Praziquantel

What is this medication for?

• Dipylidium caninum, Taenia pisiformis, Echinococcus granulosus (and E. multilocularis)
• Dipylidium caninum, Taenia taeniaeformis

How is it given?

Give exactly as your veterinarian prescribed — never change the dose or stop on your own unless your veterinarian has told you to.

What if I miss a dose?

• Give it as soon as you remember — unless it is almost time for the next dose (then skip the missed one; never double up).
• Call your clinic if you miss more than one dose in a row.

Side effects — what should I watch for?

Effects listed as common in this handout

• Pain at injection site, drowsiness, staggering gait (injectable) (More common than with oral form)
• Salivation, diarrhea, weakness, transient loss of appetite (injectable) (~9.4% of cats in field trials)

Worth a phone call to your veterinarian

• Uncommon overall (oral use) (<5% (dog), <2% (cat))
• Anorexia, vomiting, low energy/tiredness, diarrhea (oral) (Uncommon)

⚠️ Contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic IMMEDIATELY if you notice

• Trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, severe vomiting or diarrhea, facial swelling, or pale gums

Before starting (or refilling), tell your veterinarian if your pet:

• has or has had: Manufacturer: avoid in puppies <4 weeks or kittens <6 weeks (though praziquantel/febantel combo is approved for all ages); hypersensitivity
• has or has had: None major beyond age restriction on monotherapy product

• is pregnant, nursing, or used for breeding
• is taking any other medications, supplements, or flea/tick products, including:
  • Grapefruit juice

Storage and handling

Tightly sealed container, protect from light, room temperature.

Good to know

• Not effective against most nematodes (roundworms, hookworms) on its own — combination products (Drontal, etc.) exist specifically to broaden spectrum; confirm which product a client is using before assuming coverage.
• Wide margin of safety — one of the best-tolerated anthelmintics in the antiparasitic library.
• D. caninum reinfection is essentially guaranteed without concurrent flea control, since fleas serve as the intermediate host — pair prescription with a flea-control conversation.