as long as you'll use them before the expiry date once opened.

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4. Talk to your vet about weight. Meloxicam is dosed by bodyweight, and the 2018 VetCompass study found overweight dogs had 2.3 times the odds of osteoarthritis. A slimmer dog needs a smaller dose, and its joints carry less load. It is one of the few changes that helps both the dog and the bill.

5. Ask whether the lowest effective dose is right for your dog. Some vets gradually reduce the daily dose once pain is controlled. A small 2007 pilot study reported dogs kept improving after their dose was reduced to half the label dose. The evidence is preliminary and the dose must only ever be changed by your vet, but it's a reasonable question to ask at a review.

Using Meloxicam Safely, Year After Year

Meloxicam has a good safety record, but it is still an NSAID, and long-term use needs supervision:

• Give it with food, at the dose your vet prescribed, using the syringe that came with that bottle.
• Keep up with check-ups and blood tests your vet recommends, especially for older dogs or dogs with kidney or liver problems.
• Watch for warning signs: vomiting, diarrhoea, black or tarry stools, loss of appetite, lethargy or drinking more than usual. If you see any of them, stop and call your vet.
• Never combine it with another NSAID or a steroid unless your vet tells you to.
• Never give human painkillers. Ibuprofen and similar medicines made for people can cause serious poisoning in dogs and cats, according to the PDSA.

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When Meloxicam Isn't the Right Fit

Some dogs can't take NSAIDs long term, usually because of kidney, liver or stomach problems. For them, vets have other options, including monthly Librela injections. We compare the costs in what Librela really costs in the UK. Many owners also add a joint supplement alongside prescribed treatment; our guide to dog joint supplements explains what's in them and which ingredients have evidence behind them.

The Bottom Line

Meloxicam is one of the best-studied arthritis medicines for dogs: controlled trials since 2000 show it reduces pain and lameness, and long-term use appears to bring more benefit than short courses, under veterinary supervision. Metacam and its authorised equivalents contain the same active ingredient. The brand on the box changes the price far more than it changes the medicine.

Ask for the written prescription, ask your vet about equivalents, compare by price per ml, and keep the weight down. Over years of daily treatment, those four habits make a real difference.

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