Sentinel Spectrum for Dogs

Sentinel Spectrum, the only beef-flavored chewable to protect against 6 parasites. Given monthly, Sentinel Spectrum prevents heartworms and prevents and controls fleas. Each chew also treats and controls whipworms, hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms. Sentinel Spectrum requires a prescription from your veterinarian.

Key Benefits

• Dogs love the delicious beef-flavored chewable
• Prevents heartworms
• Prevents and controls fleas
• Treats and controls common intestinal parasites (whipworms, hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms)
• Simple once-a-month administration
• No messy residue to worry about, unlike spot-on treatments

Indication:

Monthly treatment prevents heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection; controls adult roundworm (Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina), immature roundworm (Toxocara canis), adult whipworm (Trichuris vulpis), adult hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum), adult tapeworm (Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia pisiformis and Dipylidium caninum), aids in the control of adult hookworm (Uncinaria stenocephala) infection, provides long term protection and control of flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestations, and forms part of a treatment strategy for flea allergy dermatitis in dogs. Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). The most important part of the treatment of FAD is preventing flea bites. Lufenuron reduces the number of fleas in the pet's environment to a negligible level. Treatment with lufenuron for several months has been shown to dramatically improve the clinical signs of FAD in dogs.

How It Works

Milbemycin oxime, lufenuron, and praziquantel are the active ingredients in Sentinel Spectrum, which work to control fleas, major intestinal worms, and heartworms. Sentinel Spectrum contains an insect growth regulator (IGR), which kills flea eggs thus preventing them from hatching into adult fleas. Sentinel may be given along with Capstar, which treats flea infestation.

View Sentinel Spectrum Drug Facts Sheet.

Sentinel Spectrum should be administered orally, once every month, at the minimum dosage of 0.23 mg/lb (0.5 mg/kg) milbemycin oxime, 4.55 mg/lb (10 mg/kg) lufenuron, and 2.28 mg/lb (5 mg/kg) praziquantel. For heartworm prevention, give once monthly for at least 6 months after exposure to mosquitoes (see Effectiveness).

To ensure adequate absorption, always administer Sentinel Spectrum to dogs immediately after or in conjunction with a normal meal.

Sentinel Spectrum may be offered to the dog by hand or added to a small amount of dog food. The chewables should be administered in a manner that encourages the dog to chew, rather than to swallow without chewing. Chewables may be broken into pieces and fed to dogs that normally swallow treats whole. Care should be taken that the dog consumes the complete dose, and treated animals should be observed a few minutes after administration to ensure that no part of the dose is lost or rejected. If it is suspected that any of the dose has been lost, redosing is recommended.

Heartworm Prevention:

Sentinel Spectrum should be administered at monthly intervals beginning within 1 month of the dog’s first seasonal exposure to mosquitoes and continuing until at least 6 months after the dog’s last seasonal exposure (see Effectiveness). Sentinel Spectrum may be administered year-round without interruption. When switching from another heartworm preventative product to Sentinel Spectrum, the first dose of Sentinel Spectrum should be given within a month of the last dose of the former product.

Flea Treatment and Prevention:

Treatment with Sentinel Spectrum may begin at any time of the year, preferably starting one month before fleas become active and continuing monthly through the end of flea season. In areas where fleas are common year-round, monthly treatment with Sentinel Spectrum should continue the entire year without interruption.

To minimize the likelihood of flea reinfestation, it is important to treat all animals within a household with an approved flea protection product, as necessary.

Intestinal Nematode and Cestode Treatment and Control:

Dogs may be exposed to and can become infected with roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, and tapeworms throughout the year, regardless of season or climate. Clients should be advised of appropriate measures to prevent reinfection of their dog with intestinal parasites. Because the prepatent period for E. multilocularis may be as short as 26 days, dogs treated at the labeled monthly intervals may become reinfected and shed eggs between treatments.

Contraindications

There are no known contraindications to the use of Sentinel Spectrum.

Warnings

Not for use in humans. Keep this and all drugs out of the reach of children.

Precautions

Treatment with fewer than 6 monthly doses after the last exposure to mosquitoes may not provide complete heartworm prevention (see Effectiveness).

Prior to administration of Sentinel Spectrum, dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infections. At the discretion of the veterinarian, infected dogs should be treated to remove adult heartworms. Sentinel Spectrum is not effective against adult D. immitis.

Mild, transient hypersensitivity reactions, such as labored breathing, vomiting, hypersalivation, and lethargy, have been noted in some dogs treated with milbemycin oxime carrying a high number of circulating microfilariae. These reactions are presumably caused by release of protein from dead or dying microfilariae.

Do not use in puppies less than six weeks of age.

Do not use in dogs or puppies less than two pounds of body weight.

The safety of Sentinel Spectrum has not been evaluated in dogs used for breeding or in lactating females. Studies have been performed with milbemycin oxime and lufenuron alone (see Animal Safety).

Adverse Reactions

The following adverse reactions have been reported in dogs after administration of milbemycin oxime, lufenuron, or praziquantel: vomiting, depression/lethargy, pruritus, urticaria, diarrhea, anorexia, skin congestion, ataxia, convulsions, salivation, and weakness.

To report suspected adverse drug events, contact Virbac at 1-800-338-3659 or the FDA at 1-888-FDA-VETS.

For technical assistance call Virbac at 1-800-338-3659.

Information for Owner or Person Treating Animal:

Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus are tapeworms found in wild canids and domestic dogs. E. multilocularis and E. granulosus can infect humans and cause serious disease (alveolar hydatid disease and hydatid disease, respectively). Owners of dogs living in areas where E. multilocularis or E. granulosus are endemic should be instructed on how to minimize their risk of exposure to these parasites, as well as their dog’s risk of exposure. Although Sentinel Spectrum was 100% effective in laboratory studies in dogs against E. multilocularis and E. granulosus, no studies have been conducted to show that the use of this product will decrease the incidence of alveolar hydatid disease or hydatid disease in humans. Because the prepatent period for E. multilocularis may be as short as 26 days, dogs treated at the labeled monthly intervals may become reinfected and shed eggs between treatments.

Effectiveness

Heartworm Prevention:

In a well-controlled laboratory study, Sentinel Spectrum was 100% effective against induced heartworm infections when administered once monthly for 6 consecutive months. In well-controlled laboratory studies, neither one dose nor two consecutive doses of Sentinel Spectrum provided 100% Effectiveness against induced heartworm infections.

Intestinal Nematodes and Cestodes Treatment and Control:

Elimination of the adult stage of hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum), roundworm (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina), whipworm (Trichuris vulpis) and tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis, Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia pisiformis) infections in dogs was demonstrated in well-controlled laboratory studies.

Flea Prevention and Control

In well-controlled studies, Sentinel Spectrum was effective in preventing flea eggs from hatching, thus providing control of the development of flea populations (Ctenocephalides felis).

Palatability

In a field study of 117 dogs offered Sentinel Spectrum, 113 dogs (96.6%) accepted the product when offered from the hand as if a treat, 2 dogs (1.7%) accepted it from the bowl with food, 1 dog (0.9%) accepted it when it was placed in the dog’s mouth, and 1 dog (0.9%) refused it.