The most widely used pharmaceutical that is effective against tapeworm is praziquantel. This is the active ingredient in the majority of good tapeworm products.


Although praziquantel is the only ingredient that can kill tapeworms, several products are combined with another ingredient which works against roundworms, so the treatment covers the full range of worm infections.
 Praziquantel paralyzes the tapeworm, causing it to release its grip on the bowel wall. The dead worm is then passed out through the feces.


Praziquantel causes paralysis by making the phospholipid integument (skin) of the tapeworm permeable to sodium, potassium, and calcium ions.
A massive influx of calcium ions paralyses the tapeworm's primitive nerve system, so the worm's suckers let go of the bowel wall and it is passed out., For many years the only products containing praziquantel were Drontal tablets and the Droncit injection. However, other products are now available including Milbemax tablets, and a spot-on product, Profender, which is applied to the skin on the back of the cat's neck. A summary of these products is listed below:



Droncit injection: Contains praziquantel and is solely effective against tapeworms (no efficacy against roundworms).

Drontal tablets: Contains praziquantel against tapeworm and pyrantel which is effective against roundworms

Milbemax tablets: Contains praziquantel against tapeworm and milbemycin against roundworms.

Profender spot-on: Contains praziquantel against tapeworm and emodepside against roundworms.
 The dose of praziquantel orally is 5mg/kg body weight. Tablet sizes are conveniently manufactured so that an average sized cat weighing 4-5kg requires a single tablet.


This dose kills the tapeworm present in the cat at the time of dosing, but has no lingering effect should the cat re-infect herself the following day.Approximately 2% of cats have mild side effects after oral dosing, which include sickness, diarrhea, or reduced appetite. However, all the products listed above have a wide safety margin.
Purchase a tapeworm product that contains the ingredient praziquantel.
Understand how praziquantel works.
Identify some products that contain praziquantel.
Give the cat an appropriate dose of the tapeworm treatment.
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