Milprazon 2.5mg/25mg (Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel) for Small Dogs & Puppies – Broad-Spectrum Wormer & Heartworm Prevention | 48 Tablets

What Is Milprazon 2.5mg/25mg?

Milprazon 2.5mg/25mg is a broad-spectrum oral wormer and heartworm preventive for small dogs and puppies, manufactured by KRKA. Each tablet contains:

• Milbemycin oxime 2.5mg — macrocyclic lactone effective against roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and heartworm larvae
• Praziquantel 25mg — cestocide effective against all major tapeworm species

This box contains 48 tablets. Milprazon is the generic equivalent of Milbemax (Elanco) — the same active ingredients at the same doses, at a more competitive price. Milprazon 2.5mg/25mg is the small-dog formulation for dogs from 0.5kg up to 10kg body weight (above 5kg, two tablets are required per dose).

This Product Is For: Small Dogs and Puppies (0.5kg–10kg)

The 2.5mg/25mg tablet is specifically formulated for precise dosing in small breeds and puppies. For dogs over 5kg, two of these tablets are given per dose (or switch to the 12.5mg/125mg large dog formulation).

Full Worm Coverage

The Echinococcus multilocularis (fox tapeworm) coverage is particularly important: this tapeworm is carried by foxes, transmitted via contaminated soil or rodents, and can cause alveolar echinococcosis in humans — a serious zoonotic disease. Dogs that scavenge, hunt rodents, or have access to areas frequented by foxes are at risk and should be treated regularly.

How the Two Active Ingredients Work

Milbemycin Oxime — Nematode Paralysis via Chloride Channels

Milbemycin oxime is a macrocyclic lactone (same class as ivermectin and selamectin) that selectively kills invertebrate parasites by binding to glutamate-gated chloride ion channels found in nematode nerve and muscle cells. These channels do not exist in mammalian cells, explaining milbemycin oxime’s wide safety margin. Channel binding causes permanent inflow of chloride ions, hyperpolarising and permanently paralysing the worm. At monthly heartworm prevention doses, it kills L3 and L4 heartworm larvae circulating in the tissues before they mature to adult worms in the heart.

Praziquantel — Tapeworm Membrane Disruption

Praziquantel disrupts the permeability of tapeworm cell membranes to calcium, causing massive calcium influx into the worm’s muscle cells. This causes violent spastic paralysis and disintegration of the tapeworm’s tegument (outer surface), loosening its grip on the intestinal wall and allowing it to be digested and expelled. Praziquantel works rapidly — tapeworm death typically occurs within hours of administration. It has no activity against roundworms, hookworms, or whipworms; this is why the combination with milbemycin oxime is necessary for complete coverage.

Dosage — 2.5mg/25mg Tablets for Small Dogs

⚠️ Must be given with food — administering with or after a small amount of food significantly improves bioavailability of milbemycin oxime (food increases absorption) and is essential for optimal heartworm prevention efficacy.

For dogs over 10kg, use the Milprazon 12.5mg/125mg large dog formulation.

48-Tablet Box Duration

At quarterly (every 3 months) routine worming, a single 48-tablet box provides years of treatment for a small dog — making this pack exceptional value for multi-pet households or breeders.

How Often to Give Milprazon

• Heartworm prevention: Once monthly throughout the risk season (or year-round in endemic areas). Start within 1 month of first mosquito exposure; continue until at least 1 month after last exposure.
• Routine intestinal worming: Every 1–3 months depending on lifestyle and risk. Puppies and dogs that are regularly in contact with soil, other animals, or raw meat should be wormed more frequently.
• Echinococcus control: Every 4–6 weeks in dogs at risk (hunting dogs, rural dogs, dogs in fox-endemic regions).

⚠️ Critical: Heartworm Test Before Starting in Endemic Areas

If a dog lives in or has been in a heartworm-endemic region without prior preventive treatment, they should be tested for existing adult heartworm infection before starting Milprazon. Giving milbemycin oxime to a dog with high numbers of circulating heartworm microfilariae can cause a serious hypersensitivity reaction — the sudden mass death of microfilariae releases large quantities of parasite proteins, which can cause vomiting, salivation, laboured breathing, pale gums, and collapse. Consult your veterinarian before starting in endemic areas.

Milprazon does NOT kill adult heartworms — prevention is the key. If adult infection is confirmed, specific adulticidal treatment is required under veterinary supervision before starting prevention.

⚠️ MDR1 / ABCB1 Mutation Warning (Collie Breeds)

Milbemycin oxime is a macrocyclic lactone. Collie-type breeds (Rough Collie, Smooth Collie, Border Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Australian Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, and others) can carry the MDR1/ABCB1 genetic mutation that impairs P-glycoprotein function. P-glycoprotein normally keeps macrocyclic lactones out of the central nervous system. Dogs with this mutation are more sensitive to macrocyclic lactones at higher-than-preventive doses.

At the standard monthly heartworm prevention dose, Milprazon is considered safe for Collie breeds. However, the risk increases significantly when milbemycin oxime is combined with P-glycoprotein inhibitors (drugs that further reduce P-glycoprotein function). If your dog is a Collie-type breed and is taking any of the following, inform your vet before using Milprazon:

• Cyclosporine (Cyclavance, Atopica)
• Azole antifungals (ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole)
• Diltiazem, verapamil, amiodarone
• Erythromycin, clarithromycin
• Spironolactone, carvedilol, tamoxifen

Genetic testing (DNA swab test) is available to confirm MDR1 mutation status in any dog.

Minimum Age and Weight

• Dogs and puppies from 0.5kg body weight and 2 weeks of age
• Do not use in puppies under 2 weeks old
• Safety in pregnant and lactating bitches has not been fully established — use only after veterinary benefit/risk assessment

Side Effects

• Vomiting, diarrhoea, reduced appetite — rare; usually mild and transient; giving with food reduces GI upset
• Neurological signs (ataxia, tremors, dilated pupils) — very rare at label doses; more likely in MDR1-affected dogs given concurrent P-glycoprotein inhibitors
• Hypersensitivity shock-like reaction — in dogs with high microfilarial burden (see heartworm warning above)

Storage

• Store at room temperature, below 25°C
• Keep in original blister packs; protect from moisture and direct sunlight
• Keep out of reach of children and animals

Related products: Milprazon 12.5mg/125mg for Large Dogs (>5kg) — 48 tablets | Milprazon Wormer for Cats — 2 tablets