Kanikquantel Plus for cats: rules for ridding your pet of parasites

Kanikquantel Plus is one of the favorite anthelmintic tablets among dog owners and veterinarians. They have a complex effect, work gently and rarely cause side effects. At the same time, in recent years they have been criticized for declining efficiency.

In this review, we will consider: how well Canikquantel copes with helminths, in what cases it should be used, and when it is better to prefer more effective analogues. At the end of the article you will find real reviews from dog owners and recommendations for administering the drug.

Indications for use

Caniquantel Plus is prescribed for the treatment and prevention of helminthic infestations. It is effective for:

• nematodes: hookworm, toxocariasis, trichuriasis, toxascariasis, uncinariasis;
• cestodiasis: diphyllobothriasis, taeniasis, mesocestodiasis, dipylidiasis, echinococcosis.

The drug kills helminths, after which they are excreted along with the feces. If you see worms after your summer cottage, do not be alarmed: this is a normal effect of the drug, which means that it worked correctly. But if such cases repeat within a week and live worms are noticed, it means that the treatment is ineffective: it should be repeated or another medication should be selected.

How it works

A broad-spectrum drug. It is effective at all stages of development of roundworms and tapeworms. Praziquantel and fenbendazole in the medication disrupt energy metabolism, muscle innervation and the functioning of the nervous system of parasites. This leads to paralysis and death of the helminths.

Caniquantel Plus is effective against most worms that parasitize dogs. Including against:

• toxocara;
• ascaris of predators;
• uncinarium;
• hookworm;
• Vlasoglavov;
• echinococcus;
• alveococci;
• cucumber tapeworms;
• pork tapeworms;
• multiceps.

Once in the body, fenbendazole and praziquantel are quickly absorbed in the intestines and distributed in the organs and tissues of dogs. Excreted primarily in urine.

Kanikvantel for dogs: pharmacological effects

The veterinary drug for parasites for dogs is available in standard packaging, as well as in tablets for large breeds.

Kanikquantel Plus XL is calculated using a different dosage, but has similar composition and pharmacological properties. The active substances in the tablets are praziquantel in a volume of 50 mg, as well as fenbendazole at least 500 mg per tablet. The principle of the drug’s effect on internal parasites is as follows:

1. 2-4 hours after feeding, the tablet begins to dissolve in the stomach, penetrates the circulatory system, and spreads throughout all tissues of the animal’s body.
2. When interacting with helminths, praziquantel disrupts their energy metabolism. This leads to destabilization of muscle mass, the inability of worms to feed and reproduce.
3. Next, the nerve receptors of the worms are blocked, and they begin to get lost in space.
4. At the next stage, fenbendazole comes into effect. It destroys the muscles of adult sexually mature individuals and instantly kills all larvae.

The overall effect of the drugs in combination leads to complete paralysis in adult worms, helping to remove them in a convenient and painless way with fecal matter.

Instructions for use and dosage

For prevention, the drug is given quarterly; for treatment, double treatment is carried out with an interval of 7-10 days.

The features of using tablets and gel are different.

Thus, regular capsules (Caniquantel Plus) are given at the rate of 1 piece per 10 kg of weight, tablets with an increased dosage (Caniquantel Plus XL) - 1 piece per 20 kg of weight.

Capsules are fed in the morning on an empty stomach. They are disguised in a piece of delicacy (minced meat, butter, cheese, sausage) or given forcibly: the mouth is opened and the medicine is placed on the root of the tongue. If it is not possible to feed the entire tablet, it is crushed and diluted in 10 ml of water. The solution is thoroughly shaken and administered immediately from a syringe without a needle.

The gel is given at the rate of 0.5 ml per 1 kg (one syringe holds a dosage per 12 kg of animal weight). Feed as follows:

• before giving, adjust the dispenser in accordance with the weight of the dog;
• remove the plug;
• fix the pet between the knees and raise its head up;
• insert the tip of the dispensing syringe into the side of the mouth;
• squeeze out the gel to the mark on the graduation;
• After use, seal the syringe.

Make sure your dog swallows the medicine accurately. To do this, hold the animal’s head up for a couple of minutes and stroke its throat (this stimulates the swallowing reflex). Keep an eye on your pet for the first half hour: especially resourceful dogs hide medicines behind their cheeks, and, as soon as the owner turns away, spit them out.

If your dog does not swallow the medicine or does not eat all of it, repeat the deworming the next day.

Compound

The active ingredients are 500 mg fenbendazole and 50 mg praziquantel.
Excipients - 10 mg sodium lauryl sulfate, 20 mg polyvidone, 12 mg meat flavoring to improve taste and 600 mg magnesium stearate. The gel form has a slightly different composition and concentration of substances. One syringe contains 10 mg of praziquantel and 100 mg of fenbendazole (dispenser volume – 1 ml). Auxiliary components are 50 mg of silica gel, 120 mg of flavoring, the rest of the volume is supplemented with liquid paraffin.

Contraindications and side effects

Kanikvantel Plus is one of the most gentle anthelmintics. It belongs to low-hazard substances (hazard class 4 according to GOST 12.1.007-76). It is allowed to be used by dogs of all breeds. There are only minor restrictions. So, the drug is not given:

• puppies up to 3 weeks;
• bitches in the first 2/3 of pregnancy;
• nursing dogs;
• in case of hypersensitivity to the active ingredients of the drug;
• simultaneously with drugs containing piperazine, the substance will reduce the effectiveness of Kanikquantel.

Their side effects may be individual intolerance. It will manifest itself as increased salivation, weakness, diarrhea, and vomiting. The symptoms do not last long, go away on their own and do not require treatment.

Negative reactions are rare. Usually the owners confuse them with diarrhea or vomiting, which developed due to the removal of worms from the digestive tract. In this case, there will be dead helminths in the feces or vomit.

Personal safety rules

Kanikquantel plus tablets are prohibited for use for human deworming.

The drug in the form of a suspension or powder that gets onto damaged areas of the skin must be quickly removed using a large amount of running water. The appearance of itching, redness or other symptoms of an allergic reaction can be eliminated by using oral antihistamines, as well as ointments and gels for external use.

Analogues of the drug

Check out our huge review and rating of worming medications.

Forms of release of the drug

The description of the drug Kanikvantel provides a convenient form - tablets. They are extremely convenient for oral administration and also make it easy to calculate the required dose. Most often in veterinary medicine, small tablets with a diameter of 12-13 mm and a weight of 6 mg are used. In addition to the main active ingredients, the medicine may contain auxiliary ones - polyvidone, meat flavorings, sodium lauryl sulfate, magnesium stearate. Some manufacturers produce the medicine in the form of a fish-flavored gel.

Packing is carried out in blisters from 6 to 24 tablets per one. The package may contain 48, 60, 90 or 120 tablets.

The shelf life of the drug is about 4 years, so you can stock it for future use.

Owner reviews

Sasha: “I’ve been using Kanikquantel Plus for 4 years. I selected it for its effectiveness and inexpensive price: I have 5 dogs with an average weight of 25 kg, so it’s expensive to regularly worm with expensive products. They prefer gel: it’s more convenient to give it - I just mix it with food and feed it to the dogs. During all this time, none of the animals had any side effects.”

Olga: “I settled on Kanikvantel, since it can be given to dogs and cats: I have three of each. I take a package of gel for 3 syringes: this is enough for the whole company and I still have a little left in reserve. Animals are not delighted with the taste, so I give it to them by force, but the medicine does not cause any sharp rejection either.”

Answers to frequently asked questions

They gave Kanikvantel according to the regimen specified in the instructions, but they did not get rid of the worms. Is it possible to increase the dosage or extend the course of treatment?

In case of severe infestation and persistent helminthiasis, doctors prescribe an individual treatment regimen that differs from that indicated in the instructions. The drugs are given daily for 3-5 days. But this approach is used only as prescribed by a veterinarian and under his supervision. It is prohibited to resort to this method on your own.

Can the product be given to nursing dogs?

There are no direct prohibitions for lactating bitches. But keep in mind that the medicine will reach the puppies along with the colostrum and may harm them. Therefore, until the chicks reach three weeks of age, it is better to abandon the anthelmintic.

Is the drug effective on a full stomach? Should you not feed your dog the day before?

There is no need to go on a starvation diet before giving Kanikvantel. But it works better on an empty stomach: therefore, the tablet or gel is given before morning feeding in its pure form or with a small amount of food (treats).

conclusions

Kanikvantel is one of my favorite anthelmintics.
It acts gently, and the negative reactions to it in my practice can be counted on one hand. And they arose with severe infestation, so the side effects are partly attributed to helminth intoxication. Another plus: Kanikvantel for puppies is suitable from 3 weeks without any weight limit. You just need to calculate the correct dosage based on body weight.

The only negative is that Kanikvantel does not work well against toxocariasis, although sometimes it also “drives” toxocariasis. Its effectiveness against this type of worm has especially declined in recent years. For dogs whose test results have confirmed infection with such helminths, I prefer to prescribe Profender or Stroghold, they work better.

Unfortunately, the once ubiquitous Canikquantel is now difficult to find. Therefore, I replace it with Cestal Plus (besides, it works better), Pratel (cheap) or Prafen, if it is possible to get it from Ukraine.

For the rest, you can safely vouch for Kanikvantel. It works perfectly against most types of helminths, rarely provokes adverse reactions, and most animals eat it themselves without any problems - the tablets and gel are not bitter.