Rafoxanide: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antiparasitic

Also known as

Ranide, Flukanide, Rafoxanide

Species with doses

Cattle and Sheep

General dose range

7.5–10 mg/kg PO single dose (repeat per cycle) — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Liver fluke (Fasciola spp.) — adult and late-immature stages in cattle, sheep, goats
• Haemonchus contortus (blood-feeding nematode)
• Nasal bot (Oestrus ovis) in sheep
• Broad fluke + roundworm control (combination drenches)

Rafoxanide 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.

Cattle

• Liver fluke / Haemonchus: Label-sourced — neither Papich 5e nor Plumb’s has a rafoxanide monograph. Follow the local label for dose and meat withdrawal; not for animals producing milk for human consumption. Active against adult and late-immature fluke.

Goats

• No reference dose for this species: Neither Papich 5e nor Plumb’s has a rafoxanide monograph and no goat label dose is referenced.

Sheep

• Liver fluke / Haemonchus / nasal bot: Label-sourced (no Papich 5e or Plumb’s monograph). Follow the local label for dose and withdrawal. Also active against Oestrus ovis.

Buffalo

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

• Liver fluke / Haemonchus: Label-sourced — neither Papich 5e nor Plumb’s has a rafoxanide monograph. Follow the local label for dose and meat withdrawal; not for animals producing milk for human consumption. Active against adult and late-immature fluke.

Contraindications

Lactating dairy animals producing milk for human consumption (residues — per product). Known hypersensitivity. Emaciated/heavily debilitated animals (dose cautiously). Overdosing (moderate safety margin — visual disturbances reported at high doses). Observe meat withdrawal.

Species-specific warnings

Cattle: Not for lactating dairy in milk (residues); observe meat withdrawal (~28 days, verify) and dose accurately to avoid toxicity.

Adverse effects

• Generally well tolerated at label dose
• Visual disturbance/blindness reported at gross overdose (salicylanilide effect)
• Transient inappetence/GI signs

Drug interactions

• Combined with benzimidazoles/levamisole in fluke-plus-roundworm drenches (complementary spectra)
• Other uncouplers: additive metabolic toxicity
• No major therapeutic drug interactions at label dose

Pregnancy and lactation

Generally used in pregnant beef/sheep at label dose; verify product for dairy/breeding. Avoid overdosing.

Monitoring

• Faecal fluke egg counts / clinical response (chronic fasciolosis improves over weeks)
• Meat withdrawal compliance
• Accurate body-weight dosing (moderate margin — avoid overdose)

Toxicity and overdose

Moderate safety margin — overdose can cause VISUAL disturbance/blindness (salicylanilide optic effect), inappetence and GI/CNS signs. Dose by accurate body weight. Residues necessitate meat/milk withdrawal.

Management: No specific antidote. Supportive care; discontinue. Visual/CNS effects from overdose may be slow to resolve — supportive/nursing care. Prevent by accurate dosing and avoiding use in debilitated animals.

Clinical pearls

• A cheap, effective flukicide for ADULT/late-immature liver fluke — plus useful activity against Haemonchus and (in sheep) nasal bot Oestrus ovis
• For ACUTE fasciolosis (early immature flukes), triclabendazole/nitroxynil reach earlier stages better — rafoxanide shines against mature-fluke burdens
• Dose accurately (moderate margin) — overdose can cause blindness/visual disturbance
• Often used in combination drenches (with a benzimidazole/levamisole) for broad fluke + roundworm control; observe withdrawals

Mechanism of action

A salicylanilide that uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in the fluke/nematode mitochondria, collapsing the proton gradient so the parasite cannot generate ATP — it dies of energy failure. Because it is absorbed and reaches blood-feeding parasites (adult flukes, Haemonchus) via the host circulation, it targets the mature, blood-feeding stages effectively. The same uncoupling mechanism accounts for the visual/CNS toxicity seen at overdose.

Formulations and products

• Oral drench / suspension 2.5–3 %
• Combination drench (with levamisole/albendazole)
• Ranide / Flukanide (Various (India)) — Rafoxanide drench (± benzimidazole/levamisole), Oral drench

Storage

Drench/suspension: 15–30 °C, protect from light; shake well.

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

• Ponazuril
• Praziquantel
• Pyrantel pamoate
• Pyrimethamine
• Ronidazole
• Sarolaner
• Selamectin
• Spinosad

Frequently asked questions