Worms...AGAIN. Please help...I dont know what I can use now!

[casportpony]

PARASITES of CHICKENS and POULTRY. Summary of the most common external and internal parasites in CHICKENS, TURKEYS, DUCKS, GEESE, PHEASANTS, etc: mites, lice, flies, fleas, roundworms, tapeworms, flukes.
Written by P. Junquera
Last Updated on August 09 2014
Hits: 3910

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This article offers a summary of the most common external and internal (helminth)parasites of chicken, turkey, ducks, geese, pheasants and other domestic birds.
Detail information on the biology and control (life cycle, anatomy, prevention, chemical control, etc.) of each species is available in specific articles in this site. To visit these specific articles click the corresponding link, or navigate through the menu, or use the site map.

• «$» to «$$$$$» indicates the magnitude of the economic damage on poultry caused by a parasite on a worldwide basis. The more «$», the higher the damage.
• «R» to «RRRRR» indicates the magnitude of the resistance problems of these parasites to parasiticides on a worldwide basis. The more «R», the higher the risk of resistance.

External Parasites

Biting insects (hematophagous), i.e. they suck blood

• Bed bugs. $-RR. Can become a problem in layers and breeders, worldwide.
• Fleas. $-R. Can become a problem in poultry houses worldwide, sometimes considerable, mainly during hot and humid season. Usually not the first priority.
• Mosquitoes. $-RRR. A worldwide problem in all kind of livestock, but usually not a major issue on poultry.
• Stable flies. $. A potential problem on birds kept outdoors worldwide, but usually not a major threat.
• Lice. $$. Very common problem worldwide, particularly in layers.

Non-biting insects, do not suck blood

• Houseflies. $$-RRRRR. Can be a serious problem in any kind of poultry operation worldwide, particularly during the hot and humid season.
• Filth & nuisance flies. $. Can be a problem in any kind of poultry operation worldwide, particularly during the hot and humid season.

Ticks & mites

• Soft ticks. $. Can be a significant problem in tropical and subtropical regions in birds kept outdoors.
• Mites. $$$$-RRRR. Red mites (Dermanyssus) and Northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus) can be a tremendous problem in layers worldwide.

Internal parasites (endoparasites, worms, helminths)

Gastrointestinal roundworms (nematodes)

• Acuaria spp ~ Dispharynx ~ Synhimanthus spp. $. Gizzard worms. Gizzard, esophagus and proventriculus. Can be a problem in endemic regions, mainly in birds kept outdoors.
• Ascaridia spp. $$$. Chicken roundworms. Small intestine. A serious problem worldwide, also in confinedoperations.
• Capillaria spp. $$. Hairworms. Crop, esophagus, small intestine, large intestine.
• Heterakis spp. $$$$. Cecal worms. Cecum. Probably the most threatening worms in all kind of poultryoperations worldwide.
• Oxyspirura spp. $. Fowl eyeworms. Eyes. Usually a secondary problem in individual birds kept outdoors.
• Strongyloides spp. $$. Threadworms, pinworms. Small intestine. Can be a serious problem worldwide.
• Subulura spp. $. Cecum and small intestine. A secondary problem in birds kept outdoors worldwide.
• Syngamus trachea. $$. Gapeworms. Trachea, bronchi. A serious problem in birds kept outdoors in endemic regions.
• Tetrameres spp. $. Proventriculus and esophagus. Can be a problem in endemic regions, mainly in outdoor opertaions.

Tapeworms (cestodes)

• Amoebotaenia cuneata = sphenoides. $. Small intestine. Usually a secondary issue in most poultryoperations
• Choanotaenia infundibulum. $. Small intestine. Usually not a major issue in modern poultry operations.
• Davainea proglottina. $. Minute tapeworms. Small intestine. Can be a problem in birds kept outdoors in endemic regions.
• Raillietina spp. $$. Small intestine. The most frequent tapeworm in poultry, however normally not a major problem.

Flukes (trematodes, flatworms)

• Prosthogonimus spp. $. Oviduct flukes. Oviduct, bursa of Fabricius. Can be a serious threat for birds kept outdoors in endemic regions.

 

[casportpony]

Active ingredients

The benzimidazoles and pro-benzimidazoles most relevant for veterinary use on cattle, sheep, goats, pig, poultry dogs and cats are the following:

• Albendazole, massively used on livestock, less on pets
• Febantel, (pro-benzimidazole), vastly used on pets, less on livestock
• Fenbendazole, massively used on livestock and pets
• Flubendazole, moderately used on livestock (mainly pig and poultry) and pets
• Mebendazole, moderately used on livestock and pets
• Netobimin, (pro-benzimidazole), scarcely used on livestock
• Oxfendazole, scarcely used on livestock (mainly ruminants) and pets
• Oxibendazole, scarcely used on livestock (mainly pig) and pets
• Ricobendazole, moderately used on livestock (mainly ruminants)
• Thiabendazole, very seldom, mostly replaced
• Thiophanate (pro-benzimidazole) very seldom, mostly replaced
• Triclabendazole, vastly used on livestock (only ruminants)

Several benzimidazoles such as cambendazole and parbendazole have been vastly replaced by newer, more effective and safer active ingredients.

 

[Eradicator]

You did some calulating and the prices for worming 50 4lb chickens were $50 you were saying just using the pigeon product right? And thats not including the Trifen which is another $20 per 100 pills. So basically $70 to treat 50 4lb birds just once. Thats nearly the same as it would cost to worm the same amount of chickens with Worm Eradicator, give or take $5

 

[casportpony]

Active ingredients

The most relevant macrocyclic lactones for veterinary use on livestock and pets are the following ones:
Avermectins

• Abamectin: used moderately on livestock and scarcely on pets.
• Doramectin: used moderately only on livestock
• Eprinomectin: used moderately only on livestock.
• Ivermectin: use massively on livestock and pets.
• Selamectin: used moderately only on pets.

Milbemycins:

• Milbemycin oxime: used moderately only on pets.
• Moxidectin: used moderately on livestock, scarcely on pets.

All macrocyclic lactones are effective against roundworms (gastrointestinal, pulmonary and others) but neither against flukes (trematodes), nor against tapeworms ( = cestodes). The spectrum of activity against external parasites varies. E.g., only selamectin is effective against dog and cat fleas at the therapeutic dose.
Besides differences in their spectrum of efficacy, significant differences exist also regarding their pharmacokinetic behavior in the host's organism. E.g. whereas most livestock endectocides produce more or less residues on milk, eprinomectin does not and is the only endectocide allowed for dairy cows.
Ivermectin is also used as a human medicine. Ivermectin and abamectin are also used in agriculture. The other ones are exclusively used on animals.
All macrocyclic lactones have already lost patent protection. Manufacturers of generic active ingredients (typically in China, India, Israel, Brazil, etc.) already sell most of these compounds. However, whereas there are thousands of commercial brands with generic ivermectin, there are still only few brands with other generic endectocides.
Click here for a general introduction to parasiticides and their most important features.

Edited to add:
Studies show ivermectin is *not* an effective poultry wormer!

 

[casportpony]

You did some calulating and the prices for worming 50 4lb chickens were $50 you were saying just using the pigeon product right? And thats not including the Trifen which is another $20 per 100 pills. So basically $70 to treat 50 4 pound birds just once. Lol thats nearly the same as it would cost to worm the same amount of chickens whith Worm Eradicator.

One bottle is $22, the other is $25, though I did find one source for $18 (Trifen plus).

-Kathy

 

[Eradicator]

Ivermectin is effective against Gapeworms.

 

[casportpony]

You know what I *would* buy? I would love to see someone sell an affordable praziquantel tablet or caspule. Would love to see someone selling little 5 mg capsules or tablet, that would be quite useful. With something like that I could treat any sized bird, dog or cat for tapes.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Ivermectin is effective against Gapeworms.

There is a study that says different. Albendazole and fenbendazole are more effective... can post those studies, too.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9269125
Anthelmintic efficacy of ivermectin against Syngamus trachea and Capillaria spp. in pheasant.

Lamka J1, Svobodová V, Slézková J.
Author information


Abstract

Ivermectin (IVM) was perorally administered in dosage schemes 1 x 0.8 mg/kg of body weight (b.w.), 1 x 1.6 mg/kg h.w., 3 x 0.8 mg/kg b.w., and 3 x 1.6 mg/kg b.w. to pheasants infected by Syngamus trachea and Capillaria spp. The samples of faeces were coprologically examined. The clinical state of pheasant was controlled. In all of the used therapeutical schemes the helminthostatic or partially helminthocide effect against adults of worms was reached. The clinical signs of helmithoses were reduced only. IVM in tested doses is not possible to recommend as an effective drug of pheasant syngamosis and capillariosis.

 

[casportpony]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2816174
Ivermectin as a bird anthelmintic--trials with naturally infected domestic fowl.

Oksanen A, Nikander S.
Abstract

To evaluate the use of ivermectin as a bird anthelmintic, 29 White Leghorn hens naturally infected with Ascaridia spp., Heterakis spp. and Capillaria spp. were treated with 0.2, 2 or 6 mg/kg intramuscularly or 0.2 or 0.8 mg/kg orally. Faecal samples were collected before treatment and at autopsy, 2, 6, or 16 days after treatment, when the intestines were also examined for helminths. None of the treatments gave satisfactory anthelmintic results.