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Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2025 18:16

Release 2.86
Veloxa and Veloxa XL Chewable Tablets for Dogs
 
Species: Dogs
Therapeutic indication: Pharmaceuticals: Endoparasiticides: Anthelmintics for dogs, Tapeworm products
Active ingredient: Febantel, Praziquantel, Pyrantel Embonate
Product:Veloxa Chewable Tablets for Dogs
Veloxa XL Chewable Tablets for Dogs
Product index: Veloxa
Incorporating:
Qualitative and quantitative composition
Veloxa Chewable Tablets for Dogs
Each tablet contains:
Active substances:
mg/tablet
Febantel
150.0
Pyrantel
50.0
(corresponding to Pyrantel embonate)
144.0
Praziquantel
50.0
Veloxa XL Chewable Tablets for Dogs
Each tablet contains:
Active substances:
mg/tablet
Febantel
525.0
Pyrantel
175.0
(corresponding to Pyrantel embonate)
504.0
Praziquantel
175.0
Excipients:
Qualitative composition of excipients and other constituents
Cetyl palmitate
Starch, pregelatinised
Sodium starch glycolate (type A)
Colloidal anhydrous silica
Magnesium stearate
Artificial beef flavour
Brownish, oval, divisible tablet. The tablet can be divided into two equal parts.
Pharmaceutical form
See "Qualitative and quantitative composition" section.
Clinical particulars
Target species
Dogs
Indications for use for each target species
Anthelmintic for treatment of mixed infections by the following roundworms and tapeworms in dogs and puppies (Veloxa) and in dogs over 17.5 kg (Veloxa (XL):
Ascarids: Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina (adult and late immature forms)
Hookworms: Uncinaria stenocephala, Ancylostoma caninum (adults)
Whipworms: Trichuris vulpis (adults)
Tapeworms: Echinococcus spp., Taenia spp. and Dipylidium caninum (adult and immature forms).
Contraindications
Do not use in animals with a hypersensitivity to any of the active substances or the excipients.
Special warnings
Fleas serve as intermediate hosts for one common type of tapeworm – Dipylidium caninum.
Tapeworm infestation is certain to reoccur unless control of intermediate hosts such as fleas, mice, etc. is undertaken.
Special precautions for use
Special precautions for safe use in the target species:
Parasite resistance to any particular class of anthelmintic may develop following frequent, repeated use of an anthelmintic of that class.
Fleas serve as intermediate hosts for one common type of tapeworm - Dipylidium caninum. Tapeworm infestation is certain to reoccur unless control of intermediate hosts such as fleas, mice, etc. is undertaken.
Special precautions for use
Special precautions for use in animals
Veloxa Chewable Tablets for smaller dogs is recommended for use in dogs less than 17.5 kg bodyweight (Veloxa XL).
Tapeworm infestation is unlikely in pups less than 6 weeks of age.
The tablets are flavoured. In order to avoid any accidental ingestion, store tablets out of reach of animals.
To minimise the risk of re-infestation and new infestation, excreta should be collected and properly disposed of for 24 hours following treatment
Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal product to animals
In the interests of good hygiene, persons administering the chewable tablet directly to a dog or by adding it to the dog's food, should wash their hands afterwards. In case of accidental ingestion, seek medical advice immediately and show the package leaflet or the label to the physician.
Special precautions for the protection of the environment:
Not applicable.
Other precaution
Since it contains praziquantel, the veterinary medicinal product is effective against Echinococcus spp. which do not occur in all EU member states but are becoming more common in some. Echinococcosis represents a hazard for humans. As Echinococcosis is a notifiable disease to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), specific guidelines on the treatment and follow-up, and on the safeguard of persons, need to be obtained from the relevant competent authority.
Adverse events
Dog.
Very rare (<1 animal / 10,000 animals treated, including isolated reports):
Digestive tract disorder (e.g., vomiting) *
* mild and transient
Reporting adverse events is important. It allows continuous safety monitoring of a veterinary medicinal product. Reports should be sent, preferably via a veterinarian, to either the marketing authorisation holder, or its local representative or the national competent authority via the national reporting system. See the package leaflet for respective contact details.
Use during pregnancy, lactation or lay
Pregnancy:
Teratogenic effects attributed to high doses of febantel have been reported in sheep and rats. No studies have been performed in dogs during early pregnancy. Use of the veterinary medicinal product during pregnancy should be in accordance with a benefit/risk assessment by the responsible veterinarian. It is recommended that the veterinary medicinal product is not used in dogs during the first 4 weeks of pregnancy. Do not exceed the stated dose when treating pregnant bitches.
Lactation:
The chewable tablets may be used during lactation.
Fertility:
Not applicable.
Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction
Do not use simultaneously with piperazine as the anthelmintic effects of pyrantel and piperazine may be antagonised. Concurrent use with other cholinergic compounds can lead to toxicity.
Plasma concentrations of praziquantel may be decreased by concomitant administration with drugs that increase the activity of cytochrome P-450 enzymes (e.g. dexamethasone, phenobarbital).
Administration routes and dosage
For oral administration only.
Veloxa Dosage
1 chewable tablet per 10 kg bodyweight (15 mg febantel, 5 mg pyrantel (as embonate) and 5 mg praziquantel/kg bodyweight).
Body weight (kg)
Number of chewable tablets
2.5 - 5
½
> 5 - 10
1
> 10 - 15
> 15 - 20
2
> 20- 25
> 25 - 30
3
For dogs weighing more than 30 kg (i.e. >30 kg) the Forte strength should be used. To ensure administration of a correct dose, body weight should be determined as accurately as possible.
Veloxa XL Dosage
1 chewable tablet per 35 kg bodyweight (15 mg febantel, 5 mg pyrantel (as embonate) and 5 mg praziquantel/kg body weight).
Body weight (kg)
Number of chewable tablets
17.5
½
>17.5 - 35
1
>35 - 52.5
>52.5 - 70
2
Do not use for treatment of dogs weighing less than 17.5 kg (i.e. <17.5 kg).
To ensure administration of a correct dose, body weight should be determined as accurately as possible.
Administration
The chewable tablets can be given directly to the dog or disguised in food. No starvation is needed before or after treatment.
Due to a lipid-coating of praziquantel and added flavour, the chewable tablets are taken by most dogs voluntarily.
Duration of treatment
Not for use in dogs weighing less than 2 kg (Veloxa only).
A single dose shall be used. If there is a risk of re-infestation, the advice of a veterinarian should be sought regarding the need for and the frequency of repeat administration.
Symptoms of overdose (and where applicable, emergency procedures and antidotes)
In safety studies, a single dose of 5 times the recommended dose or greater gave rise to occasional vomiting.
Special restrictions for use and special conditions for use, including restrictions on the use of antimicrobial and antiparasitic veterinary medicinal products in order to limit the risk of development of resistance
Parasite resistance to any particular class of anthelmintic may develop following frequent, repeated use of an anthelmintic of that class.
Withdrawal periods
Not applicable.
Pharmacological particulars
ATC Vet Code: QP52AA51
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Anthelmintics, febantel combinations.
Pharmacodynamics
In this fixed combination veterinary medicinal product pyrantel and febantel act against all relevant nematodes (ascarids, hookworms and whipworms) in dogs. In particular, the activity spectrum covers Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Uncinaria stenocephala, Ancylostoma caninum and Trichuris vulpis. This combination shows synergistic activity in the case of hookworms and febantel is effective against T. vulpis.
The spectrum of activity of praziquantel covers all important cestode species in dogs, in particular all Taenia spp, Dipylidium caninum, Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. Praziquantel acts against adult and immature forms of these parasites.
Praziquantel is very rapidly absorbed and distributed throughout the parasite. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that praziquantel causes severe damage to the parasite integument, resulting in contraction and paralysis. There is an almost instantaneous tetanic contraction of the parasite musculature and a rapid vacuolisation of the syncytial tegument. This rapid contraction has been explained by changes in divalent cation fluxes, especially calcium.
Pyrantel acts as a cholinergic agonist. Its mode of action is to stimulate nicotinic cholinergic receptors of the parasite, induce spastic paralysis and thereby allow removal from the gastrointestinal system by peristalsis.
Within the mammalian system febantel undergoes ring closure forming fenbendazole and oxfendazole. It is these chemical entities which exert the anthelmintic effect by inhibition of tubulin polymerisation. Formation of microtubules is thereby prevented, resulting in disruption to structures vital to the normal functioning of the helminth. Glucose uptake, in particular, is affected, leading to depletion in cell ATP. The parasite dies upon exhaustion of its energy reserves, which occurs 2-3 days later.
Pharmacokinetics
After oral administration, praziquantel is almost completely absorbed from the intestinal tract. After absorption, the drug is widely distributed in the organism, metabolised into inactive forms in the liver and secreted in bile. It is excreted within 24 hours to more than 95% of the administered dosage.
The embonate salt of pyrantel has low aqueous solubility, an attribute that reduces absorption from the gut and allows the drug to reach and be effective against parasites in the large intestine. Following absorption, pyrantel embonate is quickly and almost completely metabolised into inactive components which are rapidly excreted in the urine.
Febantel is an inactive pro-drug which is absorbed and then metabolised relatively rapidly to a number of metabolites, including fenbendazole and oxfendazole, which have anthelmintic activity.
Following the single oral administration of this veterinary medicinal product the maximum plasma concentrations of praziquantel, pyrantel, fenbendazole and oxfendazole were found 327, 81, 128 and 165 ng/ml and were obtained after 2.2, 4.5, 5.2 and 6.3 hours.
Pharmaceutical particulars
Major incompatibilities
Not applicable.
Shelf life
Shelf-life of the veterinary medicinal product as packaged for sale: 3 years.
Shelf-life of half tablets: 2 days
Special precautions for storage
This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
Keep the blister in the outer carton. Each time an unused half tablet is stored it should be returned to the open blister space and the blister inserted back into the outer carton.
Nature and composition of immediate packaging
PVC/Aluminium/Polyamide blister-forming laminate with aluminium lidding foil containing 2 (or 8 - Veloxa only) chewable tablets.
Veloxa packs:
Box containing 1 blister strip of 2 chewable tablets (2 chewable tablets)
Box containing 2 blister strips of 2 chewable tablets (4 chewable tablets)
Box containing 52 blister strips of 2 chewable tablets (104 chewable tablets)
Box containing 1 blister strip of 8 chewable tablets (8 chewable tablets)
Box containing 13 blister strips of 8 chewable tablets (104 chewable tablets)
Veloxa XL packs:
Box containing 1 blister strip of 2 chewable tablets (2 chewable tablets)
Box containing 2 blister strips of 2 chewable tablets (4 chewable tablets)
Box containing 24 blister strips of 2 chewable tablets (48 chewable tablets)
Box containing 48 blister strips of 2 chewable tablets (96 chewable tablets)
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Special precautions for the disposal of unused veterinary medicinal product or waste materials derived from the use of such products
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste.
Use take-back schemes for the disposal of any unused veterinary medicinal product or waste materials derived thereof in accordance with local requirements and with any national collection systems applicable to the veterinary medicinal product concerned.
Marketing Authorisation Holder (if different from distributor)
Lavet Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Marketing Authorisation Number
Veloxa Chewable Tablets for Dogs: Vm 32823/4010
Veloxa XL Chewable Tablets for Dogs: Vm 32823/4011
Significant changes
Legal category
Legal category: NFA-VPS