Brand: VITAPET ® Worming Paste

Company: MASTERPET


FORMULATION: «paste» for oral administration, delivered in pre-filled syringes

ACTIVE INGREDIENT(S):

  • PYRANTEL (as pamoate salt): 30 g/L (equivalent to 3%)
  • NICLOSAMIDE: 200 g/L (equivalent to 20%)

CHEMICAL CLASS of the active ingredient(s):


INDICATIONS: DOGS

PARASITES CONTROLLED* (spectrum of activity):


RECOMMENDED DOSE*:

  • 1ml paste for every 2 kg bw (equivalent to 15 mg/kg pyrantel pamoate, 100 mg/kg niclosamide).
  • Read the product label for further details on dosing.

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


SAFETY

  • LD50 (acute oral) in rats: n.a. for the paste; >5000 mg/kg for pyrantel; >5000 mg/kg for niclosamide
  • Estimated Hazard Class according to the WHO: not applicable for veterinary medicines

Suspected poisoning? Read the article on pyrantel safety and/or niclosamide 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? VERY LOW

There are reports on resistance of Ancylostoma spp to pyrantel in dogs and horses, but is not widespread and not reported in cats.

There are no reports on resistance of tapeworms to niclosamide.

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)
  • Niclosamide: GENERIC (introduced in the 1950s)

*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: New Zealand
GENERIC BRANDS available? YES, in some countries.

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


COMMENTS

VITAPET Worming Paste for Dogs from MASTERPET is a classic wormer with generic pyrantel and niclosamide effective against roundworms and tapeworms.

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 controls important worms such as the roundworms Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina, and the hookworms Ancylostoma spp 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. It is not used in agriculture.

Niclosamide is another veteran, narrow-spectrum salicylanilide anthelmintic introduced in the 1950s (by BAYER). It is effective against several tapeworm species (e.g. Taenia spp) and rumen flukes (Paramphistomum spp) of livestock, but not against roundworms or any external parasite. It is scarcely used in pets because praziquantel is mostly preferred. Usage in livestock is marginal. It is used in agriculture as a mulluscicide, i.e. to kill snails.

Pyrantel and niclosamide have no residual effect, i.e. they act against the worms during a few hours after administration but are quickly metabolized and excreted. For this reason treatment must often be repeated for certain indications.

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.