Nitenpyram: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antiparasitic

Also known as

Capstar

Species with doses

Dogs and Cats

General dose range

1 mg/kg PO as needed (rapid knockdown; can repeat daily) — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Rapid knockdown of adult flea infestation (within hours)
• Flea-allergy dermatitis flare — immediate relief
• Pre-surgical / pre-grooming / shelter-intake flea removal
• "Kick-start" alongside a longer-acting flea product

Nitenpyram 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

• Rapid flea knockdown: Papich 5e: 1 mg/kg daily PO as needed. Plumb’s p.891 (Capstar label): dogs 0.9–11.4 kg one 11.4 mg tablet; 11.4–56.8 kg one 57 mg tablet — as often as once daily, with or without food.

Cats

• Rapid flea knockdown: Papich 5e: 1 mg/kg daily PO as needed. Plumb’s p.891 (label): cats 0.9–11.4 kg one 11.4 mg tablet, as often as once daily.

Contraindications

Use as sole long-term prevention (too short-acting). Known hypersensitivity. Otherwise minimal — usable in very young, pregnant and nursing animals per label.

Adverse effects

• Transient itching/agitation as fleas die and move (pruritus from dying fleas, not the drug)
• Occasional hypersalivation/vomiting
• Very well tolerated overall

Drug interactions

• No significant systemic drug interactions
• Complements longer-acting adulticides/IGRs (e.g. lufenuron, spinosad, isoxazolines) — commonly combined

Pregnancy and lactation

Considered safe in pregnant and lactating dogs and cats per label.

Monitoring

• Rapid drop in flea numbers within hours
• Need for a residual product (nitenpyram alone gives no prevention)
• Owner reassurance about transient post-dose itching

Toxicity and overdose

Very wide safety margin (insect-selective). Overdose is generally innocuous beyond transient hypersalivation/GI upset. The visible post-dose itching is fleas dying/moving, not toxicity — owners should be reassured.

Management: Supportive only; effects are minor and short-lived. No specific antidote needed.

Clinical pearls

• The fastest flea kill in a pill — dead fleas within hours; perfect for instant relief and shelter/clinic intake
• Very short-acting: it is a knockdown tool, NOT prevention — always follow with a residual adulticide/IGR
• Safe enough to repeat daily and to use in very young, pregnant or nursing animals
• Warn owners the pet may itch more briefly as fleas die and move — that's expected, not a reaction

Mechanism of action

A neonicotinoid that binds and over-activates insect postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, causing rapid excitatory paralysis and death of adult fleas. High selectivity for insect (vs mammalian) nicotinic receptors plus rapid oral absorption gives near-immediate flea kill with a wide mammalian safety margin.

Formulations and products

• 11.4 mg tablet (cats & small dogs 1–11 kg)
• 57 mg tablet (dogs >11 kg)
• Capstar (Elanco (Novartis)) — 11.4 mg (cats/small dogs) / 57 mg (dogs), Oral tablet

Storage

Tablets: 15–30 °C, dry, protect from light; keep in original blister.

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

• Morantel
• Moxidectin
• Nicarbazin
• Niclosamide
• Nitroxynil
• Oxfendazole
• Oxibendazole
• Permethrin

Frequently asked questions