Need help with follow up wormer for gapeworm that is gentle on the liver

[klbaker75]

Hi, I have some fenbendazole/safeguard resistant gapes. So unfortunately I had to treat with Safeguard for 6 days before realizing this. One of my hens is older and is on milk thistle for a "sensitive" liver. I had to switch to Valbazen for three days (so 9 total days of wormer over a 11 day period, which is horrible and unfortunate but hindsight is 20/20 and I had no idea the gapeworms here were resistant until the 6 days were up) to knock out the gapeworm. But I have to repeat worming in 10 days per directions. Is there anything easier on the liver that I can use for her that will tackle gapes? Is there anything at all natural to try to at least prevent the next round of eggs hatching into adults? I know natural meds won't *treat* gapeworm, but at this point I have treated the gapeworm and just need to *prevent*. Or like I said, a very very gentle wormer on the liver. My beautiful white cochin is so precious to me. Thank you.

 

[coach723]

I honestly don't know if any of them are easier on the liver. But I use this for liver issues so might be helpful for her to detox. I use 4 ml once a day for up to 7 days, I've used it for helping the ascites symptoms in birds with reproductive problems and it has helped in some cases. It is available at many health food sources online.

 

[Kiki]

Earthworms, snails and slugs carry gapeworms. Have you thought about trying to rid them from your yard?

 

[klbaker75]

Earthworms, snails and slugs carry gapeworms. Have you thought about trying to rid them from your yard?

Yes I had them controlled for two months with use of DE. It kept the earthworms at bay but then when I didn’t have anymore gapes I assumed I had gotten rid of them and stopped putting DE down. Then we had three weeks of rain and that is when it started. I’ve gotten their yard mowed short and I’m waiting on more DE to arrive in the mail in a few days. It will always be in the soil and therefore in the earthworms. I learned the hard way. I really don’t know what to do about the follow up dose since they will for sure get more worms that have since hatched. I think one more dose of valbazen will kill her but yet gapes might as well. I guess I could take her to the vet under anesthesia and have him remove them physically instead. Not sure that’s much better on her liver though. She tolerated safeguard ok but it’s once again chancing not working even at higher doses.

 

[klbaker75]

I honestly don't know if any of them are easier on the liver. But I use this for liver issues so might be helpful for her to detox. I use 4 ml once a day for up to 7 days, I've used it for helping the ascites symptoms in birds with reproductive problems and it has helped in some cases. It is available at many health food sources online.
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I have her on milk thistle increased to every two hours. She’s been on that once a day faithfully since September when she ate a ton of poke berries and it nearly killed her with toxicity. I only have two hens in her group and they are besties. If I lose her I will lose the other one too. I just wish I had a good preventative option. Or I can take my chances with the worm. She’s likely lived most of her life with it anyway. I don’t know her history prior to November 2017 and she’s maybe 4 now.

 

[Kiki]

Yes I had them controlled for two months with use of DE. It kept the earthworms at bay but then when I didn’t have anymore gapes I assumed I had gotten rid of them and stopped putting DE down. Then we had three weeks of rain and that is when it started. I’ve gotten their yard mowed short and I’m waiting on more DE to arrive in the mail in a few days. It will always be in the soil and therefore in the earthworms. I learned the hard way. I really don’t know what to do about the follow up dose since they will for sure get more worms that have since hatched. I think one more dose of valbazen will kill her but yet gapes might as well. I guess I could take her to the vet under anesthesia and have him remove them physically instead. Not sure that’s much better on her liver though. She tolerated safeguard ok but it’s once again chancing not working even at higher doses.

I highly doubt a vet will put her under...that itself is dangerous and can kill.

 

[klbaker75]

I highly doubt a vet will put her under...that itself is dangerous and can kill.

He has done many crop surgeries for me in the past. Long story. Thankfully not currently an issue.

 

[Kiki]

He has done many crop surgeries for me in the past. Long story. Thankfully not currently an issue.

He puts them under when doing this surgery?
I don't think I have ever seen one put under before. This is very interesting.

 

[klbaker75]

He gave them very light gas through a large plastic cone type mask. I was the helper so we watched respirations carefully. He is just a regular vet. I’ve had a spay done with the avian vet and he does the full trach tube and everything.

 

[Kiki]

He gave them very light gas through a large plastic cone type mask. I was the helper so we watched respirations carefully. He is just a regular vet. I’ve had a spay done with the avian vet and he does the full trach tube and everything.

Awesome.

What does he say about the gapeworm issue?