Indestructible Tapeworms?

[Kaitlynf910]

UPDATE: It’s been 3 weeks since their first dose of Equimax. They had their second dose after 10 days. Not ONE live tapeworm has been seen since the first dose. Hopefully it stays that way! Thank y’all for your help!

 

[jenfred75]

Valbazen works for some types of tapeworm, but some are resistant to it. A medication containing praziquantel is better. Equimax paste (for horses) or Zymectrin Gold are both commonly used. Equimax is the best bang for the buck. And then try to reduce the numbers of whatever intermediate host you seem to have. The Valbazen most likely took care of the round worms.

Most cost effective way to treat tapes is with Equimax Paste for horses. Dose is 0.03 ml per pound orally and repeat in 10 days (6 pound bird would get ~0.2 ml, which is 1/5 ml).

One can also use Zimectrin Gold, but you have to use much more of it, so it ends up being more expensive. Dose is 0.06 ml per pound orally and repeat in 10 days (6 pound bird would get ~0.35 ml).

Since you know you have an ongoing issue, I would get a fecal done in about 6 months to check for reinfection (unless you see signs earlier), to see how often you may need to retreat. Roundworms are really easy to pick up in the environment, so you may have to worm regularly to keep them controlled, you will not always see them in the droppings. You may be able to worm once or twice a year and keep them controlled, it just depends on your environment and the load. I have to worm every 3 months here for them.

If you use this - is there a period of time you cannot eat the eggs? Do you have to keep them from food for 24 hours? My chickens are a year old and one for sure has tapeworm and I want to do what will work the best.

 

[coach723]

Most people do a 2 week withdrawl for wormers. Since most of them are not technically approved for chickens, it is hard to find literature with definite withdrawl times for many that are used. So you will have to decide and do what you feel is best and that which you are comfortable with. In all honesty, some people ignore the withdrawl and I've not heard any reports of problems. I certainly would not sell eggs during the withdrawl period. Here is a thread that might be helpful:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...esticide-withdrawal-times-for-layers.1142760/
As for fasting, some recommend withholding food for 24 hours. I generally just fast them overnight, once they roost pick up all food, go out first thing in the morning and dose everybody before they have access to food. Logic being that the first things the worms will get is the medication, while they are hungry too. Make sure to do the follow up treatment in 10 days. Also, with tapes, it's not always necessary to treat the entire flock. Since they are gotten from a secondary host, they are not as easily spread as roundworms, for which usually the recommendation is to treat the entire flock. With tapes, doing what you can to reduce the numbers of whatever host they are getting them from can help also. Earthworms and some insects carry the tapes and the birds get them when they eat the host. I would treat the birds that are showing symptoms, or have shown segments in their droppings.

 

[Kaitlynf910]

I withdrew eggs for two weeks and I fasted them overnight. I took the food away at about 5:30 pm the night before. I went out to give them meds at about 8-9 am the next day. Then I waited about an hour after that to give them the food back. That way the meds would be the only thing in their digestive system for that period of time and give it a chance to work.

If you use this - is there a period of time you cannot eat the eggs? Do you have to keep them from food for 24 hours? My chickens are a year old and one for sure has tapeworm and I want to do what will work the best.