Gapeworm -- Ivermectin question...

[c'mon eggs]

My girls appear to all have gapeworm and I'm wanting to treat them with Ivermectin. I'd like to add it to their drinking water but am having a hard time coming up with dosages. And does anyone know if I'd buy the pour or the injectable?

There's so much info out on the web -- 1%, 5%, pour on, injectable... I'm lost!

But I'd like to get them started on a treatment today if possible and will need to stop by Tractor Supply within the next few hours to buy something that works.

Thanks!

 

[speckledhen]

How do you know they have gapeworm? Are they choking and shaking their heads? Gapeworm isn't all that common.

 

[c'mon eggs]

They are shaking their heads, stratching their beaks on the ground, stretching out their necks and almost like yawning... and having trouble keeping their food in their beaks. They are still trying to eat & drink though.

 

[c'mon eggs]

Anyone?

I treated them with Wazine just to get rid of any other bugs... but they still have all the same symptoms of gapeworm (getting worse). Crops are all normal. They are all still trying to eat & drink fortunately. So...

I bought the 1.87% Ivermectin paste for horses at TSC ("Horse Health"). I want to put this in their drinking water -- but am unsure of how much to put in and for how many days. 2cc? 4cc? Does anyone have any idea? Can I hurt them by putting too much in??

Any ideas so very much appreciated!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

How many birds do you have?

I've been told that with the horse paste a BB-sized piece in the mouth. I do not believe it will disolve in the water. If you want to put it in the water, you need the injectible form.

Personally I use the pour-on, and apply in the wing-pit. I apply 1/2 to 1 ml for adult birds, about 1/4 for babies, although I first dilute it with baby oil; direct application on young birds causes skin irritation.

 

[vermontgal]

I researched this a while ago and ended up feeding a rice-sized portion on a special treat per bird (I think I used a small piece of bread, and rubbed the paste in.) I tried dissolving the paste in hot water, and it looked like an oily sheen on top - not at all sure of the distribution through the water. The oil could be the inactive ingredients in the paste. I would defer to others who know more than I do.