Gapeworm Treatment In Guinea Fowl Question

[BennieAnTheJets]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for being there!

I did search threads but want to make sure about the translation of the dose, so would love to get your help to confirm this.

My questions:

1) how many cc to dose of Safeguard for Goats (100 mg/mL) suspension per bird?

a) I think I need 20 mg / kg in the beak for 5 days in a row?

b) 1 mL = 1cc? is that right? So for a 3 lbs. adult Guinea Fowl, 0.3 cc of the Safeguard for goats? My vet prescribed 0.8 cc for 5 days once for a hen who was weighed at the vet's, for gapeworm- I don't recall her weight - maybe he was using 50 mg/kg? He also said he did not recommend treating asymptomatic birds/the flock, because of toxicity - maybe this is due to the higher dose? What is your experience/opinion?


2) how often to worm them with this wormer / any other wormer? catching them 5 days in a row sure is a lot of stress for them and me - they are not tame - but I will do it if I have to - one post said every 3 months? is that right? We do have a gapeworm problem / infestation here, it seems. I almost lost one hen to it who lost her voice and showed infection of the lungs on x-ray. We treated with several antibiotics and she made it, but I am not keen to repeat that experience. I now got one prematurely emaciated bird I am force feeding every day - may be gapeworm as well.

Any and all help much appreciated!

Thanks, Bennie

 

[Eggcessive]

To treat gapeworm in poultry, I would give 1/4 ml per pound of fenbendazole 10% (SafeGuard or Panacur) for 5 days in a row, which will get gapeworm and capillary worm, both hard to treat. That would be 3/4 ml or 0.75 ml or cc. Worm eggs will remain in the soil, and it would be difficult to completely remove them. It would be best to take in a few fresh droppings to get checked by your vet every so often. Depending on the conditions, some treat for worms once, twice, or even 4 times a year. Be sure that you are actually seeing gapeworm with a fecal test, since most respiratory diseases can also cause gaping or gasping.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

Thank you so much, Eggcessive!

I have been dragging my feet on this - but need to do it!

Got a scale to weigh them and hopefully will apply the correct dose and help everyone, rather than hurt anything.

I am kind'a afraid of that since my vet said not to treat if they are asymptomatic, but with 27 I really can't tell - some definitely have something and since I almost lost a hen to this and she recovered with the Fenbendazole, I think it is better to treat them.

sigh

Have any of you had a toxic reaction at 0.75 ml for 5 days?

 

[Eggcessive]

Casportpony has several threads on deworming. From what I understand, fenbendazole is one of the safest dewormers. There is an egg withdrawal time from the last dose of 14 days. But I would get some droppings checked for gapeworm before tackling the great task of worming 27 birds for 5 straight days.