Lotilaner for Scorpion: Uses, Dosing & Side Effects

This information is for educational purposes only. Never give your pet any medication without your veterinarian's guidance. Dosing, frequency, and safety depend on your pet's specific health profile.

Lotilaner is a prescription oral parasite medication in the isoxazoline drug class. In the U.S., it is sold as Credelio for dogs and Credelio CAT for cats. It is designed to kill fleas and certain ticks after they bite and feed. It is not labeled for scorpions, and there is no standard veterinary use of lotilaner in pet scorpions.

Because your page title references a scorpion, it is important to be clear: lotilaner is a medication for dogs and cats, not for arachnid pets. If your scorpion has mites, weakness, trouble molting, or another health concern, your vet may recommend environmental changes, supportive care, or species-appropriate parasite control instead of mammal flea medication.

Lotilaner works by targeting parasite nervous system channels, leading to death of fleas and ticks. In dogs, the labeled minimum dose is 9 mg/lb (20 mg/kg) once monthly with food. In cats, the labeled minimum dose is 2.7 mg/lb (6 mg/kg) once monthly with food or within 30 minutes after feeding. Your vet chooses the correct product by species and body weight.

In dogs, lotilaner is FDA-approved to treat and prevent flea infestations and to treat and control tick infestations for one month. The dog label includes activity against lone star ticks, American dog ticks, black-legged ticks, and brown dog ticks in dogs and puppies 8 weeks and older that weigh 4.4 pounds or more.

In cats, lotilaner is FDA-approved to treat and prevent flea infestations for one month in cats and kittens 8 weeks and older that weigh 2 pounds or more. It is also approved to treat and control black-legged tick infestations for one month in cats and kittens 6 months and older.

Vets may also use lotilaner off-label in some situations, such as certain mite problems, when they feel it fits the pet's needs. Off-label use is common in veterinary medicine, but it should always come from your vet because the dose, schedule, and monitoring plan may differ from the package label.

Lotilaner dosing is species-specific and weight-based. Do not swap dog and cat products. The dog product and cat product are not interchangeable, even if the body weight looks similar. Giving the wrong species formulation can lead to underdosing, overdosing, or treatment failure.

For dogs, Credelio is given by mouth once monthly with food at a minimum dose of 9 mg/lb (20 mg/kg). The labeled tablet sizes are 56.25 mg for 4.4-6 lb, 112.5 mg for 6.1-12 lb, 225 mg for 12.1-25 lb, 450 mg for 25.1-50 lb, and 900 mg for 50.1-100 lb. Dogs over 100 pounds receive an appropriate tablet combination chosen by your vet.

For cats, Credelio CAT is given by mouth once monthly with food or within 30 minutes after feeding at a minimum dose of 2.7 mg/lb (6 mg/kg). The labeled sizes are 12 mg for 2-4 lb and 48 mg for 4.1-17 lb. Cats over 17 pounds may need a tablet combination selected by your vet.

If you miss a dose, give it when you remember and restart the monthly schedule from that date unless your vet advises otherwise. Do not give two doses at once. If your pet vomits soon after dosing, call your vet before redosing, because the timing matters.

Most dogs and cats tolerate lotilaner well, but side effects can happen. In dogs, reported effects include vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, lethargy, itching, urinary changes, ataxia, muscle tremors, and seizures. In cats, commonly reported effects include vomiting, weight loss, and faster breathing, with additional post-approval reports including lethargy, drooling, tremors, ataxia, seizures, and rare severe allergic reactions.

Lotilaner belongs to the isoxazoline class. This class carries an FDA warning for possible neurologic adverse reactions, including tremors, incoordination, and seizures, even in some pets without a prior seizure history. Pets with a history of seizures or neurologic disease need extra discussion with your vet before use.

See your vet immediately if your pet has collapse, repeated vomiting, trouble breathing, severe weakness, facial swelling, tremors, stumbling, or a seizure after taking lotilaner. Bring the package or a photo of the label if you can. That helps your vet confirm the exact product and strength.

There are no widely recognized routine drug interactions listed as contraindications for lotilaner, and field studies included pets receiving medications such as vaccines, dewormers, antibiotics, steroids, NSAIDs, anesthetics, and antihistamines without observed interaction problems in those studies. Still, that does not mean every combination is risk-free for every pet.

The biggest practical safety issue is using the wrong product in the wrong species or combining parasite medications without your vet's guidance. If your pet is already taking another flea, tick, mite, or heartworm preventive, tell your vet before adding lotilaner. Combination plans may be appropriate in some cases, but they should be intentional.

Use extra caution in pets with neurologic disease, in very young animals below label age or weight limits, and in pets that are pregnant, breeding, or lactating, because safety data are limited in those groups. You should also tell your vet about supplements, over-the-counter products, and any past medication reactions.