Vet says gapeworm, recommends unavailable treatment; options?

[timebider]

I took my sick girl to the vet today with symptoms of standing around inactive, drooping tail, and open-mouth breathing. She could find nothing wrong on exam or on throat swab for bacteria and parasites. She thinks it's probably gapeworm because there are wild pheasants running around on our place, and told me to dose her for five days with Safe-Guard Aquasol at 200 mg/mL strength, which is apparently the only FDA-approved treatment. But, she doesn't have Aquasol and neither do the farm stores around here. I really want to do something to help this chicken fast; any ideas what else I can try? The farm store had the same medication but it was a much higher-dosage paste for cattle. Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

@timebider
Email these pictures to your vet:
From Veterinary Parasitology Handbook - Gapeworm





-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

also send this:
Efficacy of fenbendazole against helminth parasites of poultry in Uganda.

Ssenyonga GS.
Abstract

Fenbendazole 4% (Panacur, Hoechst) administered in feed was used to treat chickens infected with Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum and Railletina spp. It was also used to treat Syngamus trachea in broiler birds. There was a marked drop in helminth egg counts in the faeces on the second day of treatment and the faeces became negative by the seventh day after the last treatment. Post-mortem examination 15 to 21 days later showed that the drug was 100% effective against Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum at 10 mg/kg. However, for complete removal of Railletina spp. 15 mg/kg was required. Similarly 20 mg/kg fenbendazole was effective against Syngamus trachea. It was concluded that fenbendazole is suitable for the treatment of the important intestinal and tracheal worms of poultry, a dose of 15 to 20 mg/kg for 3 consecutive days being recommended for use under field conditions.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you so, so much, both of you! That is all incredibly helpful information.

I thought about bringing her in (she and my other eight pullets are currently in the insulated garage, which is around 40F) but someone told me coming from cold to heat might shock her too much, and that she'll also get beaten up when I return her to the flock—which did happen a little after just a couple hours away at the vet. What do you think about bringing her plus a friend inside, in separate but side-by-side wire dog crates? Would she be less stressed that way? They're all tucked in for the night; is it too late to get her inside?

The Panacur dose is .03 mL based on her weight of about 3 pounds. There was just a little spot on her feathers next to her mouth after I gave it to her but it's such a teensy amount anyway, that could have been all of it. Thanks so much for sharing the information and advice! <3

I would bring her inside for sure, and if you think a friend would keep her happy, bring a friend.

The amount of Panacur the vet is having you give is highly unlikely to treat gapeworms. I gave you two sources... one says 30 mg/kg for 5 days, the other says 20 mg/kg for 3 days.

The 20 mg/kg dose for a 3 pound bird is:
3 / 2.2 x 20 / 100 = 0.27 ml

The 30 mg/kg dose for a 3 pound bird is:
3 / 2.2 x 30 / 100 = 0.41 ml

The dose your vet is having you give her looks way off to me, it's only 2.2 mg/kg, which will not treat gapeworms.

Here is what my friend's vet has him give (keep in mind that Safeguard = Panacur)


-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Safeguard AquaSol is hard to find and very expensive, so don't even think about that any more.

The difference between AquaSol and the others are:
A) 1 ml of AquaSol = 2 ml of the goat, cattle, dog/cat stuff.
B) AquaSol is truly water soluble, the others are not.
C) AquaSol smallest bottle is one liter - the goat liquid is 125 ml (1/4 liter)
D) AquaSol liter is ~$300. Liters of Safeguard and Panacur are much less.

Call Tractor Supply back and ask if they have Safeguard for goats.

-Kathy

 

[timebider]

Maybe the vet's math was off by a tenth or something, since she was so insistent upon .03. I'm going to give her a .7 dose now. I, too, am afraid the worms will build up immunity if I don't blast 'em.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Got for you and your girls! So glad Kathy is helping you out...

 

[casportpony]

How much do the other hens drink in 24 hours, and how much do you think they weigh?

-Kathy

 

[pennyJo1960]

We do have to weigh our own choices as with life .. you have done wonderful listening learning how to
to treat and have come out of it stronger than you believed you where