Worms and Worming - Warning, Graphic Pictures and Videos

[casportpony]

For my 40k post I wanted to post something special, so I decided to start this thread. In it I will share the information I have gathered and and what I have learned from this information. It's a work in progress, so check back often. I hope that many others will join in and share what they know, and those that have questions, please don't be shy, ask away!

Topics covered will be:

• Types of poultry worms
• Types of wormers
• Correct dosing
• Choosing an appropriate wormer
• Worming the different species of birds, might even add a little about mammals.
  
• Fecal tests
• Giving the wormer
• Worming misinformation (a pet peeve of mine)

From Farad:
http://www.usfarad.org/drug-wdi-faqs.html


Fenbendazole
Fenbendazole is approved as an oral suspension for laying hens in the United Kingdom for treatment of gastro-intestinal nematodes at a dose of 1mg/kg/bw for 5 days and has a zero day egg and six day meat withdrawal. In the US, since there is no tolerance, this withdrawal needs to be extended. Submit a withdrawal request to FARAD.

Piperazine
There is one study looking at piperazine residues in the eggs of treated hens. Piperazine is approved for use in laying hens in Australia and Canada at doses ranging from 130 to 200mg/kg/body weight one time and a zero day egg and meat withdrawal. Because of the lack of a tolerance in the US, FARAD recommends a 17 day egg withdrawal for piperazine used at broiler label doses in laying hens.

Ivermectin
There are limited studies available in the literature on the depletion of ivermectin residues from eggs. Given the limited studies and data available, FARAD cannot provide a blanket withdrawal interval recommendation and individuals are requested to submit a withdrawal interval request to FARAD. Submit a withdrawal request to FARAD.




Types of worms


Pictures from the Veterinary Parasitology Reference Manual - Fifth Edition

Roundworm




Cecal worm




Capillary worms




Gapeworm




Tapeworm



Picture by BYC's BeeKissed:

In the spoiler is a copy and paste from http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=2655&Itemid=2933
AS you can see below, there are many
Internal parasites (endoparasites, worms, helminths)

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. $$$. Chicken roundworms. Small intestine. A serious problem worldwide, also in confined operations.
• Capillaria spp. $$. Hairworms. Crop, esophagus, small intestine, large intestine.
• Heterakis spp. $$$$. Cecal worms. Cecum. Probably the most threatening worms in all kind of poultry operations worldwide.
• Oxyspirura spp. $. Fowl eyeworms. Eyes. Usually a secondary problem in individual birds kept outdoors.
• Strongyloides spp. $$. 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 poultry operations
• 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.

Pictures of Worms











Possible damage due to cecal worms

Types of Wormers

Albendazole - 100 mg/ml


Albendazole 113.6mg/ml

​

-Kathy

 

[aart]

Cool!
Maybe add captions to 'pics of worms' in first post describing type of worm and anatomical location?

 

[Mosey2003]

Update, @casportpony :
So, bought my Valbazen yesterday. Shook it yesterday morning, it's still suspended today, good sign. I shook again for good measure and put it in the water and it looks good. Certainly not separating anywhere near "fast." I think I'll do it this way whenever hand dosing isn't practical.

 

[Mosey2003]

Yeah, if I'm going to catch them and oral dose by hand, I'm just going to give them the 1cc, I don't see the point in faffing about with water too. More chance to spill/spit.

 

[casportpony]

I wish I could show everyone how to give oral meds and how to tube. Done properly, it's almost impossible to put fluids down the trachea.

 

[Mrs. K]

this will be a great reference

 

[Folly's place]

Nice work, but the problem is in choosing an appropriate product, and still using/ selling eggs. Only piperazine is approved for use, and it only kills roundworms. Ivermectin and fenbendazole work very well, but aren't approved and so are totally off- label, with no approved egg withdrawal period. Farad.org is a great source of information that's current and lists approved drugs. The list keeps getting shorter, unfortunately. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

It's very frustrating! I understand the concerns about drug overuse and parasite resistance, BUT the commercial flocks are short lived and indoors all the time, so at lower risk for parasites. Our home flocks, who have a better longer life, are going to be exposed to mites, lice, and intestinal parasites, and we all need products to deal with these issues. It seems like something could be done to help us practice good husbandry without going against 'the rules'. Mary

 

[ccrow]

Re ivermectin- here's what my vet told me:

"Plumb's Veterinary Formulary has a dose for ivermectin in birds.
-get the bovine preparation(10mg/ml or 1%)
-dilute it 1 part ivermectin to 4 parts propylene glycol to make a 2mg/ml solution.
-the dose is 0.2 mg/kg orally (weigh each chicken in lbs, divide by 2.2 to get kg).
-repeat 2 weeks later.

According to information I found on VIN (the veterinary information network) no eggs from treated chickens should be consumed for 8 weeks."

So, that's what's in my immediate future.

 

[Folly's place]

"Lack of tolerance" should mean that there's zero tolerance for drug residue in the eggs. Nobody would recommend mixing Ivermectin with detergent!!! There is demonstrated parasite resistance to fenbendazole in horses, for example, and getting a measured dose into each chicken in the flock for five days running is problematic, IMO. Big commercial flocks get meds in their drinking water (greatest good for the greatest number) but I'm just not happy with that approach for my small home flock, and b individuals getting less than optimal drug dosages, promotes drug resistance. Mary