Drontal Plus Side Effects: A Veterinarian Explains Side Effects of Drontal Plus for Canines

If your dog has worms, you want them out as soon as possible. Drontal Plus is an FDA-approved dewormer (or anthelmintic) that can do the trick. Side effects of Drontal Plus for dogs are generally minimal. Bring your dog's fresh stool sample to the veterinarian so they can determine which worms are infesting your pet and treat accordingly.

A brand name, broad-spectrum dewormer manufactured by Elanco Animal Health (formerly Bayer), Drontal Plus contains the anthelmintics praziquantel, pyrantel pamoate, and febantel. It is a prescription medication that gets rid of four forms of tapeworm infection in the dog. It also eliminates two species of ascarids (roundworms), two types of hookworms, and whipworms.

Drontal Plus comes in nonchewable tablets and chewable tablets called Taste Tabs, which most dogs find palatable. The nonchewable tablets can be placed inside a pill pouch or small piece of soft food. As with all medication, it should be kept out of the reach of children. Drontal Plus oral treatment should be stored at room temperature.

Bring a fresh stool sample to your veterinarian about two to four weeks after your dog receives the dewormer so they can determine whether any worms remain. Often, a single dose is sufficient to eradicate these parasites. However, in cases of tapeworms from fleas, the flea problem must be controlled with a product such as NexGard. Otherwise, reinfection is likely.

For dogs living in areas frequented by foxes, wolves, and coyotes carrying Echinococcus tapeworms, regular retreatment with Drontal Plus may be needed. As with roundworms and hookworms, Echinococcus can spread to humans, so strict hygienic precautions should be taken if your dog has one of these parasites.

Most dogs tolerate Drontal Plus very well, and overall safety is rated as excellent. Some dogs might experience loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea after receiving the dewormer.

Depending on the type of worm your pet has, you may or may not see dead worms in your dog's stool after they receive Drontal Plus. Hookworms are small and as thin as a hair, so it's unlikely you'll notice them. Tapeworm segments often get digested or partially digested in the intestines after a dog receives Drontal Plus or Droncit, which just contains praziquantel.

Droncit comes in tablet form and injectable form. If your veterinarian administers a Droncit injection to your dog, your pet might feel more uncomfortable afterward than with other types of shots, like vaccinations. The Droncit injection goes into the muscle, similar to when you get a flu shot, so your pet might whimper in pain or scratch at the injection site for a few days after treatment.

A puppy or small dog with a huge worm load could suffer a bowl impaction after receiving Drontal Plus. If your dog doesn't have a bowel movement within 24 hours after receiving Drontal Plus, contact your veterinarian. The sheer number of worms dying off can block the intestines, which is an emergency. That's especially true of roundworms, which are among the most common worms in puppies. These worms can be up to 7 inches long and look like spaghetti.

Dogs with large loads might vomit up worms or cough them up from their lungs. Unborn puppies can get roundworms across the placenta if their mother is infected. Pups can also pick them up from their mother's milk or from ingesting contaminated soil.

Don't deworm your dog with Drontal Plus tablets if you know or suspect she's pregnant. The drug can cause abortion or defects in the fetuses. Puppies under 3 weeks of age should not receive Drontal Plus, nor should any puppy weighing less than 2 pounds. If your dog is on a monthly topical or oral heartworm preventive, that medication will eradicate the same intestinal worms as Drontal Plus with the exception of tapeworms.

Drontal Plus is a broad-spectrum dewormer that is safe to use in dogs as young as 3 weeks of age as long as they weigh a minimum of 2 pounds. The dewormer comes in tablets or chews and treats dogs for tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Though most dogs do well after receiving Drontal Plus, some dogs might experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea afterward. Pregnant animals should not receive Drontal Plus.