Praziquantel: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antiparasitic

Also known as

Droncit, Drontal, Quest Plus, Equimax

Species with doses

Dogs, Cats, Horses, Goats, Sheep, Birds, Rabbits, Guinea pigs, Reptiles, Camelids, Chinchillas, Hamsters, Rats, Mice and Gerbils

General dose range

5–10 mg/kg PO once — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Canine Dipylidium caninum, Taenia pisiformis, Echinococcus granulosus, Mesocestoides
• Feline Dipylidium caninum, Taenia taeniaeformis
• Spirometra, Diphyllobothrium
• Paragonimus kellicotti (lung fluke)
• Liver flukes (Platynosomum, Opisthorchiidae — cats)
• Equine cestodes (combined with moxidectin/ivermectin)
• Sheep/goat Moniezia spp.
• Avian tapeworms

Praziquantel 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

• Taenia / Echinococcus / Dipylidium / Mesocestoides: Plumb’s p.993 (Conboy 2009): 5 mg/kg PO or SC; Echinococcus granulosus 10 mg/kg (Sherding). Papich 5e: dogs >6.8 kg 5 mg/kg PO once; <6.8 kg 7.5 mg/kg PO. Label tablet bands: 34 mg tablet ½ (<5 lb) up to 5 tablets (>60 lb).
• Diphyllobothrium / Spirometra: Plumb’s p.993 (Roberson 1988): 7.5 mg/kg PO once daily for 2 days. Papich 5e gives a higher regimen for Spirometra/Diphyllobothrium — 25 mg/kg PO once daily for 2 consecutive days.
• Paragonimus kellicotti: Papich 5e: 23 mg/kg PO q8h for 3 days. Plumb’s p.993 (Reinemeyer; Hawkins): 23–25 mg/kg PO q8h for 3 days.
• Liver flukes (Platynosomum / Opisthorchiidae): Plumb’s p.993 (Taboada 1999): 20–40 mg/kg PO once daily for 3–10 days.

Cats

• Taenia / Dipylidium: Plumb’s p.993 (Conboy): Taenia, Echinococcus, Dipylidium, Mesocestoides 5 mg/kg PO or SC. Papich 5e / label: per-cat doses — <1.8 kg 11.4 mg; 2.3–5 kg 23 mg PO; >5 kg 34.5 mg PO.
• Spirometra mansonoides: Plumb’s p.993 (Bowman 2006): 30–35 mg/kg PO. Papich 5e: Spirometra/Diphyllobothrium 25 mg/kg PO once daily for 2 consecutive days.
• Paragonimus kellicotti: Plumb’s p.993 (Reinemeyer; Hawkins): 23–25 mg/kg PO q8h for 3 days.

Horses

• Anoplocephala perfoliata (tapeworm): Papich 5th ed p.796: horses 1.5–2.5 mg/kg PO. Usually given as a fixed combination with a macrocyclic lactone — ivermectin/praziquantel paste delivers ~1 mg/kg praziquantel with ivermectin 200 µg/kg; moxidectin/praziquantel gel delivers ~2.5 mg/kg. CORRECTION (2026-08-26 audit): this row previously read 5 mg/kg citing "Plumb's p.994 (Fowler 1989)" — that Plumb's line is the LLAMAS entry, not horses, so the camelid dose had been copied onto the equine row.

Goats

• Moniezia / Stilesia / Avitellina: Plumb's p.994 (Roberson 1988): 10–15 mg/kg for all species of Moniezia, Stilesia or Avitellina. Extra-label — observe FARAD withdrawal.

Sheep

• Moniezia / Stilesia / Avitellina: Plumb’s p.994 (Roberson 1988): sheep & goats 10–15 mg/kg for Moniezia, Stilesia and Avitellina. Extra-label — obtain a withdrawal (FARAD).

Pigs

• No reference dose for this species: The previous 8–10 mg/kg PO row for pigs had no source. Neither Papich 5e nor Plumb’s gives a swine praziquantel dose.

Birds

• Tapeworms (most species): Plumb’s p.994: 5–10 mg/kg PO or IM as a single dose for cestodes and some trematodes; ¼ of a 23 mg tablet per kg PO, repeat in 10–14 days (Clubb); chickens 10 mg/kg (Roberson). The injectable form is toxic to finches.

Rabbits

• Rabbit cestode infection: Plumb’s p.994 (Bryan 2009): rabbits 5–10 mg/kg PO once for cestodes and trematodes.

Guinea pigs

• Cestodes: Plumb's p.994 (Adamcak & Otten 2000): 6–10 mg/kg PO for tapeworms.

Reptiles

• Tapeworm / trematode treatment: Plumb’s p.994 (Gauvin 1993): most reptiles 7.5 mg/kg PO once, repeat in 2 weeks. Other cited ranges: 7–8 mg/kg PO, IM or SC (de la Navarre 2003); snakes 3.5–7 mg/kg (Roberson 1988).

Camelids

• Cestodes (llama / alpaca): Plumb's p.994 (Fowler 1989): llamas 5 mg/kg PO. This is the dose that had been mis-filed on the equine row.

Chinchillas

• Cestodes: Plumb's p.994 (Hayes 2000; Adamcak & Otten 2000): 6–10 mg/kg PO.

Hamsters

• Tapeworms: Plumb's p.994: 30 mg/kg PO once (Burke 1999) or 6–10 mg/kg PO (Adamcak & Otten 2000).

Rats

• Tapeworms: Plumb's p.994: mice/rats/hamsters/gerbils 30 mg/kg PO once (note high dose required, Burke 1999); or 6–10 mg/kg PO (Adamcak & Otten 2000).

Mice

• Tapeworms: Plumb's p.994: 30 mg/kg PO once (Burke 1999) or 6–10 mg/kg PO (Adamcak & Otten 2000).

Gerbils

• Tapeworms: Plumb's p.994: 30 mg/kg PO once (Burke 1999) or 6–10 mg/kg PO (Adamcak & Otten 2000).

Contraindications

Puppies <4 weeks (single agent label); kittens <6 weeks. Hypersensitivity. Injectable form is toxic in finches.

Species-specific warnings

Dogs: Pups <4 weeks not on most labels. Pregnant bitches: safe at label dose, but combo product partner drugs may not be — check label.

Cats: Safe and well tolerated. SC route can cause vocalisation / hypersalivation — give slowly. Kittens <6 weeks not on most labels.

Horses: Safe in pregnant mares and foals >6 weeks at 1 mg/kg PO. Combination products with moxidectin should be used cautiously in debilitated animals.

Cattle: Not commonly used as solo product in cattle — fluke control usually uses triclabendazole or closantel. Extra-label withdrawal applies.

Adverse effects

• Oral: anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, diarrhoea (<5% incidence)
• Injection: pain at site, drowsiness, vomiting, ataxia
• Cats: salivation, transient anorexia

Drug interactions

• Cimetidine: inhibits praziquantel metabolism — increased plasma levels
• Phenytoin / carbamazepine / phenobarbital: induce metabolism — may reduce efficacy
• Dexamethasone: may reduce praziquantel efficacy in cysticercosis (extra-label)
• Fenbendazole / pyrantel: complementary spectrum — commonly co-formulated for broad coverage

Pregnancy and lactation

Safe in pregnant dogs, cats, cattle, sheep at label doses. Use combination products (with ivermectin / pyrantel) cautiously — the partner drug may be contraindicated in pregnancy. Crosses placenta in low amounts. FDA Category B (human).

Monitoring

• Faecal exam (cestode segments) 14–21 days post-treatment for re-infection in flea-prone dogs / cats
• Adult horse: tapeworm antibody ELISA at 6 months for treatment efficacy verification
• Echinococcus (zoonotic) endemic areas: monthly dosing in dogs that hunt or eat raw offal

Toxicity and overdose

Very wide therapeutic index. Acute high-dose oral: transient vomiting, hypersalivation. SC / IM injection: stinging, occasional sterile abscess. Cats: rapid IM may cause vocalisation, hypersalivation. No reports of chronic toxicity at label doses.

Management: Supportive — most overdoses asymptomatic. Anti-emetic for vomiting. IV fluids if dehydrated. No specific antidote needed.

Clinical pearls

• Dogs / cats: 5–7.5 mg/kg PO single dose for Dipylidium, Taenia. Repeat at 21 days if heavy flea burden continues
• Echinococcus control programmes: 5 mg/kg PO monthly in endemic regions — zoonotic risk reduction
• Horses: 1 mg/kg PO single dose for Anoplocephala (typically combined with ivermectin / moxidectin)
• Cattle: 10 mg/kg PO for fasciolosis adjunct (limited stand-alone availability)
• Combination products (Drontal Plus, Equimax, Quest Plus) cover tapeworms + nematodes in one dose
• Subcutaneous injection in cats: 5.7 mg/kg SC single dose — convenient when oral compliance is poor

Mechanism of action

Isoquinoline anthelmintic. Causes massive Ca²⁺ influx into cestode (tapeworm) and trematode (fluke) tegument, leading to violent muscular contraction, paralysis, and vacuolar damage. Exposed scolex is then digested by host enzymes. Spectrum: all common tapeworms (Dipylidium, Taenia, Echinococcus) and many flukes. No activity against nematodes.

Formulations and products

• Droncit canine tablet 34 mg
• Droncit feline tablet 23 mg
• Droncit injection 56.8 mg/mL
• Ipraz tablet — Ivermectin 2 mg + Praziquantel 50 mg (Virbac)
• Ipraz (Virbac) — Ivermectin 2 mg + Praziquantel 50 mg, Tablet (small animals)
• Drontal Plus (Elanco (formerly Bayer Animal Health)) — Praziquantel 50 mg + Pyrantel Embonate 144 mg + Febantel 150 mg, Tablet (broad-spectrum canine dewormer)
• Bandystar Plus (Pet Mankind (Mankind Pharma)) — Praziquantel 50 mg + Pyrantel Embonate 144 mg + Febantel 150 mg, Tablet (broad-spectrum canine dewormer)

Storage

Tablets / paste: 15–25 °C, dry, protected from light. Injectable: 15–25 °C, do not freeze. Combination products: per product label.

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

• Oxibendazole
• Permethrin
• Piperazine
• Ponazuril
• Pyrantel pamoate
• Pyrimethamine
• Rafoxanide
• Ronidazole

Frequently asked questions