Milbemax for cats - instructions for using the drug to combat worms in cats

Cats can become infected with worms while walking outside, after contact with street animals or their feces. Even those animals that do not leave the house are at risk, since parasites can enter their bodies through the shoes of their owners. Milbemax helps destroy round and tapeworms and prevent infection.

Let's find out how to use this remedy for cats and avoid negative reactions.

Release form and composition

Milbemax tablets are produced by Elanco. Previously, the medicine was produced by Novartis, which in 2015 became a subsidiary of Elanco.

There are two types: regular capsules and chicken-flavored chewable tablets.

Regular tablets are round, white, with a longitudinal line for division. Available in 2 pieces per pack. They are produced in two forms:

• for puppies and decorative breeds: with a dosage of praziquantel 25 mg and milbemycin 2.5 mg in each tablet, cost an average of 330 rubles;
• for adult dogs: each capsule contains 125 mg of praziquantel and 12.5 mg of milbemycin, the average price is 515 rubles per package of 2 tablets.

Chewable tablets are produced in the form of brown plates, packaged in packs of 4 pieces. They are also produced in two dosages:

• for kittens and small breeds weighing 1-5 kg: dosage – 2.5 mg of milbemycin and 25 mg of praziquantel, sold for 780 rubles;
• for adult dogs weighing more than 5 kg: each plate contains 12.5 mg of milbemycin and 125 mg of praziquantel, the average cost is 1150 rubles.

Regular and chewable tablets contain the same active ingredients in the same dosages. The only difference is the taste of the chicken. At the same time, the price of the two forms of the drug differs by 2 times. Although most pets are more willing to eat the plates, some still refuse. Therefore, it is better to save money, take simple tablets and force-feed them to the dog or along with a treat.

Milbemax deworming tablets for cats

The drug for deworming kittens is available in tablet form. The tablet is an oval with beveled edges. The form with a low dosage is covered with a pink shell and has notches in the form of the letters NA and BC, and with a high dosage it is covered in red and has notches KK and NA. The medicine is sold in metal blisters, each of which contains 2 tablets. To treat kittens, use the dosage of Milbemax, the concentration of active substances in which is 4 times less than in tablets for deworming older cats.

Milbemax should be stored in the manufacturer's packaging (necessarily closed) separately from feed and food. The storage location should be dry, well protected from light and inaccessible to children, the temperature should be within 5-25 degrees. If all storage conditions are followed, the shelf life of the drug reaches 3 years. Unused 1/2 tablet can be placed in a blister and stored until the next use, but no more than six months after opening.

Indications for use

Milbemax tablets for dogs are prescribed for the prevention of helminth infection and the treatment of helminth infestations. They help against the following types of parasites:

• cestodes: dipylidiosis, bovine and pork tapeworms, echinococci, mesocestoidosis;
• nematodes: hookworm, toxocara, trichocephalus.

The drug also reduces the severity and reduces the risk of infection with crenosomosis, angiostrongylosis (French heartworm), and dirofilariasis.

On the topic: worms in dogs, how often should a dog be wormed.

How it works

The anthelmintic Milbemax is a complex antiparasitic drug. Its effect on nematodes and cestodes simultaneously is achieved by combining two active ingredients:

• milbemycin oxime: affects larval and adult individuals, increases the permeability of parasite cell membranes to calcium ions, which leads to damage to the nerves and muscles of nematodes, their further paralysis and death;
• praziquantel: has a detrimental effect on nematodes and cestodes, the substance destroys the membrane of the worms and causes their death.

Both components are rapidly absorbed (the maximum concentration in the blood plasma is reached in 1-4 hours) and are excreted in 2 days along with urine.

What danger do helminths pose?

There is no clear answer to this question. It all depends on a number of factors, the main ones being the type of helminths that infected the dog, its age and general physical condition.

The habitat of helminths can be the intestines, blood and internal organs, including the liver, lungs and heart. Worms cause mechanical damage to organs because they pierce their walls during attachment. The resulting microscopic wounds cause inflammation and anemia. In addition, helminths take away nutrients from the body of their “host” and release their own waste products, as well as toxins, into its blood and tissues. There are types of worms that provoke allergic reactions and all kinds of dermatitis.

Puppies and small dogs are at greatest risk from helminthic infestation. The presence of a large number of parasites in a dog’s body can lead to the formation of a ball of them, which, due to the small size of the puppy’s internal organs, can clog his intestines.

As a result, intestinal obstruction occurs, and in severe cases, even death is possible. Parasites that live in internal organs (liver, lungs, heart) without timely treatment can literally rupture the affected organ, which leads to the instant death of the animal.

Instructions for use and dosage

The medication is taken based on the minimum dosage: 0.5 mg of milbemycin and 5 mg of praziquantel per kg of weight.

Milbemax for puppies and decorative breeds is given as follows:

• half a tablet for pets weighing 0.5-1 kg;
• 1 plate for dogs weighing 1-5 kg;
• 2 capsules for dogs weighing 5-10 kg.

Milbemax for adult dogs weighing more than 5 kg is used as follows:

• 1 tablet for pets weighing 5-25 kg;
• 2 capsules for animals weighing 25-50 kg;
• 3 plates for dogs weighing 50-75 kg.

The drug is fed at the first morning feeding with a small amount of food or forcefully placed on the root of the tongue. No preliminary preparation is needed - the dog is fed as usual, no laxatives are given.

For prevention, an anthelmintic is given every month from early spring to late autumn. If the dog has already become infected with worms, the medicine is used twice with an interval of 14 days. When affected by heartworms, the medication is used four times, with a one-week break between doses.

Overdose symptoms

Exceeding the dose of any medication leads to poisoning. The drug substances gradually accumulate in the cat’s body and can exceed the permissible limit.

You can identify that this has happened by the following symptoms:

• Saliva may flow;
• Body temperature drops sharply, the animal freezes and seeks warmth;
• Loose stools, nausea and vomiting;
• The pupils are very constricted and dilated when light hits them;
• Unusual behavior such as excessive activity;
• Lethargy and apathy, crumpled actions;
• Poor appetite or refuses to eat;
• Heavy breathing with shortness of breath, wheezing;
• Change in color of mucous membranes;
• Unusual odor from the mouth;
• Fainting and convulsions.

Before the veterinarian arrives or the cat is taken to the veterinary clinic, first aid can be done.

1. First, the cat owner needs to record the time the animal took the drug and the time the symptoms appeared in the four-legged friend.
2. If the owner knows how to give injections, then it is worth giving an injection of Dexamethasone 1-2 ml. This time should also be recorded.
3. Some owners lavage the cat's stomach with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate.
4. Next, the solution is poured into the pet’s mouth so that it does not choke, and then vomiting is induced.
5. Next you will need to grind 2-3 tablets of activated carbon, mix this mixture with water and give the cat this solution.
6. It is possible to give charcoal without washing out the stomach.

The drug Milbemax can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy or in an online store.

The price of Milbemax for adult cats is 500 rubles, and for kittens it will cost 350-400 rubles.

Contraindications and side effects

Milbemax is a generally safe drug that rarely causes negative reactions (classified as hazard class 3 according to GOST 12.1.007-76). However, keep the following points in mind:

• the drug is dangerous for fish and bees;
• the drug should not be used in sick, exhausted, or convalescent dogs;
• the medication is prohibited for dogs with kidney and liver failure;
• Do not use anthelmintic in animals with hypersensitivity to milbemycin or praziquantel;
• Milbemycin oxime in the composition belongs to macrocyclic lactones - substances of this group are dangerous for collie, sheltie, bobtail and their crossbreeds;
• the variety for puppies is not given to kittens up to 2 weeks old and weighing less than 0.5 kg;
• Tablets for adult dogs should not be fed to pets weighing less than 5 kg.

Most dogs tolerate the anthelmintic well. But with increased sensitivity or overdose, the following are possible:

• depressed state - low mobility, refusal to play, eat, walk;
• hypersalivation;
• lack of coordination;
• muscle tremors;
• allergic reactions – itching, skin hyperemia;
• digestive disorders.

If the pet develops at least one sign, the drug is discontinued. As a rule, treatment is not necessary - negative reactions go away on their own within 24 hours. If this does not happen, contact your veterinarian: he will prescribe symptomatic therapy.

special instructions

When working with Milbemax, you must follow the general rules of personal hygiene and safety, as when working with medications. In addition, when working with Milbemax, drinking, smoking and eating are prohibited. After working with Milbemax, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap. If you accidentally ingest Milbemax, you should immediately drink as much warm water as possible and, if necessary, seek medical help (it is advisable to have a container label or instructions for use). There are no antidotes (antidotes) for Milbemax. The period of use of products of animal origin after the use of Milbemax is not regulated. Milbemax is toxic to fish and other aquatic animals, as well as aquatic plants.

Analogues of the drug

Analogs can be selected from similar drugs listed in the table below. All of them are similar to Milbemax in the presence of praziquantel. The difference is in the content of the second active substance.

Answers to frequently asked questions

How long does the drug last and does it need to be given again?

Give twice with an interval of 10-14 days. Its effect lasts up to 3 months. However, during the insect summer season (spring-summer-autumn), treatment is carried out monthly.

Is it necessary to feed the tablet along with food or can it be given on an empty stomach?

It is not necessary to administer the drug with food. But it’s easier to give medicine with food - you can disguise it in minced meat, cottage cheese, cheese. If you think that the dog will smell the capsule and spit it out, forcefully apply it to the root of the tongue.

Can Milbemax be given to pregnant dogs?

The anthelmintic is approved for use in pregnant and lactating bitches. However, due to their special condition, treatment is carried out on the recommendation of a veterinarian and under his supervision.

conclusions

Milbemax for dogs is one of the best anthelmintics. In my practice, I have rarely encountered side effects after taking this medication, and all of them were associated with the individual characteristics of the animal: diseases, hypersensitivity, etc.

But Milbemax is not unique. It has worthy analogues. It can be replaced with Milprazone - the composition and dosages of both drugs are identical, but the cost differs significantly.

"Gelmimax" and "Kaniquantel" are considered safer - they extremely rarely lead to complications. But if you have a collie or a related breed, take “Febtal” (only the regular one, not “Combo”), “Troncil” or “Dehinel Plus”.

Read more: Small dog breeds