Best treatment for tapeworms?

[mamaKate]

My little Porcelain D'Uccle pooped one out the other day. I assume it was a tapeworm. It was about 2 inches long and flat. I've also seen tiny thread shapes. Her breeder kept her outside in the summer but she's inside here year 'round. I think if I could get rid of the worms they would stay gone.

 

[mamaKate]

I've been checking while I waited for an answer. It seems Safeguard is no good if she's moulting (she is), and albendazole (sp?) can cause bone marrow damage. Are there any other options?

 

[harley]

Not sure of the spelling but iIthink its diatomaceous earth or some time referred to as Da. Its not that easy to find or iIfind it not that easy to find but i do know of a place. IF you go with DA be sure and get food grade. Its used for a lot of different things so i would suggest you start putting at least 5% of there daily feed with DA. Its great for mites and a host of other things. I use it regular and i believe on it.

 

[kickinchicken]

Diatomeacious Earth or DE can usually found at feed stores, but be sure to get the FOOD GRADE DE, it has less additives and preservatives- and WEAR A DUST MASK when you dust the birds, coop and run with it. You can seriously irritate your lungs with this stuff.. And the small tiny worms are probably pin worms or round worm. As far as tape worm for birds...are there any fleas in the coop or the area that they hang out during the day? From what I understand, from a feline and canine perspective (this is more my area of expertise), tapeworm is caused by eating fleas as the flea carries the tape worm larvae. I'm not sure if chickens can even see a flea, let alone eat them.
But I agree that DE is a wonderful preventative and can be used as a treatment for other ailments. I believe you treat tapeworm with ivermectin.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Once you've identified that your birds have parasites, you need to treat with something strong enough to get rid of it. Use food grade DE for preventative maintenance, on clean birds. Use medicine when you have to cure them or the infestation will kill them pretty quickly.

 

[MotherJean]

This information is from Mississippi State University:

"All poultry tapeworms apparently spend part of their lives in intermediate hosts, and birds become infected by eating the intermediate hosts. These hosts include snails, slugs, beetles, ants, grasshoppers, earthworms, houseflies and others. The intermediate host becomes infected by eating the eggs of tapeworms that are passed in the bird feces.

Although several drugs are used to remove tapeworms from poultry, most are of doubtful efficacy. In general, tapeworms are most readily controlled by preventing the birds from eating the infected intermediate host. Tapeworm infections can be controlled by regular treatment of the bird with fenbendazole or leviamisole."

 

[kickinchicken]

Wow. Good to know. Now I am better educated on tapeworm for poultry!

Perhaps this is how dogs can get it too! I know one of my dogs LOOOOOOOVES to chase fat flies around the yard and eat 'em up!

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

Not sure of the spelling but iIthink its diatomaceous earth or some time referred to as Da. Its not that easy to find or iIfind it not that easy to find but i do know of a place. IF you go with DA be sure and get food grade. Its used for a lot of different things so i would suggest you start putting at least 5% of there daily feed with DA. Its great for mites and a host of other things. I use it regular and i believe on it.

DE s availabel at Amazon 10b bags and 50lb bags
and It is food grade