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To treat and prevent helminthic infestations in domestic cats, it is necessary to use practice-tested 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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Beware of counterfeits!
Attention should be paid to the increasing falsification of this medicine. Due to the intense demand and high price, it is profitable to counterfeit. Needless to say, the consequences of taking such surrogates can be catastrophic.
To avoid buying a counterfeit medicine, it is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance via the Internet with a photo of the original packaging of Drontal for cats.
Also, at the time of purchasing the product, it is advisable to check the presence of stickers for a veterinary passport inside the box and request a certificate of conformity from the manufacturer.
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.
Results of studies of the drug
Drontal is an effective remedy. 93 cats with naturally acquired parasitic diseases underwent two in-depth and detailed laboratory studies to use and determine the effectiveness of Drontal tablets. 85 cats varying in weight, size, age, and breed participated in clinical studies conducted by six veterinary centers in different cities in the United States. The results showed that 98% of cats were completely free of parasites within a week after treatment. These tests have proven that Drontal is a safe and effective means of killing various types of parasites if used as directed.
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The instructions for Drontal for cats are extremely simple and clear. Using Drontal is a safe way to get rid of helminths. Cats treated with a 10-fold dose of the drug showed signs of vomiting and drooling without other adverse signs during the study. 83 of 85 animals given the recommended doses of Drontal Plus for cats in a clinical study showed no side effects. Transient loss of appetite was reported in one cat, and a second cat had transient loose stools.
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.
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.
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.
Availability
In large cities, the question of where to buy drontal for cats does not exist. Any veterinary pharmacy or store has these tablets in stock, allowing them to be sold individually.
However, during periods of seasonal consumer demand, the drug may be temporarily limited in supply. In this case, you can purchase the medicine using the services of online suppliers.
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.
Additional information about parasites
Drontal tablets (praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate) kill tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum, Taenia taeniaeformis), hookworms (Ancylostoma tubaeforme) and large roundworms (Toxocara cati) in kittens and adult cats.
The presence of tapeworms is indicated by the presence of segments of the parasites in the cat's feces. The segments of tapeworms are white, white-pink, yellowish in color, similar in size and shape to rice grains. Quite often the particles are found in fresh feces. Particles can also be found on the fur near the cat’s anus or in the pet’s bedding. Cats become infected with tapeworms after eating fleas, small animals infected with parasites.
Nematodes are small white or reddish-brown worms less than 3 cm long that live in the intestines and feed on blood . Cats become infected with nematodes by ingesting eggs while grooming themselves. Cats infected with nematodes usually have poor health :
- dull coat;
- low body weight;
- diarrhea (with blood).
Roundworms are yellow-white threads 5-18 cm long (similar in size and color to spaghetti) that can be observed in a cat's vomit or feces. Animals become infected with large roundworms by ingesting worm eggs, while grooming themselves, or by eating mice infected with parasite eggs.
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Eggs of roundworms and nematodes are detected in stool only by microscopic examination. The presence of worm eggs in the feces confirms their presence in the cat’s body.
Contact your veterinarian for a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment for internal parasites.
Roundworms and nematodes can be observed in a cat's stool for up to 48 hours after deworming the cat with tablets. Most tapeworms are digested and are not found in feces after treatment.
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
Owner reviews
We buy DRONTAL, the weight is already written on each cell. 4 kg, just right for our two-year-old purr, who weighs exactly 4 kg. The drug is very easy to use. It is given with something tasty or familiar food (minced meat, wet food).
tanyusik
https://otzovik.com/review_37489.html
We didn’t have any problems with worms with this drug, although in the spring and summer cats go to the dacha and roam freely there, respectively, and rummage in the sand, and eat different grass, and communicate with neighboring cats - which can contribute to infection. There were no adverse reactions to taking Drontal. The second cat I had was found and she moved in with a full “bouquet” of all the delights of homeless life, including worms - Drontal cured her in two doses. The only relative disadvantage is that it is not so easy to force a pet to take a pill, but this generally applies to any tablet medications.
Olya2309
https://irecommend.ru/content/otlichnyi-preparat-dlya-lecheniya-i-profilaktiki-glistov-u-koshek-takzhe-kak-dat-pitomtsu-le
Drontal. Now this word will be associated in me with the horror of the night I experienced. I gave the tablet to a 1.5 year old cat. Before this, they dewormed with another cheap drug, there were no problems. But after reading positive reviews I decided to try Drontal. An hour later, the cat began to fall on its side and squint when walking. When we decided to attract his attention with the standard “kys-kys,” he opened his eyes and I screamed. There were no eyes, but only white spots, like in a horror movie... As it turned out later, the third eyelid closed the eyes. The spectacle is not for the faint of heart. It was late, and while we were looking for a 24-hour veterinarian in our city, it took another two hours to get there. The veterinarian immediately gave three injections, put on a drip and said that if they had not brought him, the cat might not have woken up from pulmonary edema. He prescribed medicine for intoxication and ordered me not to feed him for a day. Thank God, the cat felt fine in the morning.
Yulia Nesterova
https://irecommend.ru/content/chut-ne-ostalis-bez-kota
Without a doubt, I recommend Drontal for your animal! It is tolerated by the animal’s body as well as possible and has a wide spectrum of action. The only drawback I can note is the large size of the tablet, which makes it difficult to feed it to the cat. From our experience, I can firmly and confidently say that giving a tablet mixed with food is a waste of money! Because the tablet flies back out along with all the contents of the stomach. Twice I masked Drontal in wet food, once in bread pulp. Once I passed with food, but there was vomiting. But the second time the cat vomited. The tablet had to be washed off and given again (and this procedure is stressful for both the cat and quite nervous for the owner).
Avdeeva
https://irecommend.ru/content/effektivnaya-profilaktika-i-lechenie-glistov-u-kota-chto-takoe-degelmintizatsiya-i-zachem-on
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.
Folk remedies
Unfortunately, the effectiveness of various herbal remedies against worms has not been proven. This means that when using them, the owner may make a mistake: he will be sure that the animal cannot have worms, since folk remedies were used, and at this time his pet will be a source of unpleasant diseases both for other animals and for their owners.
Therefore, you should not trust recipes from the Internet. It is necessary to purchase certified products whose effectiveness has been proven in veterinary pharmacies.
