Neverending tapework saga

[Mandee297]

Hello flock friends,
So I feel I am losing an uphill battle currently. Recently tackled mites with Elector PSP and successfully looks to have worked. Hoooowever, tapeworms seem to be an ongoing theme. I treated with Zimectrin Gold in August, and seemed to have done the trick, but fast forward to now and I saw more segments in a hen's poop yesterday. My girls free-range, and I understand tapes are picked up from the bugs they are most likely eating which I have no real control over. Today is the last day of Corrid treatment, for them. Do I again treat with Zimectrin Gold?? I hate pumping them up with all these meds. Also- is there a dewormer that works on tapes that would work in water? That would be far easier than individually dosing them.

Thanks for any and all insight. I have had my girls for three years and normally can manage these pop-up issues, but I really feel like I am batting 1,000 this year. Are tapes possibly a part of life when freeranged? Does winter zap them?

 

[ManueB]

Following- I have a similar situation.

I don't have easy access to Praziquantel in my country. I did a week of Flubendazole for the flock about two months ago. Seemed to work when I did it last year, and did absolutely nothing this year.

I think Fenbendazole is the closest active ingredient in the US, panacur Aquasol is used in water.Like Flubendazole it's efficiency against tapeworm is very relative, and it's solubility in water is poor, so a lot goes out in the chicken poop, which isn't great for biodiversity.

My guess it that my chickens will keep on reinfecting themselves because the worms dont disappear in the environment.
I’m personally not ready to treat the whole flock every six months with a product that is not efficient and is problematic for the environment. I am planning to use Praziquantel if I see a chicken unwell. I’m checking weight once or twice a month, food consumption, and pay attention to strange looking poops even more than before.

I have the same problem with my cats, by the way. I worm them once a year and they have worms again about two months after getting dewormed.

I hope you will get more helpful information!

 

[LaFleche]

I did a week of Flubendazole for the flock about two months ago. Seemed to work when I did it last year, and did absolutely nothing this year.

To treat for tapeworms you need to give at least double dosage of Flubenole 5%.

I have the same problem with my cats, by the way. I worm them once a year and they have worms again about two months after getting dewormed.

Cats will get them rather often from the mice and rats they catch and eat.
So as long as they have access to mice and rats they will get them over and over again...

 

[Folly's place]

Low levels of tapeworms aren't a huge issue for your birds, and here in the USA praziquantel, which works best, isn't approved for poultry. Fenbendazole, at the correct dosage, and for five (or ten?) days in a row, kills some tapeworm species, but not all. And the birds pick them up because they are out there foraging, so it will continue regardless.
Traditionally, individuals who were unthrifty or unhealthy were culled, not treated, the 'survival of the fittest' strategy. Or, worm the birds who have a larger worm burden, or the whole flock annually in fall, before the ground freezes and there's less to eat out there.
For outdoor cats, praziquantel when segments are seen, or in fall, as needed.
Mary

 

[LaFleche]

Also- is there a dewormer that works on tapes that would work in water? That would be far easier than individually dosing them.

The dewormers I know of have to be either administeted individually or mixed with the feed.

 

[dawg53]

Hello flock friends,
So I feel I am losing an uphill battle currently. Recently tackled mites with Elector PSP and successfully looks to have worked. Hoooowever, tapeworms seem to be an ongoing theme. I treated with Zimectrin Gold in August, and seemed to have done the trick, but fast forward to now and I saw more segments in a hen's poop yesterday. My girls free-range, and I understand tapes are picked up from the bugs they are most likely eating which I have no real control over. Today is the last day of Corrid treatment, for them. Do I again treat with Zimectrin Gold?? I hate pumping them up with all these meds. Also- is there a dewormer that works on tapes that would work in water? That would be far easier than individually dosing them.

Thanks for any and all insight. I have had my girls for three years and normally can manage these pop-up issues, but I really feel like I am batting 1,000 this year. Are tapes possibly a part of life when freeranged? Does winter zap them?

You're going to have to spray your yard with an insecticide to control the insects infecting your birds. Permethrin liquid concentrate will work. Keep your birds penned up for about a week. If you have a hard freeze, that will work.
Here's a link where you can order Worm Out soluble powder containing praziquantel to kill tapeworms:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1853344273...1291&msclkid=0bdc510a58461eee8920341d69aa29d4

 

[Kiki]

Hello flock friends,
So I feel I am losing an uphill battle currently. Recently tackled mites with Elector PSP and successfully looks to have worked. Hoooowever, tapeworms seem to be an ongoing theme. I treated with Zimectrin Gold in August, and seemed to have done the trick, but fast forward to now and I saw more segments in a hen's poop yesterday. My girls free-range, and I understand tapes are picked up from the bugs they are most likely eating which I have no real control over. Today is the last day of Corrid treatment, for them. Do I again treat with Zimectrin Gold?? I hate pumping them up with all these meds. Also- is there a dewormer that works on tapes that would work in water? That would be far easier than individually dosing them.

Thanks for any and all insight. I have had my girls for three years and normally can manage these pop-up issues, but I really feel like I am batting 1,000 this year. Are tapes possibly a part of life when freeranged? Does winter zap them?

How much exactly did you give each bird and did you give every bird a dose then repeat a second dose a week later?

No there is not anything you can use in their water.

 

[ManueB]

To treat for tapeworms you need to give at least double dosage of Flubenole

The dosage was prescribed by a vet and while it wasn't exactly double the dose it was higher than for ascaris and every day for seven days in a row.

The dewormers I know of have to be either administeted individually or mixed with the feed.

You may have access to Flimabo in Germany which is what the vet prescribed for us. Flubendazole suspension to be mixed in water.

Low levels of tapeworms aren't a huge issue for your birds, and here in the USA praziquantel, which works best, isn't approved for poultry. Fenbendazole, at the correct dosage, and for five (or ten?) days in a row, kills some tapeworm species, but not all. And the birds pick them up because they are out there foraging, so it will continue regardless.
Traditionally, individuals who were unthrifty or unhealthy were culled, not treated, the 'survival of the fittest' strategy. Or, worm the birds who have a larger worm burden, or the whole flock annually in fall, before the ground freezes and there's less to eat out there.
For outdoor cats, praziquantel when segments are seen, or in fall, as needed.
Mary

I more or less agree with you with my limited knowledge. There is a lot of conflicting information on the internet regarding the degree of damage the various species of tapeworm will cause. I don't think Praziquantel is approved for laying poultry anywhere. The vet who told us about it suggested one month egg withdrawal saying it remains in the eggs for a long time.

 

[LaFleche]

The dosage was prescribed by a vet and while it wasn't exactly double the dose it was higher than for ascaris and every day for seven days in a row.

You may have access to Flimabo in Germany which is what the vet prescribed for us. Flubendazole suspension to be mixed in water.

Years ago I called the company producing Flubenole 5% and had a conversation with the pharmaceutical manager about the necessary dosages. So I trust him to be better informed about their product than any vet that is not an avian vet.

You may want to have a look at this site regarding the indication, dosage and overdosing effects of the drug:

https://www.vetpharm.uzh.ch/tak/06000000/00065066.01

Regarding Flimabo:

I found it not as satisfactory as it tends to settle to the bottom after a while which left my chickens not having the dosage needed to be effective.

 

[ManueB]

Years ago I called the company producing Flubenole 5% and had a conversation with the pharmaceutical manager about the necessary dosages. So I trust him to be better informed about their product than any vet that is not an avian vet.

You may want to have a look at this site regarding the indication, dosage and overdosing effects of the drug:

https://www.vetpharm.uzh.ch/tak/06000000/00065066.01

Regarding Flimabo:

I found it not as satisfactory as it tends to settle to the bottom after a while which left my chickens not having the dosage needed to be effective.

Very interesting ! The dosage I was given is a lot more, if I understand correctly that on the link you mention, it's 10 mg Flubendazole per kilo, divided by the number of days you give it.

I was told to use 3mg per kilo per day. It is the dosage prescribed by France sanitary safety agency for medication. It may take into account the fact that we have bioresistance to Flubendazole. And that it has a high safety margin since most of it is not absorbed.

I use a mini mayonnaise hand mixer to make an emulsion with a little water before mixing it in the bowl and that way it dissolves completely.

Edited to add : it did not kill the tapeworms with the dosage I used anyway!