Pyrantel is a narrow-spectrum anthelmintic effective against gastrointestinal roundworms but not against those in the lungs or elsewhere in the host's body. At higher doses it is also effective against certain tapeworms as well. It is ineffective against flukes (e.g. Fasciola hepatica). It is completely ineffective against external parasites.
Oral administration is the rule. It is used very scarcely in livestock but quite a lot in dogs and cats (often in tablets, pills, etc. or oral suspensions) and also in horses (mostly in oral pastes & gels). There are hundreds of generic brands worldwide, also in mixtures with other anthelmintics. It is also used as a human medicine. It is not used against agricultural or household pests.
Pyrantel is used in the form of different salts, e.g. chlorhydrate, tartrate and pamoate (=embonate). Efficacy depends on the content of so-called "pyrantel base". 10 mg pyrantel base correspond to 11.5 mg pyrantel chlorhydrate; 17.22 mg pyrantel tartrate; and 29 mg pyrantel pamoate (=embonate). The tartrate is water-soluble but is unstable in solutions. The pamoate (=embonate) is not soluble in water.
In carnivores (incl. dogs and cats) delivery with the food increases the bioavailability of pyrantel resulting in a better efficacy.
Pyrantel has almost no residual effect, i.e. it kills the parasites during a few hours after treatment but offers no significant protection against re-infestation.
The table below indicates some usual dosing recommendations for pyrantel issued by manufacturers or documented in the scientific literature. They may not be approved in some countries.
| Dosing recommendations for PYRANTEL |
||
| DOGS | ||
| Delivery | Parasites | Dose (against pyrantel-susceptible parasites) |
| Oral (base) | Gastrointestianl roundworms | 5 mg/kg; rep after 1 week against Ancylostoma spp |
| Oral (pamoate) | Gastrointestianl roundworms | 14.5 mg/kg (= 5 mg/kg base); rep after 1 week against Ancylostoma spp |
| Oral (base) | Toxocara canis, puppies |
5 mg/kg on days 10, 20 & 30 after birth. In puppies of large breeds 7,5 mg/kg. |
| Oral (pamoate) | Ancylostoma, Uncinaria, puppies |
14.5 mg/kg (= 5 mg/kg base) 30 min after a light meal. In high-risk puppies 1 week after birth + every 2 weeks during 5-8 weeks |
| CATS | ||
| Delivery | Parasites | Dose (against pyrantel-susceptible parasites) |
| Oral (base) | Gastrointestianl roundworms | 20-30 mg/kg, rep after 1 week if needed |
| Oral (pamoate) | Gastrointestianl roundworms | 57.7 mg/kg (=20 mg/kg base), rep after 1 week if needed |
| CATTLE | ||
| Delivery | Parasites | Dose (against pyrantel-susceptible parasites) |
| Oral (base) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 6.5-13 mg/kg |
| Oral (tartrate) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 25 mg/kg (= 13 mg/kg base) |
| SHEEP & GOATS | ||
| Delivery | Parasites | Dose (against pyrantel-susceptible parasites) |
| Oral | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 13-25 mg/kg |
| Oral (tartrate) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 20-50 mg/kg |
| SWINE | ||
| Delivery | Parasites | Dose (against pyrantel-susceptible parasites) |
| Oral (tartrate) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 22-25 mg/kg; max 2 g/animal |
| Oral (tartrate) | Oesophagostomum spp | 22 mg/kg or 800 g/ton of feed |
| Oral (tartrate) | Ascaris suum | 96 g/ton of feed or 2.6 mg/kg/day during 3 days |
| HORSES | ||
| Delivery | Parasites | Dose (against pyrantel-susceptible parasites) |
| Oral (base) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 6.6-7.2 mg/kg |
| Oral (base) | Tapeworms | 6.6-13.2 mg/kg |
| Oral (pamoate) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 19 mg/kg (= 6.6 mg/kg base) |
| Oral (pamoate) | Tapeworms | 38 mg/kg (= 13.2 mg/kg base) |
| Oral (tartrate) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 12.5 mg/kg (= 7.2 mg/kg base) |
| SOUTH AMERICAN CAMELIDS | ||
| Delivery | Parasites | Dose (against pyrantel-susceptible parasites) |
| Oral (pamoate) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 18 mg/kg |
| POULTRY | ||
| Delivery | Parasites | Dose (against pyrantel-susceptible parasites) |
| Oral (pamoate) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 4.5 mg/kg, rep after 14 days |
| Oral (tartrate) | Gastrointestinal roundworms | 20-60 mg/kg |
| Oral (tartrate) | Ascaridia galli, L3-larvae | 75-125 mg/kg |
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Dosing recommendations for antiparasitics depend on national regulations. National regulatory authorities determine whether a product is approved for a given indication, i.e. use on a particular host at a specific dose and against a specific parasite. Check the labels of the products available in your country for specific information on approved indications.
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