Adult ascarid or undigested earthworm?

[BugStalker]

I treat for ascarids, sometimes, but I think this is an undigested earthworm. I saw her eat one like it, and she is not digesting well. It was curled up like a screw, and I unwound it. Anybody know how to tell better than I do? I don't want to treat unless she needs it in her condition. (She was dewormed last fall with Valbazen along with the flock, though I didn't get a count for her.) I intend to try a fecal float when I can get enough sample, or maybe try to use what I can get...

 

[coach723]

That really looks like a roundworm to me, but a fecal will confirm. Worm infestation could be the reason for her digestive issues. The life cycle is 28 days, so completely possible that after worming in the fall it has recurred. They are very easily picked up in the environment. When worming with valbazen you do two doses 10 days apart, to break the cycle and get any eggs in the digestive tract that hatch after the first dose (the medication kills the worms, but does not kill the eggs). But if you have a heavy environmental load, reinfection is common, the eggs survive in the soil for a very long time. You may have to worm more often to keep them controlled, every flock is different. I personally worm 4 times a year, that is what works for my flock, some are able to do once or twice a year, some do even more often than I do. If you worm regularly then rotating medications is a good idea to help prevent resistance in your population, I generally alternate valbazen and safeguard.

 

[cottagecheese]

I have only met earthworms face to face, never an ascarid, but I've seen plenty of pictures. This thing looks a little pale for an earthworm, but unfortunately looks just like an ascarid. I read that pyrantel pamoate is the safest dewormer for ascarids.

 

[dawg53]

It's a large roundworm. Your hen that excreted it has more inside her. I recommend you worm all your birds, springtime is worm time. Valbazen, pyrantel pamoate, levamisole or safeguard will get rid of them and other types of worms as well.

 

[BugStalker]

Thanks for the advice. After it dried out, it looked more like an ascarid. I remembered a few pieces of chopped garlic had fallen in her water. Garlic water tends to bring out one or two when they have a load.

 

[BugStalker]

Her problem was cancer. I still intend to deworm the flock, but my Safeguard is expired. (Also, they may have extra winter weight, which can mean the livers will be less able to handle Safeguard. This bird did, at least.) I am considering trying fecal floats while looking for a wormer. (I don't think it's quite an emergency, at this point, but don't want to wait too long.) If it was an emergency, I would probably use Valbazen again before expired Safeguard. Does that sound right?

 

[cottagecheese]

The excellent avian vet Dr Wissman is generously making her extensive experience available to the public.
http://www.exoticpetvet.net/
She says : "I routinely use pyrantel pamoate, since you can't hurt a bird with it, unless you aspirate it! Don't use fenbendazole, as it can cause idiosyncratic liver problems or death."
So this MENSA level vet thinks fenbendazole is no bueno. Then maybe the other bendazoles are not bueno?
If Safeguard = fenbendazole has expired, that's a good thing. Valbazen = albendazole, I guess it's up to you if you want to get pyrantel pamoate. Here are the pigeon people, influenced by the same doctor, brainstorming the dosage: https://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/pyrantel-pamoate-overdose-60919.html
Here are our people:https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wormer-pyrantel-pamoate.1117321/
Here you need a subscription https://www.plumbsveterinarydrugs.com/#!/monograph/q21WnXeZ3X/doses, but
@casportpony owns the book !

 

[casportpony]

Yes, there are some anti fenbendazole/albendazole vets, and some birds, like pigeons and doves, are extremely sensitive to these drugs.

Plumb's albendazole
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/parasites-in-waterfowl.961591/#post-14973957

 

[danceswithronin]

Definitely a roundworm. Used to be in animal control, WAY too familiar with them.

 

[dawg53]

If it's good enough for humans, it's good enough for chickens. I've been using Valbazen, Safeguard, Wazine and Pyrantal Pamoate for years without issues in my birds.
http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/albendazole