What is Albendazole used for?

Albendazole is indicated for: Anthelmintic, Encephalitozoon hellem keratoconjunctivitis, Encephalitozoonosis (E. cuniculi), GI nematodes, Giardia, hepatic parasites, Heterakis (caecal worm), Intestinal helminths, liver flukes, lungworm, Microsporidian keratoconjunctivitis, Nematodes, tapeworms.

Which species have cited Albendazole dosing data?

Albendazole dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 11 species: Amazon Parrot, Bearded Dragon, Cat (Domestic), Cattle (Beef/Dairy), Chicken (Poultry), Dog (Domestic), Goat (Caprine), Guinea Pig, Rabbit (Domestic), Sheep (Ovine), Umbrella Cockatoo.

Is Albendazole a controlled substance?

Albendazole is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

What are the warnings or contraindications for Albendazole?

Teratogenic — CONTRAINDICATED in pregnant animals. Bone marrow suppression with prolonged use. Broader spectrum than fenbendazole but more toxic. Monitor CBC.

What are the side effects of Albendazole?

Reported side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications for Albendazole: Teratogenic — CONTRAINDICATED in pregnant animals. Bone marrow suppression with prolonged use. Broader spectrum than fenbendazole but more toxic. Monitor CBC.

How does Albendazole work?

Binds beta-tubulin, inhibiting microtubule polymerization in parasite cells. Disrupts glucose uptake and depletes glycogen stores.

Albendazole

US brand names:Valbazen

Calculate dosage

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Albendazole is dosed at 50 mg/kg PO once; no repeat interval printed in bearded dragons, per Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, corpus p.1405 (printed p.1195), Table 127.4 'Antiparasitic Agents' — SOURCE EDITION: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Antiparasitic

Routes

Indications

AnthelminticEncephalitozoon hellem keratoconjunctivitisEncephalitozoonosis (E. cuniculi)

Backed by 10 published sources

· 137. Canny CJ, Ward DA, Patton S, et al. Microsporidian keratoconjunctivitis in a double yellow-headed Amazon parrot (Amazona ochrocephala oratrix). J Avian Med Surg. 1999;13:279-286. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.430 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929
· 705. Phalen DN, Logan KS, Snowden KF. Encephalitozoon hellem infection as the cause of a unilateral chronic keratoconjunctivitis in an umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba). Vet Ophthalmol. 2006;9:59-63. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.430 doi:10.1111/j.1463-5224.2005.00434.x — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Sample dosing (2 of 12 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 11 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Dog (Domestic)	PO	25–50 mg/kg	q12h	Moderate	Verified against Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.41 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.41' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.13; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.13. — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855
Cat (Domestic)	PO	25–50 mg/kg	q12h	Weak	Verified against Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.41 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.41' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.13; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.13. — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855,

· Beck W, Pantchev N. Praktische Parasitologie bei Heimtieren, Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft MBH & Co, Hannover, Germany; 2006. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.776 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.2 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Greenacre, C.B., Luna, G.L., and Morishita, T.M. (2018). Backyard poultry and waterfowl. In: Exotic Animal Formulary, 5e (ed. J.W. Carpenter), 377-432. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. — Source: Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.582 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755

· Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, corpus p.1405 (printed p.1195), Table 127.4 'Antiparasitic Agents' — SOURCE EDITION: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.849 — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.21, Albendazole monograph spanning p.20-21; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.3 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rabbits.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (Budde & McCluskey, 2023), corpus p.48 = print p.21, GOATS row; ref 5 = Valbazen albendazole suspension [US product label], Zoetis 2020 — 21 CFR § 520.38a (Albendazole suspension), conditions of use for Goats: 10.009-10.009 mg/kg (the regulation prints this per pound; converted at 2.2046226 lb/kg). Related tolerances: 21 CFR § 556.34. Retrieved from the eCFR API, snapshot 2026-01-01. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-520.38a — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.48' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.21; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.21. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· US FDA. Valbazen (albendazole oral suspension), NADA 110-048, Zoetis. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=94cf5818-f27d-4374-87ad-54a2d9ce6ef1 - cattle, sheep, nonlactating goats; cattle 10 mg/kg PO once; cattle meat withdrawal 27 days, no milk withdrawal established. — 21 CFR § 520.38a (Albendazole suspension), conditions of use for Cattle: 10.009-10.009 mg/kg (the regulation prints this per pound; converted at 2.2046226 lb/kg). Related tolerances: 21 CFR § 556.34. Retrieved from the eCFR API, snapshot 2026-01-01. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-520.38a

· Valbazen - albendazole suspension [US product label]. Kalamazoo, MI: Zoetis Inc.; 2020. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=94cf5818-f27d-4374-87ad-54a2d9ce6ef1 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.48 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.21, Albendazole monograph spanning p.20-21; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — 21 CFR § 520.38a (Albendazole suspension), conditions of use for Sheep: 7.4957-7.4957 mg/kg (the regulation prints this per pound; converted at 2.2046226 lb/kg). Related tolerances: 21 CFR § 556.34. Retrieved from the eCFR API, snapshot 2026-01-01. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-520.38a — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Verified against Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.41 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.41' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.13; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.13. — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855

Albendazole

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Albendazole dosing data (12 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 12 dose rules

Backed by 10 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 12 cited rules)

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Albendazole

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Albendazole dosing data (12 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 12 dose rules

Backed by 10 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 12 cited rules)

Upgrade for Full Details

Articles mentioning Albendazole

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