PREVENTIC for DOGS - COLLAR against TICKS - VIRBAC - amitraz - amidine

Brand: PREVENTIC ®

Company: VIRBAC

FORMULATION: «collar» impregnated with insecticides/tickicides 

ACTIVE INGREDIENT(S)*: AMITRAZ 90 g/kg (= 9.0%)

CHEMICAL CLASS of the active ingredient(s): AMIDINE

INDICATIONS: DOGS

PARASITES CONTROLLED* (spectrum of activity)

* Can be slightly different in some countries: read the product label!

RECOMMENDED DOSE:

Since the active ingredient is released slowly from the collar's matrix, it is not possible to calculate the exact dose that the animals are exposed to in a particular moment.

SAFETY

  • LD50 (acute oral) in rats: n.a. for the collar. For the active ingredient amitraz 600 to 800 mg/kg depending on the carrier.

Suspected poisoning? Read the article on amitraz safety in this site.

WARNING !!!: Never use on cats collars approved only for dogs. Amitraz is toxic to cats!  Learn more about insecticide-impregnated collars and their safety.

You may be interested in the following articles in this site dealing with the general safety of veterinary products:

RESISTANCE PREVENTION

Risk of resistance? LOW in:

Resistance of brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) to amitraz has not been reported, however there are cases of resistance to synthetic pyrethroids and organophosphates in seveal countries. Experience shows that prolonged and uninterrupted use of a tickicide on these ticks bears the risk of resistance development.

Alternatives to prevent resistance through product rotation:

*F = effective against fleas; T = effective against ticks.

These alternative products may not be available in all countries, or may not be available as collars.

Learn more about resistance and how it develops.

MARKETING

Are the active ingredients of this product ORIGINAL* or GENERICS**?

  • GENERIC (introduced in the 1970s)

*Meaning that they are still patent protected and generics are not yet available
**Meaning that they have lost patent protection and may be acquired from manufacturers of generic active ingredients other than the holder of the original patent.

COUNTRIES where this product is marketed (maybe under another TM): basically worldwide, including the USA, the EU and Australia.
GENERIC BRANDS available? YES, but not in all countries.

Click here to learn more about GENERIC vs. ORIGINAL drugs.

COMMENTS

PREVENTIC is an amitraz-impregnated collar for dogs from VIRBAC (formerly INTERVET) with a 3-month efficacy claim against ticks, including the most common ticks species that affect dogs and cats in the USA (Deer ticks Ixodes scapularis; American dog ticks Dermacentor variabilis; brown dog ticks Rhipicephalus sanguineus), in the EU (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus) and elsewhere (paralysis ticks Ixodes holocyclus; bush ticks Haemaphysalis longicornis; Ixodes hexagonus).

Amitraz is an amidine acaricide and insecticide introduced in the 1970s (by BOOTS & CO). Amitraz was the first amidine (also called formamidines) used against ticks on cattle and it followed the organochlorines and organophosphates that had been discovered in the 1950s-1960s. It is still massively used in livestock in tropical and subtropical regions, but rather scarcely in pets. It is also used in agricultural pesticides. Amitraz kills and repells ticks but has no effect whatsoever on fleas. It has also a detaching and repellent effect on ticks. The label claim of 3 months protection is substantially longer than most alternative products (spot-ons, tablets, etc.). Amitraz has no effect whatsoever on fleas or mosquitoes that affect dogs.

Topical products (mainly spot-ons and insecticide-impregnated collars) have some advantages over systemic products (mainly tablets for oral administration and injectables):

  • Most topical products kill or sterilize the parasites before they bite and suck blood on the pet, whereas systemic products kill or sterilize the parasites only after their blood meal.
  • Topical products cannot be vomited.
  • Spot-ons and collars are very convenient to administer.
  • There is a larger choice of topical products.

But topical products have also some disadvantages:

  • Topical products contaminate the pet's hair coat and it is advisable for children and also adults to avoid contact with the pet for several days after treatment.
  • Topical products may not control parasites in some parts of the pet's body (e.g. the ears, below the tail, between the legs, etc.), whereas systemic products reach the blood-sucking parasites through the blood wherever they are.
  • Efficacy of topical products may be reduced or shortened through exposure to dirt, sun, shampooing, washing, rain, baths, etc., whereas efficacy of systemic products is independent from these factors.

For an overview and a list of the most popular pet antiparasitics for flea, tick, lice and/or mite control click here.

DISCLAIMER

This article IS NOT A PRODUCT LABEL. It offers complementary information that may be useful to veterinary professionals and users that are not familiar with veterinary antiparasitics. 

Information offered in this article has been extracted from publications issued by manufacturers, government agencies (e.g. EMEA, FDA, USDA, etc.) or in the scientific literature. No guarantee is given on its accuracy, integrity, sufficiency, actuality and opportunity, and any liability is denied. Read the site's DISCLAIMER.

In case of doubt contact the manufacturer or a veterinary professional.

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