Fluralaner: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antiparasitic

Also known as

Bravecto

Species with doses

Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and Hedgehogs

General dose range

25–56 mg/kg PO every 12 weeks — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

PO, Topical

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Flea infestation (Ctenocephalides) — 12-week control
• Tick infestation (Ixodes, Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor)
• Demodicosis / sarcoptic mange (off-label, effective)

Fluralaner 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

• Flea / tick control: Papich 5e: 25 mg/kg every 12 weeks (oral chew or topical); Demodex 25 mg/kg at 12-week intervals. Label weight bands deliver 25–56 mg/kg; give with food. Plumb’s 10e p.551 (label dosage; FDA-approved): minimum 25 mg/kg PO with food or topically every 12 weeks (8 weeks for Amblyomma americanum); dosage forms deliver 25–50 mg/kg by weight band.
• Flea / tick control — 1-month chew: Plumb’s 10e p.551 (label dosage; FDA-approved): Bravecto 1-Month chewable — minimum 10 mg/kg PO with food every month; the tablets deliver 10–22.5 mg/kg by weight band. Do not confuse with the 12-week product (25 mg/kg).
• Generalised demodicosis: Plumb’s 10e p.551 (extra-label): 25 mg/kg PO as a single dose; mite counts on skin scraping fell by more than 99% by 28 days.
• Sarcoptic mange / Otodectes / Linognathus: Plumb’s 10e p.551 (extra-label): 25 mg/kg PO (or topically for Sarcoptes and Otodectes) as a single dose — Sarcoptes scrapings negative by 14 days; Otodectes cure within 14–28 days (experimental); Linognathus setosus eliminated within 28 days.

Cats

• Flea / tick control: Papich 5e: 40 mg/kg topical solution every 12 weeks (label bands deliver 40–94 mg/kg). Fluralaner + moxidectin spot-on: 40 mg/kg fluralaner every 2 months. Plumb’s 10e p.551 (label dosage; FDA-approved): minimum 40 mg/kg topically every 12 weeks (8 weeks for Dermacentor variabilis); dosage forms deliver 40–90 mg/kg. Bravecto Plus (with moxidectin, minimum 2 mg/kg): every 8 weeks.
• Demodex gatoi / D. cati: Plumb’s 10e p.551 (extra-label): 26–34 mg/kg PO — a single 112.5 mg tablet per cat — as a single dose.
• Lynxacarus radovsky (fur mite): Plumb’s 10e p.551 (extra-label): 25–50 mg/kg PO as a single dose eliminated 100% of mites within 28 days, with clinical improvement by day 14.
• Otodectes cynotis (ear mite): Plumb’s 10e p.551 (extra-label): 40 mg/kg applied topically as a single dose achieved clinical and parasitological cure within 14–28 days (experimental).

Rabbits

• Psoroptes cuniculi (ear mite): Plumb’s 10e p.551 (extra-label): 25 mg/kg PO as a single dose gave clinical and parasitological cure by 12 days, maintained through the 90-day study.

Hedgehogs

• Caparinia tripilis (mite): Plumb’s 10e p.551 (extra-label): 10 mg/kg PO as a single dose killed mites between 7 and 14 days after administration (African pygmy hedgehog).

Contraindications

Use cautiously in dogs / cats with a history of seizures (class effect — neurological signs reported). Not established < 8–9 weeks or below minimum bodyweight. Hypersensitivity.

Species-specific warnings

Dogs: Isoxazoline class — neurological adverse events (tremor, ataxia, seizures) reported; weigh risk in dogs with epilepsy.

Adverse effects

• Mild GI upset (vomiting, diarrhoea, inappetence)
• Lethargy, pruritus at site (topical)
• Rare neurological signs — tremor, ataxia, seizures

Drug interactions

• No clinically significant drug interactions documented; co-administration with macrocyclic-lactone heartworm preventives is routine
• Highly protein-bound — theoretical displacement only

Pregnancy and lactation

The Bravecto chew is supported as safe in breeding, pregnant and lactating dogs per label studies; spot-on labelling varies — check the specific product.

Monitoring

• Neurological status in dogs / cats with a seizure history
• Give the oral chew with food to ensure full absorption and 12-week duration

Toxicity and overdose

Very wide safety margin — large overdoses are generally well tolerated. The class concern is neurological: tremor, ataxia and occasionally seizures, mainly in predisposed animals.

Clinical pearls

• Dose by the weight band on the pack — do not split or combine chews to hit an exact mg/kg
• Give the chew with a meal; absorption (and duration) depends on food
• Use with extra caution in pets with a seizure history — pick a non-isoxazoline if there is real concern

Mechanism of action

Isoxazoline ectoparasiticide. Potently and selectively blocks arthropod ligand-gated chloride channels (GABA- and glutamate-gated), causing uncontrolled neuronal hyperexcitation and death of fleas and ticks. Selectivity for invertebrate channels gives a wide mammalian margin; very long tissue persistence underlies the 12-week duration.

Formulations and products

• Bravecto chewable 112.5–1400 mg (by bodyweight band)
• Bravecto spot-on 280 mg/mL (cat / dog topical)
• Bravecto (MSD Animal Health) — 112.5–1400 mg chew; 280 mg/mL spot-on, Chewable / spot-on

Storage

Store at room temperature; keep chews in the original packaging until use.

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

• Febantel
• Fenbendazole
• Fipronil
• Flumethrin
• Halofuginone
• Imidacloprid
• Imidocarb Dipropionate
• Ivermectin

Frequently asked questions