Ducks and Ivermectin?

[offdagridsoon]

We're looking to worm & delouse our roosters and Cayugas. We initially got Ivermectin as we suspect the birds may have gapeworm, but looking at one of our 'roos tonight I am thinking there may also be lice.

Has anyone here given their ducks injectible Ivermectin? If so, what sort of dosage did you use?

 

[GrannyCarol]

I have used the .1% injectable applied externally (one small drop per duck) to deal with parasites of any sort. I've used it on a duck with a wound that had maggots (cleared that right up and kept them off until she healed) and I've used it for mites. Just pull it into a syringe , take the needle off, ruff up the feathers on the shoulder and put a drop on the skin. It's off label and I'm not a vet, so use your own judgment, but from what I've read it works fine and I wouldn't expect a problem. I wouldn't inject it. You can also put a drop in their bill, but it goes through the skin easily, so I would use the easiest application. With mites you'll want to retreat in two weeks too.

 

[hossfeathers]

Not the best thing if you're going to be eating those birds or the eggs. There are pymetherin sprays that work well.

 

[GrannyCarol]

Ivermectin is used on people too. I'd prefer that to pymetherin sprays personally. Sevin dust is highly recommended by many experts for mites and lice and is considered very safe. One expert on another forum uses Copper Sulfate as a wormer in her poultry water and has very good success with that, it is also supposed to be very safe. I've never used Sevin dust or Copper Sulfate.

One caution with Ivermectin is that it can be dangerous to some dogs that have a genetic defect. This applies basically to Collie breeds, Aussie Shepherds and many similar breeds. When I used Ivermectin, I labeled the eggs for a couple of weeks and my daughter was careful not to feed them to her Smooth Collie - might have been fine, but we haven't done the DNA test to know if she is susceptible or not.

These choices are up to the people with the livestock, I sure can't tell anyone what to do, was just answering a question on how to use what they have and want to use.

 

[arabianequine]

Quote:
But wouldn't they ingest it that way too...when they clean themselves. It says right on pymetherin not to use on cats and I think that is why.

 

[tbitt]

Good Info, thanks for posting!!!!

 

[offdagridsoon]

Thanks for the info! I was wondering though, why wouldn't you inject it GrannyCarol if it were going to be absorbed into their bodies anyway? Have you also used Ivermectin against gapeworm? I'm just curious if anyone has any info on how long it takes to be effective against it..

 

[hossfeathers]

But wouldn't they ingest it that way too...when they clean themselves. It says right on pymetherin not to use on cats and I think that is why.

You're right that it is important to always read the label and follow the directions given.

It is best to assume that any drug given to or applied on an animal will be adsorbed. Obviously, adsorption is different through the skin than orally (see: sticking your hand in a cup of gasoline, vs drinking a cup of gasoline.) Many drugs have different effects and different severity of side effects when eaten vs injected vs applied to the skin. And a does that is good for a horse might be very bad for a lamb or a chicken.

Pymetherin isn't to be used on cats because cats, who are known for having unique liver functions, react badly to the drug. It is safe to use in many other animals - ACCORDING TO LABEL DIRECTIONS. Again, tylenol is safe for adult humans, but not if you take a whole bottle of it. The directions must be followed for the drug to be safe.

It is also important to assume that any drug or medication you give a food animal (such as a broiler or laying hen, or one that will become a broiler or layer) will become part of the (human) meal. It is best to only use drugs that are labeled for a particular species, and to follow directions on withdrawal times, so that the excess drug will work its way out of the animal's system.

Even drugs that are normally also used by humans can have adverse effects if the drug gets into the meat, milk or eggs. (Some infections in cows call for penicillin. Penicillin passes into the milk. Imagine if a farmer didn't dump the milk from the treated cow, and a person who was allergic to penicillin drank the milk. Doesn't happen in the USA, because of strict enforcement of regulations and severe fines. But it has happened elsewhere.) Just because penicillin (or ivormectin) is used in humans under a doctor's directions doesn't mean that it is okay to be in the food via a treated animal. The withdrawal time must be known and followed.

Additionally, drugs that can cause cancer shouldn't be given to food animals. This is why Sevin dust is no longer labelled for use in animals or poultry, as it has been found to have cancer-causing properties.

Finally - most pest and infestation problems are at least in part related to husbandry. If the husbandry/cleanliness issue isn't fixed, the problem will come right back. Best to fix the husbandry problem, then treat, for maximum effect.​

 

[Mr Peeps Mama]

Does anyone know if there is a medication to rid the chickens of gapeworms and still be able to eat the eggs?

 

[KansasKid]

I worm Mandarins, teal, pintails, sebie geese, domestic ducks, and chickens with ivermectin. Its about time for me to do it again come to think of it, forgot what the dosage was. I do remember the vet telling me to use only a few droplets for the mandarins but forgot how much for bigger birds. I'm going up sometime in the next few days to get more baytril and i'll ask about correct dosage for the ivermectin.

(i apologize if this has already been said, skimmed through the thread)