Brand: PIPERAZINE WORM TABLETS

Company: AYRTON SAUNDERS


FORMULATION: «tablets» for oral administration

ACTIVE INGREDIENT(S): PIPERAZINE CITRATE, 500 mg/tablet

CHEMICAL CLASS of the active ingredient(s): PIPERAZINE DERIVATIVE


INDICATIONS: DOGS & CATS

PARASITES CONTROLLED* (spectrum of activity):


RECOMMENDED DOSE*:

  • Puppies and Kittens: 200mg/kg as a single dose (1 tablet per 2.5 kg bodyweight).
    • 1st dose: 2 weeks of age
    • 2nd dose: 2 weeks later
    • Subsequent doses: every 2 weeks of age until 3 months of age and then at 3 monthly intervals.
  • Nursing Bitches and Queens: They should be treated at 2 weeks after giving birth and every 2 weeks until weaning. It is advisable to treat bitches and queens at the same time as the puppies or kittens.
  • Older dogs and cats: 200mg/kg as a single dose (1 tablet per 2.5kg body weight) at 9 months of age. Repeat treatment at 3 monthly intervals.

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


SAFETY

  • LD50 (acute oral) in rats: >5000 mg/kg
  • Estimated Hazard Class according to the WHO: not applicable for veterinary medicines

Suspected poisoning? Read the articles on piperazine safety in this site.

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


RESISTANCE PREVENTION

Risk of resistance development? NO

There are no reports on resistance of pet roundworms to piperazine

Learn more about resistance and how it develops.


MARKETING

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

  • Piperazine: GENERIC (introduced in the ~1900)

*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: UK and other EU countries.
GENERIC BRANDS available? YES, but rather few.

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


COMMENTS

PIPERAZINE WORM TABLETS from AYRTON SAUNDERS is a classic pet wormer with generic piperazine.

Piperazine was already used as a human medicine at the end of the 19th century. Its anthelmintic properties for animals were discovered in the 1950's. It is still used on livestock and pets, although it has been vastly replaced with more effective compounds, especially in ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats). It is also used in anthelmintics for humans, but also in antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, etc. Piperazine derivatives are also used in plastics, resins, and other industrial materials, as well as an adulterant in the psychedelic drug scene.

Piperazine derivatives have a narrow spectrum of anthelmintic activity. They are especially effective against adult ascarid roundworms (in pets e.g.Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati). Worm stages in the tissues (e.g. migrating larvae) are less susceptible than those inside the gastrointestinal tract.

Piperazine derivatives have no residual effect. This means that a single administration will kill the parasites present in the host at the time of treatment, but it will not protect against re-infestations. Since it is not effective against larvae in the host tissues outside the gastrointestinal tract, re-treatments may be required to ensure control of certain species.

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.