Brand: NEMEX ®
Company: ZOETIS
FORMULATION: «tablets» for oral administration; may be chewable, flavored, coated, etc, depending on the country
ACTIVE INGREDIENT(S): PYRANTEL (as pamoate salt)
CHEMICAL CLASS of the active ingredient(s): TETRAHYDROPYRIMIDINE
INDICATIONS: DOGS
PARASITES CONTROLLED* (spectrum of activity):
- Roundworms (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina) and hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala)
RECOMMENDED DOSE*:
USA and other countries
Small dogs and puppies: Tablets with 22.7 mg pyrantel (may be broken in half)
- 1 tablet for each 10 lb (= 4.5 kg) of body weight, i.e. ≥2.27 mg/lb (≈5 mg/kg) pyrantel
Large dogs: Tablets with 113.5 mg pyrantel (may be broken in half)
- 1 tablet for each 50 lb (= 22.5 kg) of body weight, i.e. ≥2.27 mg/lb (≈5 mg/kg) pyrantel
* Can be slightly different in some countries: read the product label!
SAFETY
- LD50 (acute oral) in rats: >24g/kg (source: MSDS)
- Estimated Hazard Class according to the WHO: not applicable for veterinary medicines
Suspected poisoning? Read the article on pyrantel safety in this site.
Never use on cats tablets approved only for use on dogs, and vice-versa. Never use on small dogs tablets approved for large dogs. Learn more about tablets and their safety.
You may be interested in the following articles in this site dealing with the general safety of veterinary products:
- Safety for humans
- Safety for domestic animals
- Safety for the environment
- Hazard classifications of pesticides
RESISTANCE PREVENTION
Risk of resistance development? YES, but rather low in Ancylostoma caninum.
There are reports on resistance of Ancylostoma spp to pyrantel in dogs to and horses, but so far it does not seem to be widespread.
Alternatives to prevent resistance through product rotation:
- Benzimidazoles
- Emodepside
- Macrocyclic lactones (e.g. milbemycin oxime, selamectin)
- Imidazothiazoles (levamisole)
Learn more about resistance and how it develops.
MARKETING
Are the active ingredients of this product ORIGINAL* or GENERICS**?
- Pyrantel: GENERIC (introduced in the 1960s)
*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: USA.
GENERIC BRANDS available? YES, in some countries.
Click here to learn more about GENERIC vs. ORIGINAL drugs.
COMMENTS
NEMEX is ZOETIS veteran wormer for dogs with pyrantel pamoate.
Pyrantel is a narrow-spectrum anthelmintic belonging to the chemical class of the tetrahydropyrimidines that was introduced in the 1960s (by PFIZER → ZOETIS). It is effective against roundworms and a few tapeworms (depending on the dose) in the gut, but not against those in other organs (e.g. the lungs, the skin, etc). It adds efficacy against important dog worms such as the roundworms Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina, the hookworms Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala. It is used a lot in pets and horses but rarely in livestock. There are dozens of products for pets with generic pyrantel.
Pyrantel has no residual effect, i.e. it acts against the worms during a few hours after administration but is quickly metabolized and excreted. For this reason treatment must often be repeated for certain indications. This is in contrast with wormers containing macrocyclic lactones (e.g. milbemycin oxime, selamectin) that ensure efficacy against numerous roundworms during weeks after a single treatment.
In some countries ZOETIS markets pyrantel wormer formulations with other trade names (e.g. CANEX).
For an overview and a list of the most popular pet wormers 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.