Milbemax for cats - a modern remedy for helminthiasis

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.

Composition and action

Milbemax contains two active antiparasitic substances - praziquantel and milbemycin oxime. The first component is widely popular due to its active effect on tapeworms that parasitize the intestines of pets. Praziquantel is a component of many anthelmintics, and its action in killing parasites has been proven for years.

Praziquantel

Praziquantel has a therapeutic effect in cestodias and trematodes. The first disease is caused by infection of the animal's body with tapeworms, the second - by fluke parasites. The substance effectively destroys both mature worms and larvae of tape parasites. Praziquantel is considered an essential drug in both traditional and veterinary medicine. It is used when a pet is infected with the following types of helminths:

• cucumber tapeworm;
• wide tape.

These types of tapeworms can infect the domestic cat. In animals living on the street they are observed in 8 out of 10 cases.

Tapeworms are intestinal parasites that live in the small intestine. Outwardly, they resemble a flat narrow ribbon, divided into small segments - segments, in each of which eggs and larvae develop. After the larva matures, the segments detach from the worm and exit into the intestine.

Cestodes can reach up to 10-80 cm in length; their danger in the animal’s body lies in the fact that the worms feed on blood and lymph. By attaching to the intestinal walls, they cause damage to the mucous membrane. The wounds take a long time to heal and constantly bleed, which leads to large blood losses and anemia.

Milbemycin oxime

The second component of Milbemax is milbemycin oxime, a substance active against roundworms, the most common type of intestinal parasite in pets. Compared to tapeworms, roundworms are smaller in size, but in a cat’s intestines there can be many of them, including different types.

A cat may have:

• toxocara;
• hookworms;
• toxascaridae;
• uncinarii and others.

Once in the animal’s body, the active ingredient of Milbemax reaches the required concentration in the blood plasma within the first hour and penetrates through the bloodstream into the site of invasion - the intestine. The drug is considered safe because its components do not cause the death of the worm in the cat’s body, but only paralyze it. This prevents intoxication of the pet’s body by the decay products of the worm.

Security measures

When working with medication, be sure to adhere to the usual safety standards recommended when using any medicinal chemistry.

People with individual intolerance to the components of the drug are advised to avoid tactile contact with the drug.

In case of accidental contact with the skin, the substance should be washed off with a large volume of running water. The same should be done if the medication gets on the mucous membrane of the eye.

Empty containers from used medicine cannot be reused for household purposes. The packaging must be destroyed with other household waste.

If allergy symptoms appear or a person accidentally takes a medicine, you should immediately contact the nearest medical facility, taking with you the instructions for the medicine.

Purpose

Milbemax is prescribed by veterinarians for the treatment and prevention of:

• nematodes;
• cestodiasis;
• mixed helminthic infestations.

A cat can become infected with worms by eating raw fish and meat, while hunting rodents, or through insects (fleas). A person can also bring eggs and larvae of helminths into the house, so even domestic cats that have never been outside can get a helminth infestation. Therefore, veterinarians insist on regular deworming of all pets - at least once a quarter.

Among the diseases caused by tape parasites, the most common is dipilidia. The causative agent of the invasion is the cucumber tapeworm. Its segments resemble cucumber seeds in appearance, hence the name of the parasite. Small kittens are most vulnerable to the disease, but animals of any age can become infected.

The cucumber tapeworm is striking in its size: a mature individual in a cat’s body can reach a length of 70 cm. The parasite multiplies quickly, and at the same time causes great harm to the health of the pet. The worm is also dangerous for humans, so it is necessary to observe the rules of hygiene for children and adults, and regularly deworm them for domestic cats.

The carriers of worm larvae that cause dipylidiasis are fleas. If a cat bites off fleas and swallows them, the larvae enter her body, where they quickly develop. As a result of the invasion, the cat's immunity decreases.

Among round intestinal parasites, the most common are roundworms, toxocaras, and hookworms. Larvae and adults can be observed in the feces of infected cats. Toxocaras are the largest of the nematodes, reaching 4-10 cm in length. A kitten can become infected in utero or by feeding on the milk of a sick mother cat. Worm eggs are carried by rodents.

Cats are difficult to tolerate toxocariasis, the danger of which is that the larvae can develop not only in the intestines, but also have the ability to penetrate other internal organs of the animal. This can lead to internal abscesses, sepsis or peritonitis, which in turn can cause death.

Common symptoms of helminthic infestation in cats are the following:

• intestinal disorder – diarrhea, constipation;
• vomit;
• loss of appetite;
• change in food preferences;
• exhaustion;
• bloating;
• pallor of the mucous membranes.

A large accumulation of parasites in the intestines can lead to blockage of the passage and cause rupture of the small intestine. Therefore, regular deworming and treatment of helminthic infestations, if infection does occur, is the only way to keep your pet healthy.

Side effects, overdose

If you follow the instructions for use of the medicine and the recommended dosage, side effects in most cases do not occur.

Rare side effects of the drug include vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, and lethargy. Most often, small kittens are susceptible to these symptoms. If the pet is receiving the drug for the first time, the pet's owners should monitor the cat's condition after taking the medication.

If the dosage of the medication is exceeded, sometimes the cat may experience muscle tremors. Such symptoms do not require treatment and resolve on their own within 24 hours.

Milbemax can be given to your pet simultaneously with selamectin. There is no information on the compatibility of the drug with other drugs in its group.

Dog packaging image

Dosage

Milbemax is produced in two dosages:

• for kittens and young cats weighing up to 2 kg - tablets contain 10 mg of praziquantel and 4 mg of milbemycin oxime;
• for larger adult cats - the dosage of active components is increased by 4 times.

This choice allows you to give the medicine to your pet without fear of violating the required dose. For ease of use, the tablets have different colors: for kittens – pink, for adults – red.

Important!

Despite the gentle effect and safety of Milbemax for pets, the medicine is toxic to fish and other aquarium inhabitants.

The advantage of Milbemax is that it needs to be given only once - in the morning, during feeding. The tablet can be crushed and added to the food, but to achieve a better result (in case the pet refuses to eat or does not eat the entire portion of food, which will reduce the therapeutic effect of the drug), it is better to give the tablet orally - on the root of the tongue.

The therapeutic dose is:

• 2 mg milbemycin oxime;
• 5 mg of praziquantel per kilogram of pet's weight.

Translated into the finished medicinal product, this amounts to:

Important!

It is impossible to exceed the specified dose, this will cause negative symptoms in the pet:

• nausea and vomiting;
• lethargy, depressed state;
• tremor.

Usually, such symptoms go away quickly, but it is necessary to monitor the cat’s condition throughout the day so that if it worsens, immediately contact a veterinarian.

Instructions for use

Deworming tablets for cats have varying levels of toxicity. When using, you must follow safety regulations. It is better to wear gloves when giving tablets to an animal. After the procedure, you should wash your hands thoroughly.

It must be remembered that kittens under six weeks of age should not be given anthelmintic drugs. Milbemax for kittens can be used if the kitten's weight is more than 0.5 kg. If the animal is weakened or sick, treatment should also be delayed. Tablets with a concentration for adult cats can only be given if the animal weighs over two kilograms.

Cats do not like to be treated and often resist taking pills. Therefore, giving medicine to a pet becomes a difficult task for many owners.

There are videos on the Internet in which professional veterinarians show how to “feed” an animal a remedy for worms without harming it either mentally or physically.

It is optimal when the cat eats the medicine disguised in a piece of meat or minced meat. If this does not happen, it is necessary to proceed according to the following algorithm: the animal must be tightly wrapped in a towel to eliminate movement and resistance, the tablet must be placed on the root of the tongue with tweezers and then washed off with water from a syringe. If this is not done, the cat will spit out the medicine. This procedure requires two people.

Numerous sources on the Internet do not give a clear idea of ​​how often cats can be given anthelmintic. However, according to veterinarians, this should be done once every four months. The maximum interval for preventive treatment is six months.

Restrictions

Milbemax has a gentle effect, but it cannot be used for deworming:

• animals with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
• kittens up to 1.5 months;
• pregnant cats;
• nursing;
• during the period of infectious disease and recovery;
• animals with chronic pathologies of the liver and kidneys.

For such animals, if deworming is necessary, only a veterinarian can choose a safe drug.

Main contraindications

Some animals have an allergic reaction to certain components of the drug. In this case, it should only be given under medical supervision.

There are other contraindications. It should not be given to kittens that are too small, weighing less than half a kilogram. In addition, it is contraindicated in the following cases:

• severe exhaustion of the animal;
• infection;
• the presence of serious liver or kidney diseases;
• The weight of an adult cat is less than 2 kg.

Also, this medicine should not be given to pregnant animals. Anthelmintics should be given before possible pregnancy, because some helminthiasis are transmitted to kittens through mother's milk.

If the animal is healthy and does not have the above problems, then everything should go fine. There may be a slight tremor of the limbs, but it goes away quickly.

For prevention

For preventive purposes, milbemax is prescribed by a veterinarian, one tablet once a month.

Worms in dogs are a completely common occurrence. Use the tips below to prevent the appearance of worms in the animal's body to minimize the risk of infection:

• carry out a mandatory food processing procedure before feeding the animal;
• do not allow the dog to eat something on the street or rummage in the trash;
• once a year, take your dog’s stool for analysis to a veterinary clinic;
• and of course, take anti-parasitic medications every few months.

10 days before vaccination, dogs are also prescribed anthelmintics. Bitches are also prescribed pills 15 days before estrus (if breeding is planned) to avoid possible infection of future offspring + it is mandatory to take pills 2 weeks after giving birth.

Indications

Milbemax is prescribed for treatment, deworming and prevention of nematodes, cestodes and mixed nematodo-cestodes infestations, which are caused by the following types of helminths: - cestodes - Dipylidium caninum, Taenia spp., Echinocaus multilocularis, Mesocestoides spp. - nematodes - Ancylostoma caninum, Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Trichuris vulpis, Renosoma vulpis (reduces the intensity of infection), Angiostrongylus vasorum (reduces the intensity of infection), Dirofilaria immitis (for preventive purposes).

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.

How to give Milbemax to a dog

The medicine is used either during feeding with food, or under duress, after eating.

Calculation table (how many tablets to give at a time):

Attention! Before use, consult a specialist and read the instructions on the package!