Emodepside: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antiparasitic

Also known as

Profender (with praziquantel), Procox (with toltrazuril)

Species with doses

Dogs and Cats

General dose range

1–3 mg/kg Topical single dose (repeat per cycle) — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

Topical, PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Feline GI roundworms (Toxocara cati) and hookworms (Ancylostoma) — spot-on
• Feline tapeworms (via the praziquantel component of Profender)
• Canine (puppy) roundworms with concurrent coccidiosis (Procox, with toltrazuril)
• Useful where nematode resistance to other classes is suspected (novel mode of action)

Emodepside dose by species

Doses are per administration unless stated. mg/kg doses scale with body weight; per-animal, per-quarter and infusion-rate doses are shown as the reference writes them.

Dogs

• Puppy roundworms + coccidiosis (oral, Procox): Product label (emodepside + toltrazuril oral suspension for puppies): about 0.45 mg/kg emodepside with 9 mg/kg toltrazuril once — follow label age/weight limits. The emodepside/toltrazuril product is not in Papich 5e or Plumb’s 10e — Plumb’s covers emodepside only with praziquantel (next rows). Caution in ABCB1 (MDR1) mutant dogs.
• Ascarids, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms (with praziquantel, oral tablet): Plumb’s 10e p.444 (extra-label): minimum emodepside 1 mg/kg + praziquantel 5 mg/kg PO once, rounding up to the nearest tablet (tablet not available in the US). Fast overnight before and for 4 hours after dosing. Caution in ABCB1 (MDR1) mutant dogs.
• Multidrug-resistant hookworms (topical product given orally): Plumb’s 10e p.444 (extra-label): emodepside 1 mg/kg + praziquantel 4 mg/kg PO once using the TOPICAL formulation given orally. Safety and efficacy of this protocol are unevaluated — reserve for hookworms resistant to all 3 other major classes (pyrantel, benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones) confirmed by a faecal egg count reduction test. Fast overnight and for 4 hours after.

Cats

• Roundworms / hookworms / tapeworms (spot-on): Plumb’s p.458 (Profender label): minimum 3 mg/kg emodepside + 12 mg/kg praziquantel applied to the skin at the back of the neck, single dose; may re-apply after 30 days if reinfected. Plumb’s 10e p.444 gives the same label dose. Not in Papich 5e.
• Lungworms (Troglostrongylus, Aelurostrongylus, Capillaria): Plumb’s 10e p.444 (extra-label): emodepside 3 mg/kg + praziquantel 12 mg/kg topically, repeated 14 days after the first treatment.

Contraindications

Use of cat spot-on on very young/underweight kittens below label limits. MDR1-mutant dogs at overdose (P-gp substrate — though emodepside products are species/label-specific). Known hypersensitivity. Apply spot-on topically only (do not allow oral ingestion/grooming immediately).

Species-specific warnings

Cats: Use the cat-labelled spot-on by weight band; observe minimum age/weight limits and prevent the cat (or others) grooming the site immediately after application.

Adverse effects

• Transient application-site reaction / hair clumping (spot-on)
• Hypersalivation if licked (bitter); mild GI upset
• Neurologic signs only at gross overdose / in P-gp-deficient animals

Drug interactions

• P-glycoprotein inhibitors: increased CNS exposure/toxicity risk (emodepside is a P-gp substrate)
• Combination partners (praziquantel, toltrazuril) carry their own minor profiles
• No major other systemic interactions at label use

Pregnancy and lactation

Follow product label — generally not established for breeding; the cat spot-on and pup oral products have specific age/use restrictions.

Monitoring

• Faecal egg count for nematode efficacy; repeat per cycle
• Application-site reaction (spot-on)
• Neurologic signs if overdose suspected

Toxicity and overdose

Wide margin at label doses. Overdose can cause neurologic signs (ataxia, tremor, mydriasis), more likely in P-gp-deficient animals. Application-site and transient GI effects are otherwise the norm.

Management: No specific antidote. Bathe off topical product; supportive/intensive care for neurologic signs; benzodiazepines for seizures; intravenous lipid emulsion has been used for severe depsipeptide/macrocyclic-lactone-type neurotoxicity.

Clinical pearls

• A needle-free, NOVEL-mechanism dewormer — the Profender spot-on is invaluable for fractious cats you can't pill, covering round-, hook- and tapeworms
• Its different mode of action makes it a useful option where resistance to macrocyclic lactones/benzimidazoles is suspected
• It is a P-gp substrate — respect species/label restrictions and avoid overdose, especially in MDR1-type dogs
• Apply spot-on to intact skin at the skull base and prevent immediate grooming/licking

Mechanism of action

A cyclo-octadepsipeptide that acts at the nematode neuromuscular junction via a novel target — the presynaptic latrophilin-like receptor and the SLO-1 calcium-activated potassium channel — causing sustained inhibitory signalling, flaccid paralysis of pharyngeal/body-wall muscle, and death of the worm. Because the target differs from macrocyclic lactones and benzimidazoles, it retains activity against nematodes resistant to those classes.

Formulations and products

• Spot-on (cats) — emodepside + praziquantel (Profender)
• Oral suspension (pups) — emodepside + toltrazuril (Procox)
• Profender (Elanco (Bayer)) — Emodepside + Praziquantel spot-on, Topical spot-on
• Procox (Elanco (Bayer)) — Emodepside + Toltrazuril oral suspension, Oral suspension

Storage

Spot-on pipettes / oral suspension: 15–30 °C in original packaging, protect from light; keep away from children and water bodies.

Before you use this dose

Reference doses for veterinary professionals. Confirm the dose against the product label, the patient’s condition, current guidance and local regulations before use; the attending veterinarian remains responsible for every clinical decision.

Other antiparasitics

• Diclazuril
• Diethylcarbamazine (DEC)
• Diminazene Diaceturate
• Doramectin
• Eprinomectin
• Epsiprantel
• Febantel
• Fenbendazole

Frequently asked questions