Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.
Praziquantel is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg PO once in rabbits, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.3 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rabbits.a). — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1056, Praziquantel/Praziquantel Combination Products monograph spanning p.1053-1056. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Increases cell membrane permeability to calcium in susceptible helminths, causing spastic paralysis, detachment, and disintegration.
Side effects & warnings
May cause transient GI upset, drooling (especially in cats). Safe in pregnant animals. Effective primarily against cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes).
Species with Praziquantel dosing data (57 dose rules)
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
Sample dosing (2 of 57 cited rules)
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 42 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.
Droncit Injectable and Tablets [Package Insert]. Shawnee Mission, KS: Bayer Animal Health; 2003. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1053, Praziquantel/Praziquantel Combination Products monograph spanning p.1053-1056.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Conboy G. Cestodes of dogs and cats in North America. Vet Clin North Am Small Animal Pract. 2009;39(6):1075-1090, vi. doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2009.06.005 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1053, Praziquantel/Praziquantel Combination Products monograph spanning p.1053-1056.
· 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.779 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.2 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rodents).
· 15. Barten SL. The medical care of iguanas and other common pet lizards. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1993;23:1213-1249. | 99. Gibbons PM, Klaphake E, Carpenter JW. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, ed. Exotic Animal Formulary. 4th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; 2013:83-182. | 148. Jenkins JR. Husbandry and diseases of old world chameleons. J Small Exot Anim Med. 1992;1:166-171. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1407
· 243. Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166. | 396. Rockwell K, Mitchell MM. Antiparasitic therapy. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1165-1170. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.230 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Reptiles).
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· 243. Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166. || 396. Rockwell K, Mitchell MM. Antiparasitic therapy. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1165-1170. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.230
· 420. Huckabee JR. Raptor therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:91-116. | 941. Tully TN. Psittacine therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:59-90. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.440 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Birds).
· 43. Bailey TA, Apo MM. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine, 3rd ed., Mosby Elsevier, Edinburgh, Scotland; 2016:637-678. | 178. Cooper JE, Appendix IX. Medicines and other agents used in treatment, including emergency anaesthesia kit and avian resuscitation protocol. In: Cooper JE, eds. Birds of Prey: Health and Disease, 3rd ed., Blackwell Publishing, Iowa State Press, Ames, IA; 2002:271-277. | 510. Lacasse C. Falconiformes. In: Miller RE, Fowler ME, eds. Fowler’s Wild Animal Medicine. 2015;Vol 8, Elsevier, St. Louis, MO, 127-142. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.439 doi:10.1016/b978-0-7234-3832-8.00023-7 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Birds).
· 43. Bailey TA, Apo MM. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine, 3rd ed., Mosby Elsevier, Edinburgh, Scotland; 2016:637-678. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.439 doi:10.1016/b978-0-7234-3832-8.00023-7 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Birds).
· 48. Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. | 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.779 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.2 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rodents).
· 48. Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015.; 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.779 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.2 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rodents).
· Bailey TA, Apo MM. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine, 3rd ed., Mosby Elsevier, Edinburgh, Scotland; 2016:637-678. / 232. Doneley B. Formulary. In: Doneley B, eds. Avian Medicine and Surgery in Practice: Companion and Aviary Birds; Manson Publishing, London, UK; 2011:285-320. / 159. Formulary. In: Chitty J, Lierz M, eds. BSAVA Manual of Raptors, Pigeons and Passerine Birds; BSAVA, Gloucester, UK; 2008:384-390. / 379. Harlin RW. Practical pigeon medicine. Proc Annu Conf Assoc Avian Vet; 2006:249-262. doi:10.1016/b978-0-7234-3832-8.00023-7 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Birds).
· Bailey TA, Apo MM. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine, 3rd ed., Mosby Elsevier, Edinburgh, Scotland; 2016:637-678. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.439 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Birds).
· Brust DM, Mans C. Sugar gliders. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:432-442. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.2 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Sugar Gliders).
· Carpenter 6e — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.2 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rodents).
· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Antiparasitic Agents Used in Reptiles, p.230: 'Praziquantel 8-10 mg/kg PO, SC, IM, repeat in 14 days' (Most species/cestodes, trematodes). Superscripts 243, 396 = Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, ed. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed. Elsevier; 2018:81-166 / Rockwell K, Mitchell MM. Antiparasitic therapy. In: Divers SJ, ed. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Reptiles).
· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed. (2023), p.738; corroborated by Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents, 4th ed., Appendix Table A.3, printed p.625, Hedgehogs column. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 8.3 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Hedgehogs).
· Conboy G. Cestodes of dogs and cats in North America. Vet Clin North Am Small Animal Pract. 2009;39(6):1075-1090, vi. doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2009.06.005 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1053, Praziquantel/Praziquantel Combination Products monograph spanning p.1053-1056.
· Equimax Paste [Package Insert]. Bimeda; 2012. / 36. Slocombe J. A modified critical test and its use in two dose titration trials to assess efficacy of praziquantel for Anoplocephala perfoliata in equids. Vet Parasitol. 2006;136(2):127-135. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1053, Praziquantel/Praziquantel Combination Products monograph spanning p.1053-1056.
· Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. | Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.779 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.2 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rodents).
· Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.2 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rodents).
· 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 — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: Experimental avian philophthalmosis: Evaluation of diagnosis and treatment of chickens infected with Philophthalmus gralli (Trematoda: Philophthalmidae). (Veterinary parasitology, 2018). doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.04.011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.04.011. The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "nt microscopical examination of the collected fluid for the presence of eggs of P. gralli. The […]". This is a second source alongside the book already cited; it corroborates the figure and does not by itself establish that the dose is correct. ROUTE DIFFERS: this rule is PO/SC but the sentence quoted describes IM. The dose figure is corroborated; the route is not.
· Hadfield CA, Clayton LA, eds. Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine. 1st ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell; 2021. p.531.
· Hadfield CA, Clayton LA, eds. Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine. 1st ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell; 2021. p.534.
· Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166. | Rockwell K, Mitchell MM. Antiparasitic therapy. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1165-1170. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.230 — Carpenter 6th ed, Table 4.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Reptiles). Superscripts 243 and 396 resolve to Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al, Reptiles, Exotic Animal Formulary 5th ed 2018:81-166 and Rockwell K, Mitchell MM, Antiparasitic therapy, in Mader Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery 3rd ed 2019:1165-1170.
· Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Ferrets).
· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.3 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Rabbits.a). — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1056, Praziquantel/Praziquantel Combination Products monograph spanning p.1053-1056.
· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Praziquantel monograph, p.1082, CATS single-agent (e), ref 14 = Conboy G. Cestodes of dogs and cats in North America. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2009;39(6):1075-1090 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1053, Praziquantel/Praziquantel Combination Products monograph spanning p.1053-1056.
· Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, Carpenter JW. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th Ed. Appendix: Formulary, Table A.3 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Small Mammals), Rabbits column - 'Praziquantel 5-10 mg/kg PO, SC, IM, repeat in 10 days'. (printed page 625). Number corroborated by BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed Part B: Exotic Pets, printed p.248: 'Rabbits: 5-10 mg/kg p.o., repeat in 10 days'.
· Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.249.
· Rockwell K, Mitchell MM. Antiparasitic therapy. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1165-1170. (co-cited: Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166.) — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.230
· Rockwell K, Mitchell MM. Antiparasitic therapy. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1165-1170. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.230 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.4 (Antiparasitic Agents Used in Reptiles).
· Samour, Avian Medicine, 3rd Ed. (raptor formulary appendix), p.668. Row as printed binds this dose to raptors on its own line: "Praziquantel Droncit 50-mg tablets Raptors SC or PO 5-10 mg/kg once Active against cestodes and trematodes".