Ivermectin Overdose?

[casportpony]

Which one is a good one to buy? One made for poultry specifically?
Is this good?: https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-Permethrin-Clothing-Repellent/dp/B01M4KFZME

 

[dawg53]

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[louiseschwieker]

Thank you ♡

 

[MickWithChicks]

Sorry you lost your chicken. It does sound like it was her time. As chicken fanciers, we've all been there or all will be there at some point, and it's always a downer to head outside to find one dead on the coop floor. You'll ask yourself "did I act too late?", "should I have not interfered and stressed her?", "did I do the wrong thing?" etc. Don't get hung up on it. It's so hard to get right and as prey animals, chickens do a really good job of hiding symptoms until it's too late to save them.

The Merck vet manual recommends Ivermectin for mites, but does mention it can be toxic at high dosages:

Systemic control with ivermectin (1.8–5.4 mg/kg) or moxidectin (8 mg/kg) is effective for short periods, but the high dosages are expensive, close to toxic levels, and require repeated use.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/mites-of-poultry

Most pour-on ivermectin is about 5mg/mL, so a 2kg ISA brown would take about 2mL. I can't see her face in the photo, but she looks like a silkie? They're usually a little smaller at 1.5kg.

If you were using a standard medicine dropper, they only take about 3.5mL. Assuming a full does, and 50% of your dose was lost on feathers, she'd have had a fairly effective dose, but unlikely toxic.

The manual later goes on to recommend 0.2mg/kg for leg mite treatment, or about 1/5th of the dropper. So you definitely gave her more than she needed, but in a healthy chicken, unlikely toxic.

With her ongoing issues and weak constitution, it may have had a net-negative effect, but unlikely to have been the sole cause of her issues.

Out of curiosity, did you treat all your chickens with the Ivermectin at similar dosages? If so, how are they doing?

 

[ChickenLeg]

Glad you knew when to cull her, that takes heart! RIP

 

[Folly's place]

Mick, your dosages are way off, at least for the USA. Ours is generally a 1% solution, and the dose is under 0.1 mg per pound body weight. So, more like 1 ml. per 100 pounds body weight!!!
It's a great drug, but not approved for use in chickens here, because egg withdrawals would be very very long. For mite and lice, permethrin spray makes more sense.
Fenbendazole is now okay for chickens here, and does many intestinal parasites.
I've used Ivermectin on my birds in the past, but see no reason to use it now.
Mary

 

[MickWithChicks]

Mick, your dosages are way off, at least for the USA. Ours is generally a 1% solution, and the dose is under 0.1 mg per pound body weight.

They're not my dosages. As per the article, they're based on recommendations by James R. Philips, PhD, Associate Professor of Science, Math/Science Division, Babson College, Massachusetts.

Pour-on is often supplied as 5mg/mL in standard supply here. TSC sells Ivomec at 5mg/mL in the USA.

I've always been recommended 0.2 mg/kg, and have treated with success thus far. However, the linked Merck Vet Article has suggested systemic treatment (short term) at that very high (5mg/kg) dosage.

I do find the "close to toxic levels" to be a scary comment though. I wouldn't personally dose at that level.

but not approved for use in chickens here, because egg withdrawals would be very very long.

As far as I'm aware it's not approved anywhere. Not due to withdrawal periods, but due to a lack research in the use of ivermectin for poultry. Studies have been done in lactating cattle and goats, and withholding periods for milk are zero days for topical, and 9 days for oral administration of ivermectin.

Generally, industry standards have the same withholding period for eggs as they do milk, so based on general assumptions, it should be safe per the above. Your mileage may vary though, and I definitely wouldn't be selling eggs treated outside of an arbitrarily safe timeframe (14-28 days).

For mite and lice, permethrin spray makes more sense.

I agree for the most part, and prevent (rather than cure) with permethrin. I also use permethrin as first port of call when mites are identified. I use ivermectin when there's a dual issue or when quarantining new birds to introduce to the flock (ivermectin is very effective for internal and external parasites).

 

[dawg53]

The manufacturers of Ivermectin, Merial and Durvet and perhaps others will tell you that Ivermectin is not for use in poultry.
In dogs, Ivermectin and/or its derivatives stay in the dogs system for 30 days. It's the same for chickens. That's why dogs are wormed monthly.
I worm my birds monthly due to our wet/moist environment, but not with Ivermectin.
My use of Ivermectin pour on long ago proved ineffective against large roundworms in my chickens. It was due to its overuse as a miteacide in poultry and worms became resistant. It may be effective elsewhere, but not here. It is ineffective in treating northern fowl mites due to resistance according to Parasitepedia.

 

[Celeste Cannon]

View attachment 1584835 View attachment 1584836

Ahh are you sure?? I want the safest option will the stuff for horses harm them? Is there a high chance of overdosing?

 

[Folly's place]

In the packaging of the Gordon's permethrin concentrate are directions for different dilutions for different species and applications. Follow the directions!
Mary