Drontal is a brand of prescription anthelminthic that is used primarily in the killing and removal of certain species of intestinal parasites in cats and kittens. These parasites can include tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms. It is available in tablet formulation and is specifically designed to be given to felines weighing at least 2 pounds and at least 2 months old.
You May Also Like: Dewormers For Cats
Indications
Drontal for cats is specifically designed to remove common intestinal worms that infest cats and kittens.
- Roundworms
These are one of the most common intestinal parasites found in the feline world. They can grow up to 4 inches long and can take the appearance of spaghetti. Cat roundworms that Drontal for cats is effective against include Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina.
- Hookworms
These intestinal parasites look very much like roundworms except that they are typically shorter by about an inch or so. These organisms have a special affinity to the small intestines where they feed off the blood from the intestinal walls. They can cause severe anemia, particularly in younger kittens. Drontal for cats is effective against Uncinaria stenocephala and Ancylostoma braziliense.
- Tapeworms
These are called as such because they resemble a tape measure that can grow up to 28 inches long. These segmented worms can cause massive weight loss or even severe vomiting. Some of the most common tapeworms known to infest cats for which Drontal has been proven effective against include Taenia taeniceformis and Dipylidium caninum.
Benefits of Drontal
The benefits of using Drontal for cats are directly related to their main use. Here are some of the more important benefits of giving Drontal to your feline friend.
- Removes common intestinal parasites from your cat’s gastrointestinal tract.
- Prevents the complications associated with these parasites such as anemia, vomiting, and severe malnutrition.
- Promotes healthier digestion for your cat.
- Safe and proven clinical efficiency.
- Can be easily administered since it comes in scored tablet form.
Related Post: Probiotics for Cats
How Drontal Works
The anthelminthic or deworming properties of Drontal are inherently tied to the effectiveness of its ingredients. Drontal for cats contains both Pyrantel and Praziquantel to provide you with a broad-spectrum of deworming activity.
Pyrantel is especially known for killing species of pinworms, hookworms, and the roundworms ascaris, trichostrongylus, and trichinella. What it does is that it serves like the muscle relaxant that is given to you during surgery. Pyrantel is a neuromuscular blocking agent which effectively causes severe contractions or seizures in the target intestinal worms leading to paralysis. Because the worms latch onto the walls of the cat’s intestines, paralysis will cause them to lose their grip and they are then passed out in the stool.
The addition of Praziquantel in the formulation of Drontal for cats effectively broadens the scope of its efficacy. This chemical is typically used in the treatment of certain species of tapeworms and trematodes. Its mechanism of action is quite different from Pyrantel although the result is essentially the same. Paralysis and slow death result because of an increase in cellular permeability to calcium. The other difference is that Praziquantel doesn’t necessarily allow the passage of dead worms in the stool. Instead, the cat’s phagocytes and macrophages break down the dead worms so that all you will see in the cat’s feces are remnants of these dead intestinal parasites.
It is this unique combination of Pyrantel and Praziquantel that gives Drontal for cats its amazing anthelminthic properties.
Potential Side Effects
Drontal for cats is generally safe. However, in rare instances, loss of appetite, diarrhea, increased salivation, and vomiting may occur.
Things You Should Know about Drontal
Drontal is the brand name of an anthelminthic that is approved by the FDA for use on cats weighing at least 2 pounds or that are aged at least 2 months for the removal of roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. It comes in a scored tablet form and is generally safe.
What You Should Tell Your Vet before He Prescribes Drontal
Since the anthelminthic has not been studied on pregnant felines, it is best to inform your vet if your pet is currently pregnant. It is also important to disclose any concurrent medications that contain piperazine as this may adversely affect the outcome of the treatment.
How to Give Drontal to Your Cat
Each scored tablet of Drontal contains 72.6 mg of pyrantel pamoate and 18.2 mg of praziquantel. It is only administered once. However, because Drontal only removes the intestinal parasites that are currently inside your pet, this means the possibility of reinfestation is high. Nevertheless, the following dosage should be adhered to.
- For kittens weighing 2 to 3 pounds – ½ tablet
- For cats weighing 4 to 8 pounds – 1 tablet
- For cats weighing 9 to 12 pounds – 1.5 tablets
- For cats weighing 13 to 16 pounds – 2 tablets
- The current treatment recommendations are as follows:
- For kittens – once every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age; shift to once a month until reaching 6 months old; then once every 3 months
- For adult cats – once every 3 months
- For lactating cats – concurrent treatment with kittens
Drontal for cats come in scored tablets so it should be fairly easy to cut a tablet in half. It can be given directly into your pet’s mouth. Alternatively, the tablet can be crushed or pulverized and then mixed with cat food. However, the amount of food should be just enough to mask the pulverized or crushed tablet.
If you are having difficulty administering Drontal for cats to your pet, you may need to talk with your vet so he may administer an injectable form of Drontal.
Related Posts: Best Dry Cat Food and Best Wet Cat Food
What to Do If You Miss a Dose
If you miss a scheduled treatment, give it at once. But if it’s near the following treatment schedule, don’t bother. Also, don’t double the next treatment.
What to Do in Case of Drontal Overdose
Overdosing is unheard of in Drontal. But in case you notice something ‘off’ with your pet after giving Drontal, then it’s worth calling your vet.
Some Drug Interactions
Drontal is safe. However, it is still best to talk with your vet if your cat is on any medication or supplement.
Drontal for cats is an effective and duly FDA-approved dewormer for cats. It is safe and very easy to administer. Unfortunately, it doesn’t confer any immunity and as such the treatments should be repeated at least every 3 months for adult cats.
Sources:
- How to Give Your Cat a Tablet, International Cat Care
- Jane Meggitt, Drontal Tablets for Worms in Cats, The Nest
I have numerous cats- both house cats and indoor/outdoor cats. My neighbors cats have way, way too many kittens and I am doing my best to get them neutered and spay, but what a challenge it is proving to be.
Anyway I want to micro dose Drontal, say weekly or monthly, and wonder if one or two tablets split in their wet food would be beneficial or potentially harmful. I’m a RN so I am comfortable with medicine. I cannot see us feeding each individual cat one or two tablets every three months. Thoughts?
You are awesome! Keep up the good work!
Hello. I have an outdoor cat (6#) named Blackie that is elderly so I now have her inside the house in a bedroom. She has come out a few times but prefers to stay in the room (the door is left open). She has hookworms and I’ve given her drontal and will give her another pill in a week per vet recommendation. I also have 4 other inside cats but they are using their litter boxes (three boxes) in another room. I’m not sure if any of my other 4 have used Blackie’s litter box but might have. The vet gave me one dose for each of them.
Here’s my questions: How long after being treated should I wait to sterile their litter boxes? I scoop all of their boxes 2-3 times a day. Thanks so much and have a “lovely day”.
Allana
Thank you for the clear information on Drontal for cats. We recently rescued a stray Russian Blue that hunted a good deal of his food. My brother took care of him as an outside cat for over a year. He also had 2 indoor cats. When my brother passed away, we brought all three into our home with our own 14 year old tom. It took a few months, but we now have a tolerant clouder of yard lions. A few weeks ago I saw the Blue step from his litter pan trailing a tape worm. This product has been a lifesaver. Thank you.
I accidently gave my cat a bayre tapeworm tablet, he has round worms horribly. How soon can I give him the drontal? He Vomited the up about 2 cups if round worms. ( he ate a rat) yuk…made me sick.
Question is Drontal safe to give with L-Lysine and DMG ? Thank you
My cat weight is 3.7 kg I gave him 1 tablet of Drontal. After 3 hrs upon taking the tablet he lost his bearing to walk. He is very lethargic. The vet is close, please advise what I can do to help until the vet is open tomorrow. Tq n regards
How long does the first application of frontline take to work
Does drontal need to be given on an empty stomach? If so, after dosage, when can cat eat?
Thanks, Val
Hello Olivia,
I have noticed some muscle weakness of the hind limbs that occur to my adult male cat whenever I give him Drontal. His last blood tests were normal. How would you explain such reaction?
Thank you.
Hello, why do kittens need more frequent dosing with Drontal than cats do? Is it because a kitten’s fur coat is thinner – which makes it easier for them to swallow an infected flea?
In addition, is it harder to kill tapeworms in kittens than in cats? For what it’s worth, I treated our kitten (4.5 months old) with Profender drops three weeks ago, but it did not kill the worm infection. The kitten is also receiving monthly doses of Advantage and flea baths too.
Regards.