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Milbemax Cat Tablets (Canada)

This page contains information on Milbemax Cat Tablets for veterinary use.
The information provided typically includes the following:

Milbemax Cat Tablets Indications
Warnings and cautions for Milbemax Cat Tablets
Direction and dosage information for Milbemax Cat Tablets

Milbemax Cat Tablets

This treatment applies to the following species:

Cats

Manufacturer: Novartis

For Cats And Kittens

(milbemycin Oxime And Praziquantel)

DIN 02291940 (4 mg), 02291959 (16 mg)

Introduction

Novartis Animal Health Canada encourages you to take the time to read the package insert which describes the use of MILBEMAX^® Flavor-Coated Tablets (milbemycin oxime and praziquantel) as a convenient monthly heartworm preventive and intestinal worm control product.

MILBEMAX Flavor-Coated Tablets are only available through veterinarians.

Description

The active ingredients in MILBEMAX Flavor-Coated Tablets are:

1) Milbemycin oxime, which consists of the oxime derivatives of 5-didehydromilbemycins in the ratio of approximately 80% A₄ (C₃₂H₄₅NO₇, MW 555.71) and 20% A₃ (C₃₁H₄₃NO₇).

2) Praziquantel, an acylated pyrazino-isoquinoline derivative (C₁₉H₂₄N₂O₂).

Milbemax Cat Tablets Indications

MILBEMAX is indicated for the prevention of heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis, and for the treatment and control of parasitic infections due to the adult stage of hookworms (Ancylostoma tubaeforme), roundworms (Toxocara cati) and tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum, Taenia taeniaeformis, and Echinococcus multilocularis) in cats six weeks of age or greater.

Dosage

MILBEMAX Flavor-Coated Tablets are available in two sizes for convenient dosing of cats of various weights. MILBEMAX Kitten contains 4 mg milbemycin oxime and 10 mg praziquantel per tablet, and MILBEMAX Cat contains 16 mg milbemycin oxime and 40 mg praziquantel per tablet.

Cat Weight	MILBEMAX Kitten (beige to brown, oblong)	MILBEMAX Cat (reddish-brown, oblong)
≥ 0.5 - 1 kg	1/2 tablet
1.1 - 2 kg	1 tablet
2.1 - 4 kg		1/2 tablet
4.1 - 8 kg		1 tablet

The minimum recommended dose is 2 mg/kg of milbemycin oxime, and 5 mg/kg of praziquantel. Cats weighing over 8 kg should receive the appropriate combination of tablets.

For heartworm prevention, administer MILBEMAX Flavor-Coated Tablets once per month on the same day.

For heartworm prevention, the initial dose must be given within one month after the first indication of mosquito activity and regular dosing should continue until at least one month after the end of the mosquito season. If the interval between doses exceeds 30 days, the efficacy of MILBEMAX may be reduced. If regular monthly treatment is delayed, it is essential to immediately recommence treatment at the recommended dosage rate. If treatment has been delayed beyond two months, the advice of a veterinarian should be sought.

For hookworm, roundworm, and tapeworm infections, control will be obtained in conjunction with heartworm prevention, or by separate administration of MILBEMAX Flavor-Coated Tablets. Kittens should be treated at 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age, then monthly up to 6 months. In non-heartworm endemic areas, adult cats should be treated 4 times per year, or as directed by the veterinarian.

Administration

The tablet(s) should be placed into the cat's mouth on the back of the tongue, or can be hidden in food. The cat should be watched closely for several minutes following administration of the tablet to ensure that the entire dose has been swallowed. If it is suspected that any of the dose has been lost, dosing should be repeated.

Safety Studies

Praziquantel/milbemycin Oxime

Target animal safety studies in adult cats have demonstrated that MILBEMAX is well tolerated at up to 5X the recommended dose rate as a single dose. At 6.5X the minimum recommended dose rate (13 mg/kg milbemycin oxime, 33 mg praziquantel), one of eight cats showed reversible tremors. This reaction was mild and transient.

MILBEMAX was well tolerated in 6 week old kittens when given at the recommended dose once weekly for seven treatments (twice the recommended frequency).

Milbemycin Oxime

Milbemycin oxime has been tested safely in over 8 different breeds of cats and kittens, two weeks of age or greater. In clinical field studies, 310 cats completed treatment with milbemycin oxime. Milbemycin oxime was used safely in animals receiving frequently used veterinary products such as vaccines, anthelmintics, anesthetics, antibiotics, steroids, flea collars, shampoos and dips.

Safety studies were conducted in young cats and kittens beginning at two weeks of age. Doses of 1X, 3X and 5X demonstrated no drug-related effects. Tolerability studies at exaggerated doses of 10X also demonstrated no drug-related adverse effects in kittens and young adult cats.

Heartworm Disease In Cats

Much of the damage due to heartworm disease in cats occurs before there are any outward signs of the disease, and these signs may be quite variable. Prevention of the disease is important.

The disease is caused by Dirofilaria immitis which lives in the right side of the heart and adjacent blood vessels. A cat not on preventive medication can be infected with several worms. The adult worms cause disease by damaging blood vessels in the lungs which obstructs normal blood flow. This can result in an increased workload on the heart which can cause heart failure. The adult worms can also migrate into other tissues of the central nervous system such as the brain.

The disease is spread from animal to animal by any one of over 70 species of mosquitoes. Female adult heartworms discharge larval forms (microfilariae) into the bloodstream of a cat. The mosquito becomes infected by sucking up these microfilariae as it takes a blood meal from an infected cat; during the next two to three weeks these microfilariae grow and molt twice inside the mosquito to reach the infective larval stage which enters another cat as the mosquito feeds again. In the cat, it takes about seven to eight months for these larvae to grow, move to the heart, mate and start the cycle again.

Milbemax Cat Tablets Caution

This product has not been tested in breeding cats, in pregnant queens or in heartworm positive cats.

Testing: Despite the fact that the sensitivity of the heartworm antigen tests is relatively low in cats, it is still considered good medical practice to test before administering chemoprophylaxis for the first time, if at least 8 months have passed since there was an opportunity for infection. The cat should be examined by a veterinarian prior to starting heartworm prevention medication.

Warning

Keep out of reach of children. If accidentally swallowed, call a physician.

Presentation

MILBEMAX for cats is available in two sizes, in aluminum foil-lidded plastic blister packs of 10 tablets, 2 blisters (20 tablets) per pack:

MILBEMAX Kitten - beige to brown, double scored flavor-coated tablets

MILBEMAX Cat - reddish-brown, oblong, double scored film-coated tablets

Storage Conditions

MILBEMAX Flavor-Coated Tablets should be stored at room temperature, between 15-30 °C.

Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc., 2000 Argentia Road, Plaza 3, Suite 400, Mississauga, Ontario, L5N 1V9

^® Registered Trademark of Novartis AG - Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc. licensed user

NAH/MIL/FT/CAN/PI/1 602450 CAN -w

Nac No.

12310961

NOVARTIS ANIMAL HEALTH CANADA INC.
2000 ARGENTIA RD., SUITE 400, PLAZA 3, MISSISSAUGA, ON, L5N 1V9

Telephone:		800-387-6325
Order Desk:		800-387-6325
Fax:		905-567-0221
Fax Orders:		800-827-5782
Website:		www.ah.ca.novartis.com
Email:		ah.questions@novartis.com

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the Milbemax Cat Tablets information published above. However, it remains the responsibility of the readers to familiarize themselves with the product information contained on the Milbemax Cat Tablets product label or package insert.