Description
Interceptor Spectrum Tasty Chews for Dogs 8-25 Lbs (4-11 Kg) delivers monthly broad-spectrum parasite prevention and treatment via a palatable oral chewable tablet combining milbemycin oxime and praziquantel. Each tablet in this weight band contains 5.75 mg milbemycin oxime and 57 mg praziquantel, formulated for dogs weighing between 8.1 and 25 lbs (approximately 4 to 11 kg). The product is approved for dogs and puppies from six weeks of age.
Recommended for
Dogs and puppies weighing 8.1 to 25 lbs (4 to 11 kg) from 6 weeks of age.
Indication/Coverage
For dogs suffering from, or at risk from, mixed parasitic infections, Interceptor Spectrum Tasty Chews covers the following indications:
- Heartworm prevention: Prevention of heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis, administered monthly to intercept larval development before adult worm establishment occurs.
- Roundworm treatment: Treatment and control of adult Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina infections in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Hookworm treatment: Treatment and control of adult Ancylostoma caninum infections; milbemycin oxime achieved 99.6% efficacy against naturally acquired hookworm in controlled FDA studies.
- Whipworm treatment: Treatment and control of adult Trichuris vulpis
- Tapeworm treatment: Treatment and control of adult Taenia pisiformis, Echinococcus multilocularis, and Echinococcus granulosus infections; praziquantel at 5 mg/kg reached 100% efficacy against all three species in FDA-submitted laboratory studies.
Key Benefits
The following properties reflect the clinical profile of this formulation for dogs in the 8.1 to 25 lbs range.
- Concurrent parasite elimination: A single monthly tablet addresses five parasite categories simultaneously, covering both nematodes via milbemycin oxime and cestodes via praziquantel without requiring additional dewormers.
- Confirmed heartworm efficacy: Six consecutive monthly doses achieved 100% prevention of adult immitis establishment in controlled laboratory infection studies submitted to the FDA under NADA 141-338.
- Nematocidal mechanism: Milbemycin oxime disrupts glutamate-gated chloride ion channels in invertebrate nerve and muscle tissue, producing irreversible paralysis in roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm at the adult stage.
- Cestocidal mechanism: Praziquantel increases tegumental membrane permeability in tapeworm cells, causing paralysis and gastrointestinal expulsion of adult Taenia and Echinococcus
- Broad weight-band coverage: This variant spans 8.1 to 25 lbs, covering a large portion of small to medium-breed dogs, including breeds that reach adult weight within this range and remain on the same tablet size for life.
- Chewable acceptance rate: In a field palatability study of 115 client-owned dogs, 108 accepted the chewable directly from the owner’s hand, reducing the need for manual pilling in dogs that resist tablet administration.
- Once-monthly schedule: A single oral dose every 30 days maintains continuous heartworm prevention coverage and controls gastrointestinal parasite burdens without requiring dose splitting or multiple administration events.
Caution
Hazards to Humans
Not for human use. Keep out of reach of children. Wash hands after handling the tablet. Avoid contact with eyes. Do not store alongside food, beverages, or animal feed.
Hazards to Domestic Animals
Administer orally only. This variant is labeled for dogs and puppies weighing 8.1 to 25 lbs (4 to 11 kg) from six weeks of age. Do not give to dogs below this weight threshold or below six weeks of age. Exercise caution in debilitated, aged, pregnant, or nursing dogs and seek veterinary assessment before dosing in these cases. Isolated instances of individual sensitivity to milbemycin oxime or praziquantel have been documented. Consult a veterinarian before co-administering with other antiparasitic agents or drugs known to interact with macrocyclic lactones.
Possible Side Effects
Monitor your dog in the period following each monthly administration, particularly after the initial dose.
At the labeled dose, adverse reactions were not observed in field acceptability studies; however, the following signs have been documented across safety and efficacy studies at standard and supratherapeutic doses.
- Gastrointestinal reactions: Vomiting was recorded across multiple laboratory cohorts, including one dog in the field palatability study that vomited immediately after accepting the tablet. Soft feces and diarrhea occurred with broadly similar frequency in both treated and control groups at standard dosing levels.
- Systemic neurological signs (supratherapeutic doses): Ataxia, decreased activity, salivation, and tremors appeared at 3 and 5 times the maximum labeled dose in safety studies, presenting within the first 24 hours and resolving spontaneously without intervention. At the 1x labeled dose in a puppy safety cohort, ataxia was recorded once in a single animal.
- Isolated post-dose findings: One dog in a tapeworm efficacy study exhibited abnormal leaning behavior within 24 hours of administration at the standard dose; this finding was not replicated across other study populations.










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