Composition of Milprazone, release forms and storage conditions
Milprazone is a combination drug with an extensive antiparasitic spectrum, produced by the Slovenian company KRKA (KRKA ddNovo Mesto LLC).
Milprazone is available in the form of tablets of two dosages for pets of different weights, so they differ in the dose of active ingredients and are labeled in different colors: for kittens and small cats weighing up to 2 kg, they are brown-yellow, and for pets whose weight exceeds 2 kg, they are brown-red . Both dosages of the product have a meat flavor to make feeding it to pets easier. The Milprazone tablet has an oval shape, both of its surfaces are convex, and one of them contains a line that facilitates separation for dosing accuracy. To prevent premature release of active ingredients, the tablets are coated with a thin film. Milprazone is placed in blisters, each blister can contain 2 or 4 tablets; the product is provided with instructions for use and packaged in a cardboard pack, which may contain 2, 4 or 48 tablets.
For pets under 2 kg, Milprazone tablets are yellow-brown in color.
Table: composition of Milprazone for cats
Ingredient | Tablets for pets weighing less than 2 kg (brown-yellow) | Tablets for pets weighing more than 2 kg (brown-red) | |
Active ingredients | Milbemycima oxime | 4 mg | 16 mg |
Praziquantel | 10 mg | 40 mg | |
Excipients | Microcrystalline cellulose | 32.98 mg | 20.8 mg |
Lactose monohydrate | 75.37 mg | 41.5 mg | |
Povidone | 0.75 mg | 3 mg | |
Croscarmellose sodium | 5.5 mg | 7 mg | |
Silicon colloidal anhydrous | 0.9 mg | 1.2 mg | |
Magnesium stearate | 2.5 mg | 2.5 mg | |
Opadry white | 3.2 mg | 3.2 mg | |
Meat flavor (Aroma meat flavor 10022) | 0.4 mg | 0.4 mg | |
Dry yeast | 0.2 mg | 0.2 mg | |
Iron oxide red (E172) | 0.2 mg | 0.2 mg |
Milprazone is stored for 3 years under certain conditions:
- sealed original pack;
- away from human food and pet food;
- protection from dampness and sun exposure;
- inaccessible to children;
- temperature range 5–25o C.
If after using Milprazone there is half a tablet left, it is removed back and used next time, but it cannot be stored for more than six months.
For cats weighing more than 2 kg, Milprasone tablets are red-brown
How to store a veterinary drug
Unopened packaging can be stored for 2 years. After this time, the medicine cannot be used. Milprasone should be stored in a dark, dry place at a temperature of 5–25 °C. The storage location must be closed to children, animals and sunlight. Food and animal feed should not be kept nearby.
If the tablet cannot be used, you can put it in an open blister. Milprazone for kittens and cats weighing up to 2 kg should be stored for no longer than 3 months after opening. Milprazone for animals weighing more than 2 kg can be stored for a maximum of six months.
The tablets can be given orally or dissolved in water.
Indications for use of Milprazone
Milprasone treats and prevents diseases caused by parasitism of the most common types of worms: roundworms and tapeworms. The drug is active against both adult forms (imago) and their larvae.
Milprazone is active against pathogens:
- dipylidia;
- echinococcosis;
- taeniasis;
- hookworm;
- toxocariasis;
- dirofilariasis.
Dirofilariasis in cats
Unfortunately, in the last decade, veterinarians have been diagnosing dirofilariasis more and more often, and it has lost its status as a rare invasion. This is due both to improved diagnosis and to the expansion of the geographical area of the disease, which is naturally focal. Dirofilariasis is most common in the Russian Federation in the Rostov, Astrakhan regions, Kuban and Crimea. In smaller numbers, but regularly, cases of dirofilariasis are recorded in Moscow, central Russia, the Urals, the Far East and Siberia.
The causative agent of dirofilariasis is Dirofilaria immitis, a roundworm that lives in the right side of the heart in cats and reaches a length of 21 cm, and is the most dangerous parasite. The cat becomes its definitive host; infection occurs through mosquito bites that transmit microfilariae, the larval form of dirofilariasis. Cats get sick about 10 times less often than dogs, this is associated with their better resistance, but the consequences of dirofilariasis in cats are much more severe than in dogs, and the treatment and diagnosis of this disease for them are much less developed.
Massive damage to the heart chambers by heartworms
Symptoms of dirofilariasis in cats:
- apathy;
- loss of appetite and weight;
- exercise intolerance;
- cough;
- dyspnea;
- heart rhythm disturbances, heart murmurs are heard;
- increase in heart size;
- swelling of the extremities, accumulation of fluid in the pleural and abdominal cavities with the development of heart failure;
- possible sudden death as a result of pulmonary embolism by a dead parasite.
The only reliable method of ridding a cat of parasites is their surgical removal from the chambers of the heart; the risk is high. According to foreign researchers, the survival rate of cats after diagnosis is 1.5–4 years, with a worse prognosis if infected at a young age.
A reliable method of preventing serious illness is taking drugs that are active against microfilariae, one of which is Milprazone. Prevention in cats is necessary in those regions where prevention is carried out in dogs. According to foreign authors, up to 30% of infected cats were exclusively kept in apartments, and this did not protect them from infection.
Prevention of dirofilariasis begins at 8 months, 1 month before the mosquito flight season, throughout the entire flight season, and 1 month after it. The year-round presence of mosquitoes requires year-round prevention.
Video: dirofilariasis in pets
How does Milprazone work?
Milprazone has a combined composition, and its action is realized through the combined effects of the active ingredients - milbemycin oxime and praziquantel.
Milbemycin is active against roundworms (nematodes), kills both mature individuals that parasitize in the lumen of the digestive system, and larvae that are carried through the bloodstream through the internal organs, causing tissue damage. It also has a detrimental effect on the larval form of the dirofilariasis pathogen, preventing its development. Milbemycin increases the content of chloride ions in the cells of nerve fibers and muscles of parasites, which causes paralysis and subsequent death. After taking the tablet, the highest concentration of milbemycin in the serum is recorded after 2 hours; the substance is excreted unchanged, losing half of its therapeutic activity within 13 hours.
Praziquantel destroys roundworms and tapeworms (cestodes), increasing the content of intracellular calcium. This leads to paralysis of the muscles of the worms, and also damages the tegument - the outer shell of the parasite, which protects it from the effects of the cat’s digestive enzymes. Praziquantel reaches its maximum level in the blood an hour after taking the tablet and is excreted by the kidneys in the form of inactive metabolic products with the loss of half of its activity after 3 hours.
Milprazone tablets are defined as a moderately hazardous chemical compound, and if the dosage regimen is followed, they do not show any effect:
- embryotoxic - do not cause damage to the embryo with subsequent miscarriage;
- teratogenic - do not cause malformations in the fetus;
- sensitizing - do not cause allergic restructuring of the immune system with the subsequent formation of hypersensitivity reactions.
Cats tolerate Milprazone well, but it is harmful to bees and aquatic life.
Pharmacological properties
The antiparasitic effect of the drug is due to its components:
- Milbemycin oxime destroys roundworms, as well as the larvae of Dirofilaria immitus, which cause the development of dirofilariasis. The principle of action of the substance is based on the fact that under its influence the permeability of cell membranes increases, and disturbances occur in the functioning of the nervous system and muscle tissue. As a result, paralysis occurs and the parasites die.
- Praziquantel is effective against tapeworms and roundworms. The principle of its action is in many ways similar to other active substances. Due to disturbances in metabolic processes and muscle contraction, paralysis occurs, due to which the parasites die. Praziquantel helps remove dead worms from the animal's body.
An important advantage of the medication is its rapid action. After entering the intestines, the active substances are quickly absorbed. In just 1-2 hours, the content of active components in the blood plasma is equal to the maximum value.
According to the instructions for use, Milprazone for cats is considered a moderately dangerous medicine. If you do not exceed the dose, it does not have an embryotoxic effect on the body and is not addictive.
Note! Milprazone is toxic to fish and bees, so it must be disposed of in accordance with legal requirements. Do not allow the drug to get into water bodies, ponds, rivers and other sources of water resources.
Features of using Milprazone in cats
For effective treatment with Milprazone, it is important to follow its instructions.
Selection of dosage
The dose is selected based on the weight of the pet. To achieve the effect, 2 mg of milbemycin and 5 mg of praziquantel are required for each kg of the pet’s weight.
Table: selection of the dose of Milprazone for a cat
Pet weight | Milprazone for pets weighing up to 2 kg (brown-yellow tablets) | Milprasone for pets weighing more than 2 kg (brown-red tablets) |
0.5–1 kg | 0.5 tablets | |
>1–2 kg | 1 tablet | |
>2–4 kg | 0.5 tablets | |
>4–8 kg | 1 tablet | |
>8–12 kg | 1.5 tablets |
Reception scheme
For treatment, Milprazone is prescribed based on the presence of worm infestation; for prevention, it is prescribed once per quarter. If the next preventative dose is missed, the drug should be taken as quickly as possible without changing the dosage. Milprazone is also used 10–14 days before vaccination and mating. This period is necessary for the complete recovery of the body from intoxication caused by dead parasites, which is especially pronounced with irregular use of anthelmintics. Milprazone protects against heartworm infection only for 1 month, and if the pet lives in a region where heartworm disease is endemic, it is necessary to use a different drug every month, containing only milbemycin oxime or another ingredient with activity against heartworms. The manufacturer does not recommend monthly use of Milprazone for this purpose.
Milprasone is offered to the pet along with a handful of food or force-fed, placed on the root of the tongue. Milprasone does not require prior fasting or laxative use.
Use during pregnancy and in kittens
Milprazone is approved for use during pregnancy and lactation under medical supervision. It is not prescribed to kittens under 6 weeks of age, or those weighing less than 0.5 kg. When prescribing the drug to kittens, special attention is required, since side effects develop in them more often than in adult pets.
How to give a pill to a cat
There are several ways to feed the tablet to your cat:
- Voluntary feeding along with food - a hungry pet is offered a tablet along with a minimum amount of food so that everything is guaranteed to be eaten.
- Voluntary feeding along with a treat - the tablet is offered to the cat, having previously hidden it in a treat, for example, a ball of cheese or minced meat.
- Force feeding:
- Grasp the cat's head from above with your left hand and press with your thumb and forefinger on the base of the cat's jaw on both sides, achieving an opening of the mouth.
- With your right hand, place the product on the root of the tongue.
- Close the cat's mouth and hold it closed.
- Release the cat's head while continuing to keep the jaws closed.
- Gently stroke the cat's throat, provoking a reflex swallowing movement.
- If the cat is strong and evasive, you can grab it by the skin on the back of the neck and lift it up. This will not cause her pain, but will reflexively ease the tension of the chewing muscles, and the mouth will open slightly.
- You can use a piller (tablet dispenser), which is a plastic tube equipped with a piston for pushing out the tablet. Using a peeler does not require wide opening of the cat's mouth, saves energy and time, and also protects fingers from the pet's teeth. The piller can be made independently from a syringe, the diameter of which coincides with the size of the tablet, by cutting off its distal part.
Video: how to give a pill to a cat
What to do in case of overdose
An overdose occurs when the dosage regimen is violated, as well as when a cat spontaneously eats a freely available drug. Her symptoms:
- general weakness;
- impaired coordination of movements;
- muscle tremors;
- vomit;
- diarrhea.
If the symptoms are moderate, the cat should be monitored, since in most cases the condition normalizes on its own within 24 hours. If the health disorder is significant, and symptoms persist for more than a day, the pet must be taken to a veterinarian for symptomatic therapy:
- To reduce the concentration of the drug in the blood, infusion therapy (droppers) with solutions of: Ringer's is carried out;
- saline solution.
- Smecta;
If symptoms of Miprazole overdose persist for more than a day, you should consult a doctor.
Safety when using Milprazone
The manufacturer recommends taking the following safety measures:
- Persons allergic to the components of Milprazone should not have direct contact with it.
- If the drug accidentally gets on the skin and mucous membranes, it must be quickly washed off using soap and running water.
- When working with Milprazone, do not eat, drink or smoke, which avoids accidental ingestion of the drug.
- After finishing working with Milprazone, be sure to wash your hands using soap.
- If a person accidentally swallows Milprazone, or if an allergy to the drug develops, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor, taking with you the instructions for the drug or its packaging to facilitate identification of the drug.
Reviews and advice from veterinarians
Veterinarians speak very positively about this drug. However, they advise giving the medicine to cats, strictly following the instructions for use. Adult animals usually easily tolerate treatment and prevention of helminths. But veterinarians advise kittens under 6 weeks not to be treated for parasites. An immature body cannot cope with such a potent drug.
Reviews from veterinarians about Milprazone for cats indicate that the drug can be harmful if given to a sick pet. Before deworming, doctors advise making sure that the animal is completely healthy. To do this, you need to measure his temperature and also check his general health. The cat must be in good spirits, get enough sleep, eat and exercise. The Milprazone tablet should not be given on an empty stomach - the pet must eat a hearty meal.
Drug-drug interactions
The manufacturer indicates that Milprazone is compatible with selamectin (the active substance of Stronghold); There are no data on combined use with other macrocyclic lactones. Macrocyclic lactones as active ingredients are included in many antiparasitic drugs, including those used regularly against external parasites, for example, Advocate drops, so compatibility between drugs must be taken into account.
When is the drug prescribed?
Based on the instructions for use, as well as numerous reviews, Milprazone for cats is prescribed when one of the following diagnoses is established:
- Associative invasion of mixed type.
- Nematodosis.
- Cestodosis.
In addition to obvious infection with parasites, Milprazone can be given to an animal as a prophylaxis against helminths, as well as to prevent the occurrence of dirofilariasis.
Table: comparative review of Milprazone tablets for cats
A drug | Compound | Indications | Contraindications | Price |
Milprazone tablets | Milbemycin oxime, praziquantel |
|
|
|
Milbemax, tablets |
| |||
Lawyer, drops on the withers | Moxidectin, imidacloprid |
|
|
|
Stronghold, drops on the withers | Selamectin |
|
| |
Gelmimax-4, tablets | Praziquantel, moxidectin |
|
| 432 for 2 tablets |
Photo gallery: Milprazone analogues
Milbemax is a complete analogue of Milprazone, used quarterly
Helmimax has a similar spectrum of action, and can also be used for monthly prevention of dirofilariasis, since it contains another active ingredient = moxidectin, a more modern
Stronghold drops on the withers are destructive to external parasites, fleas and ticks, as well as roundworms and their larvae, but do not affect tapeworms, suitable for monthly use
Advocate drops have a spectrum of action similar to Stronghold and are used monthly
About the benefits of an antiparasitic agent
Helminth larvae are found everywhere: in food, water, soil, plants, air. They easily penetrate the animal’s body and actively reproduce. The condition of the cats changes noticeably. They get tired quickly, become lethargic, and find it difficult to make contact. Animals may become aggressive when suffering from painful symptoms. Cat owners often confuse the symptoms of helminthic infestation with signs of infectious and viral diseases. Treatment is not applied, and this dramatically worsens the cat’s health. Untimely deworming can lead to the death of the animal.
Worms are very tenacious, but with the help of Milprazone they can be destroyed. In terms of effectiveness and availability, this medicine is considered one of the best among inexpensive drugs that have an anthelmintic effect. Regular use protects against internal and external parasitic infestations that are dangerous to animals and people. Let us highlight the main advantages of Milprazone:
- Eliminates all existing types of worms.
- Prevents the proliferation of parasites at the cellular level.
- Has a minimum of contraindications.
- If the dosage is observed, Milprazone does not harm the health of the cat.
- The convenient tablet form and pleasant meaty taste make it easy to use.
- It works quickly and is affordable.
Even if the animal does not leave the house, the possibility of infection cannot be excluded. Milprazone for cats is used regularly for treatment and prevention. The product improves the condition and mood of the animal, normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Owner reviews
Of course, they promised me that the cat would happily eat this pill.
No matter how it is. I mixed it with dry food and stuffed it into sausage, just like in the movie. But the tablet still remained in the bowl. In the end I had to mix it with wet food. After that, the tablet went where it was supposed to go. Antanel
https://otzovik.com/review_7017685.html
In general, I am a little disappointed with these tablets, because one of the cats still had to force it into his mouth, and we specifically spent a considerable amount so that this would not have to be done.
Although the tablets themselves are convenient for deceiving a cat’s vigilance. Or maybe my Marquis is just too cunning. So I still recommend these tablets for purchase. Leno4ka-Peno4ka
https://otzovik.com/review_3616333.htm
Milprazone is a combined broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug, an analogue of Milbemax. Milprazone destroys round and tapeworms, as well as their larvae. A significant advantage of Milprazone is the ability to prevent the development of dirofilariasis, but the manufacturer recommends its quarterly use, so there is a need to use other means in endemic areas during insect flight in those months when Milprazone is not used.
Personal prevention measures
21. When working with Milprazone tablets for cats, you must follow the general rules of personal hygiene and safety precautions provided for when working with medications. During work, smoking, drinking and eating are prohibited; after work, you should wash your hands with soap.
22. People with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug should avoid direct contact with Milprasone tablets for cats.
Empty packaging of the drug must be disposed of with household waste.
23. In case of accidental contact of the medicinal product with the skin or mucous membranes of the eyes, they must be rinsed with plenty of running water. If allergic reactions occur or if the drug accidentally enters the human body, you should immediately contact a medical facility (bring with you the instructions for use of the drug or the label).