To treat and prevent helminthic infestations in domestic cats, it is necessary to use proven anthelmintic drugs. This group of medications includes Drontal tablets. Their chemical composition determines their effectiveness against parasites. The instructions clarify the technique of use, dosage, contraindications and possible negative consequences.
Indications for use
Pharmacists classify Drontal for cats as a combination drug. It is poisonous to roundworms and tapeworms. Under its influence, many varieties of worms die: Toxocara, Mesocestoides, Ancylostoma, Echinococcus, Dipylidium and others. The extended spectrum of action of the anthelmintic determines its use for the purpose of removing and preventing helminthic infestation. Veterinarians prescribe Drontal for cats for nematodes (toxocariasis, toxascariasis, hookworm) and cestodoses (tenidosis, dipylidia, echinococcosis, mesocestoidosis).
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Release form and composition
The Drontal formula was developed by the German company. The veterinary medicine is sold in the form of tablets. They have an oval-elongated shape with a transverse notch in the center. Capsules are placed in 2 or 8 pieces in foil blisters and cardboard packaging. Each box is supplied with instructions for use.
The contents of Drontal tablets include pyrantel embonate and praziquantel as active ingredients. The amount of these substances is 230 mg and 20 mg, respectively. Additional components help maintain a homogeneous consistency: starch, cellulose, polyvidone, quartz, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide.
Drontal has a long shelf life of 5 years. After this period, the tablets cannot be used to treat cats.
The line of German drugs also includes Drontal Plus. Its composition has been supplemented with a third active agent - febantel, and the amount of praziquantel and pyrantel has been increased. But it should be given exclusively to dogs for the treatment of helminthiases and giardiasis.
Dosage
To achieve a therapeutic effect, per kilogram of weight of an adult cat should be 5 mg of praziquantel and 57.5 mg of pyrantel embonate. The developer indicates in the instructions for use that one tablet is needed for a kotofey weighing 4 kg. If the cat weighs from 1 to 2 kg, the tablet is divided in half according to the marked line.
If the cat weighs more than 6, but less than 8 kg, then he is given two whole Drontal deworming tablets.
Drontal for kittens
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The drug can be given to a kitten no earlier than its weight reaches 500 grams. This usually happens at 2.5-3.5 months. It is worth considering that if at this age the kitten still lives with the cat and is breastfed, then the medicine must also be given to an adult cat. The dosage for a kitten is 1/4 tablets per 500 g. weight.
When taking the drug, kittens experience side effects associated with digestive upset more often than adult cats. For several days before the worms are removed and 2-3 after, it is not recommended to introduce new foods to the kittens’ diet. It should also be taken into account that if the kitten has already been weaned from the cat, but does not yet have personal hygiene skills, then it is advisable to help the baby maintain hygiene after defecation, using wet antibacterial wipes so that helminth eggs released with feces do not lead to re-infection.
In special cases, for example, if an infected kitten was picked up on the street, you can give the medicine to a very small cub - less than 2.5 months. In this case, it is necessary to distribute the drug according to the following scheme: 1/4 tablets + 1/4 tablets after 7 days.
How it works
Praziquantel in the bodies of parasites depolarizes neuromuscular ganglia and destabilizes glucose transport. Another active Drontal compound, pyrantel embonate, enhances the permeability of cell membranes. The combined action of the two substances leads to immobilization and death of helminths. Under the influence of pyrantel, the bodies of dead worms are relatively quickly removed from the cat’s digestive tract.
Praziquantel is absorbed in the small intestine and enters the bloodstream, where the compound is then chemically converted in the liver. The breakdown products of this compound are excreted through the kidneys in the urine. Pyrantel is only partially absorbed by the intestinal epithelium. Remains of the medicinal component are excreted from the cat’s body in feces.
In order not to reduce the effectiveness of the active substances of Drontal, the drug should not be combined with medications containing piperazine.
When and how to use Drontal?
The use of the drug is indicated in situations where the animal is already infected with parasites (they are visible visually or the infestation is confirmed by tests), as well as for preventive use. Let us remind you that all pets, without exception, must receive a wide-spectrum deworming medication every quarter. This applies even to cats that never go outside, since people bring parasites or their larvae on shoes and any other objects; they can be on unwashed hands or food.
Drontal is used to combat the following parasitic diseases: toxocariasis, unicinariasis, taeniasis, hookworm infection, dipylidiasis. Simply put, the tablets effectively remove from the body and destroy the most common types of worms in everyday life, which affect both cats and humans.
The most common parasite in cats is round toxocara.
Table. What helminths is Drontal effective against?
| Parasite | Description |
| Trichuris vulpis (whipworm) | A parasite that reaches the cat's intestines and parasitizes the rectum and anus. Causes severe itching and poisons the animal's body. Infection occurs through contact with dirty soil and water, food |
| Ancylostoma caninum (hookworm) | They belong to the type of round fluke worms, they are very harmful to cats due to their small size - hookworms can cause anemia in the pet, as they interfere with blood clotting, provoke bleeding in the internal organs, loss of appetite and body weight in the animal |
| Echinococus multilocularis (cestodes) | Worms that form entire colonies in the liver, lungs and other organs, suppressing the cat’s immunity. Farm animals can infect a cat, so cestodes are especially dangerous for pets living on farms or in private homes where there is a farm |
| Toxocaria canise (toxocara) | A round parasite that not only affects the cat’s intestines along its entire length, but also quickly migrates to other organs, moving inside the blood vessels. Infection occurs very easily - from water, soil, an infected animal |
| Diphyllobothrium latum (wide tapeworm) | The worm is a tapeworm, flat type, predominantly parasitic in the intestines. The risk of tapeworm infection is high for cats that are fed raw river and lake fish. |
| Dipylidium caninum (tape tape) | The largest type of worm, it can greatly undermine the health of a cat. It parasitizes the lower intestines, entangling the entire length of the organ. A cat can become infected by eating raw meat or walking in grazing areas. |
| Multiceps multiceps (multiceps) | A flat tapeworm that settles in the cat's intestines. The intermediate host of multiceps is the sheep, so cats living in close proximity to sheep flocks, as well as those receiving milk or meat from sheep, become infected. |
| Echinococus granulosus (cyclophyllide) | Tapeworms that enter a cat's body with contaminated meat or poultry, and then spread through the bloodstream to all organs |
| Uncinara stenocephalla (uncinaria) | A round nematode that a cat can pick up when it drinks water from a contaminated source, communicates with homeless relatives, or eats contaminated food. |
| Toxascaris leonina (roundworm) | A roundworm commonly found in cats and dogs. Pets are usually infected from their owners' shoes, the soles of which accidentally carried larvae. |
This is what different parasites look like
Accordingly, Drontal is used in two cases: if infection has already been detected or for prevention (once every four months). Before using the drug, the cat is weighed to determine the appropriate dosage.
"Drontal" is a remedy trusted by many veterinarians, and in 2013 this drug was recognized in Russia as the best preventive and therapeutic anthelmintic medicine. Numerous studies and test results on infected cats “before” and “after” show that Drontal perfectly treats mixed helminthiases and successfully copes with helminthic infestations in animals.
Video - How to tell if your cat has worms?
Instructions for use of Drontal
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Before feeding the drug, no special fasting diet or laxatives are required. Drontal tablets are given to the cat in the morning with a small amount of food. To do this, the capsule is placed in a piece of sausage or meat. If the pet refuses to swallow such a “treat,” then it is recommended to use an introducer (pill dispenser). The medicine is placed on the root of the tongue so that the cat cannot spit out the capsule.
Drontal can also be given in another way. To do this, the tablet is crushed into powder and dissolved in a small volume of water. Then draw the suspension into a syringe and squeeze the liquid onto the root of the tongue.
For preventive purposes, Drontal is given to the pet once a quarter.
Anthelmintic for pregnant and lactating cats
How to give Drontal to a cat if she is carrying kittens? The drug does not affect the course of pregnancy in animals, so the medicine can be given without fear for the future offspring. To prevent kittens from becoming infected with parasites during birth, pregnant cats are given the drug in the usual dosage 7-10 days before the expected lambing.
If for some reason the cat did not receive an anthelmintic during pregnancy, it can be given on the 5-7th day after birth. The components are absorbed into the blood and passed through breast milk, but do not harm kittens. After 3 months, it is advisable to repeat the treatment separately for kittens and cats.
Attention
Do not give the drug to a cat in the first month of pregnancy.
Contraindications
When treated with Drontal, your cat may exhibit symptoms of allergies and intolerances. Therefore, hypersensitivity to the components of the anthelmintic is considered a contraindication. The second limitation is the “childish” age of the pet and its low weight. The body of babies is especially susceptible to the effects of intestinal poisons. Drontal should not be given to kittens that have not reached 3 weeks of age and whose body weight does not reach 1 kilogram. The third contraindication is the period of pregnancy and the beginning of lactation. Toxic substances pass into the milk and thus enter the stomach of newborn babies.
Ways of infection with worms
Most often, kittens pick up helminths at the time of birth, due to infection of the mother. With good nutrition, care and high immunity, the kitten will develop well and gain weight, despite the illness. Many owners, not seeing the typical signs of parasites, remain convinced for many years that everything is fine with their pet.
What other ways of infection with worms are typical for cats?
With a 99% probability, worms can be detected in a cat if it:
– eats raw meat or fish; – eats “hunting trophies” – birds, mice; – has contact with other animals.
In addition, worm eggs can be brought into the house from the street on the soles of shoes or a person's outer clothing.
Important
Most of the worms that infect pets are absolutely safe for the human body.
Side effects and overdose
The manufacturer notes that Drontal for cats, in terms of its effect on health, belongs to the category of low-toxic substances: according to GOST 12.1.007-76, this is hazard class 4. Therefore, this anthelmintic is well accepted by outbred and purebred cats of different ages, including older kittens. In experiments and practice, no carcinogenic, teratogenic, mutagenic, embryotoxic, or sensitizing effects on the body have been recorded.
If the recommended dosages and contraindications are followed, Drontal rarely causes serious side effects. However, some individuals may develop symptoms of poisoning. This occurs for two reasons. The first is exceeding the therapeutic dosage for the cat. The second is intoxication of the body due to the release of harmful substances during the decay of the dead bodies of worms. Side symptoms are diarrhea, salivation, vomiting, apathy. These unpleasant phenomena are not signs of a serious illness and pass quickly.
If signs of poisoning appear, it is necessary to give the cat an adsorbent (Polysorb, Enterosgel, charcoal) and show it to the veterinarian
Analogs
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Deworming tablets with praziquantel and pyrantel can be sold under different names. Some Drontal analogues have an identical chemical composition, others combine different active substances. Anthelmintics with similar effects include:
- Pratel. Swiss tablets, the composition of which is completely identical to Drontal. Features a cheaper price.
- Prazicide. An inexpensive domestic drug, the formula of which also contains praziquantel and pyrantel.
- Dirofen. Russian remedy for helminths, containing equal amounts of pyrantel and febantel.
- Cestal. A drug from a French company with the same formula as Drontal. It is distinguished by the flavoring additive “liver”.
- Polyverkan. French preparation in the form of sugar cubes. Contains niclosamide and oxybendazole.
- Milbemax. French-made tablets containing, in addition to praziquantel, milbemycin oxime.
It is necessary to choose a Drontal substitute together with a veterinarian.
