Epsiprantel
Epsiprantel is an oral **cestocidal antiparasitic agent** used primarily for the treatment of tapeworm infections in dogs and cats. - **Indications**: Highly effective for the removal of *Dipylidium caninum* and *Taenia pisiformis* in dogs, and *Dipylidium caninum* and *Taenia taeniaeformis* in cats. - **Clinical Pearl**: Unlike praziquantel, epsiprantel is very poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This lack of systemic absorption contributes to its exceptionally wide safety margin and minimal risk of systemic adverse effects.
Mechanism: While the exact mechanism of action against cestodes is not fully elucidated, epsiprantel acts directly on the tapeworm: - **Calcium Dysregulation** → Induces severe tetany (muscle spasms) in the parasite. - **Attachment Disruption** → Causes the tapeworm to lose its grip on the host's intestinal mucosa. - **Integument Alteration** → Damages the worm's outer protective layer, rendering it highly vulnerable to digestion by the host animal's gastrointestinal enzymes.
Dosing by species
- Cestode infection (Dipylidium caninum, Taenia taeniaeformis) · 2.75 mg/kg · PO · once · Single dose · Cats up to 10 lb should receive one 12.5 mg tablet; cats 11-20 lb should receive one 25 mg tablet
- Cestode infection (Dipylidium caninum, Taenia pisiformis) · 5.5 mg/kg (2.5 mg/lb) · PO · once · Single dose · Round up to the next larger tablet size
Doses are a clinical reference for licensed veterinary professionals. Always confirm against the current label and the individual patient.
Routes of administration
Contraindications
- Puppies less than 7 weeks of age
- Kittens less than 7 weeks of age
Adverse effects
- Vomiting (rare)
- Diarrhea (rare)
Drug interactions
- Prokinetic agents · Theoretically may reduce the drug's efficacy by decreasing gastrointestinal transit time
- Fast-acting laxatives · Theoretically may reduce the drug's efficacy
Monitoring
- Clinical efficacy (resolution of tapeworm infection)
Overdose
Acute toxicity resulting from an inadvertent overdose is highly unlikely due to poor systemic absorption. - **Cats**: Doses as high as 36X the recommended dose resulted in vomiting in some of the kittens tested. - **Dogs**: Single doses of 36X those recommended in dogs caused no adverse effects.
VetSheet drug reference is intended for licensed veterinary professionals as a clinical decision-support aid, not a substitute for professional judgement or the manufacturer’s current label.