Febantel: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antiparasitic

Also known as

Drontal Plus (component), Rintal, Vercom (component)

Species with doses

Dogs, Cats, Cattle, Horses and Sheep

General dose range

10–15 mg/kg PO single dose (repeat per cycle) — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• GI roundworms (Toxocara, Toxascaris), hookworms (Ancylostoma, Uncinaria), whipworms (Trichuris) in dogs
• Giardiasis (extended 3-day course of febantel-containing products)
• Broad-spectrum deworming (combination products add tapeworm cover via praziquantel)
• GI nematodes in horses, cattle and sheep (large-animal formulations)

Febantel 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

• GI nematodes (as Drontal Plus combination): Papich 5e: 10 mg/kg febantel (± praziquantel 1 mg/kg) PO with food once daily for 3 days; puppies 15 mg/kg (± praziquantel 1.5 mg/kg) daily for 3 days. With a combination tablet, dose by the product’s weight bands. Plumb’s 10e gives the Drontal Plus label regimen instead (next row).
• Tapeworms, hookworms, ascarids, whipworms — Drontal Plus label (single dose): Plumb’s 10e p.1093 and pp.1054–1055 (label dosage; FDA-approved): praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate/febantel tablets provide minimum 25 mg/kg febantel + 5 mg/kg pyrantel pamoate + 5 mg/kg praziquantel as a single dose, dosed by the weight-band table; not for puppies under 3 weeks or dogs under 0.9 kg. Also removes and controls Echinococcus multilocularis.
• Giardiasis: Papich 5e: for Giardia, febantel has been combined with pyrantel at 27–35 mg/kg febantel + 27–35 mg/kg pyrantel q24h PO for 3 days. Dose the combination product by its label weight bands where available.

Cats

• GI nematodes (combination): Papich 5e: 10 mg/kg febantel (± praziquantel 1 mg/kg) PO in food once daily for 3 days; kittens 15 mg/kg (± praziquantel 1.5 mg/kg).

Cattle

• GI nematodes: Papich 5e: cattle 7.5 mL/100 kg PO of the product (≈7.5 mg/kg for a 10% formulation). Follow the local product label withdrawal.

Horses

• GI nematodes: Papich 5e: horses 6 mg/kg PO.

Sheep

• GI nematodes: Papich 5e: sheep and goats 1 mL/20 kg or 5 mL/25 kg PO depending on the product concentration — dose by the product label. Extra-label where not labelled — observe FARAD withdrawal.

Buffalo

No buffalo-specific doses are on file, so buffalo are dosed as cattle.

• GI nematodes: Papich 5e: cattle 7.5 mL/100 kg PO of the product (≈7.5 mg/kg for a 10% formulation). Follow the local product label withdrawal.

Contraindications

Pregnancy in the first trimester for high/repeated benzimidazole dosing (theoretical teratogenicity at high doses — though febantel combinations are widely used; follow label). Known hypersensitivity. Combination products: heed each component's cautions.

Adverse effects

• Mild, transient GI upset (vomiting, soft stool)
• Generally minimal — wide safety margin
• Combination-product effects from pyrantel/praziquantel components

Drug interactions

• No major systemic drug interactions for the febantel component
• Combination products: pyrantel (depolarising neuromuscular agent) and praziquantel carry their own (minor) profiles

Pregnancy and lactation

Benzimidazoles are generally regarded as safe in pregnancy at label doses; avoid very high/repeated dosing in early gestation. Follow the specific combination-product label.

Monitoring

• Faecal egg count for efficacy; repeat dosing per parasite cycle
• Giardia recheck after the 3-day course
• GI tolerance

Toxicity and overdose

Very wide safety margin (benzimidazole class); overdose typically causes only mild GI upset. High-dose/prolonged benzimidazole exposure can rarely cause bone-marrow suppression, but this is not expected at deworming doses.

Management: Supportive — fluids/anti-emetic if needed. No specific antidote required given the wide margin.

Clinical pearls

• Think of febantel as "fenbendazole delivered as a pro-drug" — the broad benzimidazole spectrum in a combination-friendly molecule
• The Drontal Plus combo (febantel + pyrantel + praziquantel) is a one-tablet roundworm/hookworm/whipworm/tapeworm dewormer for dogs
• A 3-day febantel-containing course is a practical Giardia treatment
• Wide safety margin makes it forgiving, but still dose by accurate body weight

Mechanism of action

Febantel is a pro-drug converted in vivo to fenbendazole and oxfendazole, which bind parasite β-tubulin and inhibit microtubule polymerisation. This disrupts the worm's cytoskeleton, nutrient uptake and energy metabolism, killing GI nematodes. Mammalian tubulin has much lower affinity, giving the wide safety margin characteristic of benzimidazoles.

Formulations and products

• Drontal Plus tablet (febantel + pyrantel + praziquantel) — dogs
• Oral suspension / paste
• Drontal Plus (Elanco (Bayer)) — Febantel + Pyrantel + Praziquantel, Flavoured tablet
• Rintal (Bayer) — Febantel oral suspension / paste, Oral suspension / paste

Storage

Tablets/suspension: 15–30 °C, dry, protect from light.

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

• Doramectin
• Emodepside
• Eprinomectin
• Epsiprantel
• Fenbendazole
• Fipronil
• Flumethrin
• Fluralaner

Frequently asked questions