Nightcrawlers carrying parasites?!

[AzDuck]

I have to be honest, I just now read about this today. I did a lot of research before getting my ducks buuuuuut never came across this info until now.

My ducks eat a TON of nightcrawler worms (I mean a TON) because the people who lived at our property before us (around 15 yrs ago) "planted" thousands of worms in the front and back yards to encourage healthy lawns. There is no plausible way with them free-ranging during the day to stop them from eating/foraging for these tasty treats, especially after a rain.

Has anyone had an issue with their ducks getting gapeworm (or any other parasite) from their ducks consuming nightcrawlers? I know I have read that we should just be deworming them yearly or bi-yearly, but I know gapes can be very resistant to most available dewormers.

I've just found another thing to worry about, YIKES. I am hoping, however, that the instance of infestation from homegrown nightcrawlers is very low because my duckies will be devastated if they can no longer indulge. Thanks guys! <3

 

[KaleIAm]

I asked my vet about gapeworm once, and she told me it was very rare and not a concern. That could be in my particular area and specific to my particular ducks.

My ducks and I spend tons of time outside in the garden, where I dig up the soil and they slurp up worms and hunt slugs. My understanding is that both worms and slugs can have parasites and that ducks can get intestinal parasites from eating them. I take poop samples from individual ducks to my vet who examines them under a microscope for parasites. Sometimes my ducks have parasites. Sometimes only one of my ducks have parasites - and it is always the same duck. Sometimes none of my ducks have parasites.

I have asked my vet about a deworming schedule, and she advised against it. My understanding is that you can make parasites even more resistant to the medications that way. Plus, even if they are over the counter they are real medications with potential side effects. So it is probably best to only use them if your bird actually needs them.

The good news is that despite having had parasites multiple times my ducks always completely recover with treatment! I have rechecks done on their poop and find out they are parasite free! I choose to let them continue foraging all the slugs and worms their little ducky hearts desire, as I think having a joyous life full of earthworms is worth it.

 

[addctd2plnts]

I have asked my vet about a deworming schedule, and she advised against it. My understanding is that you can make parasites even more resistant to the medications that way. Plus, even if they are over the counter they are real medications with potential side effects. So it is probably best to only use them if your bird actually needs them.

This seems so odd because vets always advise to have scheduled dewomings with horses, (although the time between has increased). We always deworm my dogs after the first hard freeze for tapeworms (They get dewormed for other worms with their heartworm prevention). Since the most important de-worming is always for tapeworms and after the first hard freeze, I de-worm all my animals then. I know people say that ducks aren't as affected by worms but in a small animal it seems prudent to de-worm twice a year. current de-wormers have very wide safety margins and very few issues.

 

[KaleIAm]

This seems so odd because vets always advise to have scheduled dewomings with horses, (although the time between has increased). We always deworm my dogs after the first hard freeze for tapeworms (They get dewormed for other worms with their heartworm prevention). Since the most important de-worming is always for tapeworms and after the first hard freeze, I de-worm all my animals then. I know people say that ducks aren't as affected by worms but in a small animal it seems prudent to de-worm twice a year. current de-wormers have very wide safety margins and very few issues.

I assume my vet knows more than I do on the matter and I follow their advice. I'm sure different vets have different opinions. Or perhaps birds and mammals are just that different? I'm not an expert, this is just my experience.

My understanding is that tape worms don't show up in a fecal float test, yet, my dog/cat vet doesn't recommend scheduled deworming either. Maybe a geographical thing?

I have also heard people, including my first avian vet, say that a small amount of intestinal parasites in ducks is normal. Yet, in my duck who regularly has parasites when no other duck does, even having a very small amount of parasites gives her diarrhea.

 

[AzDuck]

I asked my vet about gapeworm once, and she told me it was very rare and not a concern. That could be in my particular area and specific to my particular ducks.

My ducks and I spend tons of time outside in the garden, where I dig up the soil and they slurp up worms and hunt slugs. My understanding is that both worms and slugs can have parasites and that ducks can get intestinal parasites from eating them. I take poop samples from individual ducks to my vet who examines them under a microscope for parasites. Sometimes my ducks have parasites. Sometimes only one of my ducks have parasites - and it is always the same duck. Sometimes none of my ducks have parasites.

I have asked my vet about a deworming schedule, and she advised against it. My understanding is that you can make parasites even more resistant to the medications that way. Plus, even if they are over the counter they are real medications with potential side effects. So it is probably best to only use them if your bird actually needs them.

The good news is that despite having had parasites multiple times my ducks always completely recover with treatment! I have rechecks done on their poop and find out they are parasite free! I choose to let them continue foraging all the slugs and worms their little ducky hearts desire, as I think having a joyous life full of earthworms is worth it.

I love that last bit! The joyous worm slurping is an absolute joy to watch, and I would soooo hate taking that type of fun away from them I haven’t noticed any indication of worms, but I work in an animal clinic and never even just thought about taking the dang poop in to look at for parasites Not sure why that wasn’t a thought of mine haha.

Thank you!!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Most agree that gapeworm is rare, but it seems it is always brought up as a possibility when people online are trying to help "diagnose" an issue. If a bird gets gapeworm, there are treatments. Ducks seem less susceptible to parasites (internally and externally) probably because they are designed for water and to root in the mud.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Body temp too having an internal body temp of 107 can make it pretty hard for internal parasites to live. Since I have chickens too my flock all get wormed regularly I use a herbal wormer no chemicals.

 

[Isaac 0]

Recommendations on worming regimes will often vary with the veterinarian. In many cases, preventative worming is useful and needed in warm/moist climates in the south where internal parasite infestations are very common in poultry.
In northern climates, internal parasites are much less of a problem.

Fecal flotations can accurately determine the worm load in a bird's system, via a fecal sample, which is then mixed with a high specific gravity solution thus allowing eggs to float to the top, and debris to sink to the bottom. A coverslip is placed overtop to collect the eggs for microscopic examination. This test runs cheap often around twenty dollars in most clinics; some companies offer this service online.
Some prefer to check if there is an active worm infestation via a float before worming which may promote to wormer resistance.
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-...ation is a routine,them into the host's stool.

My own ducks are allowed to forage on whatever they do please; in the case, they begin to suffer from a worm infestation, It will be detected on one of the regular fecal floatations I perform. In the case your birds did suffer from a worm infestation, you are much more likely to see roundworms, or capillary worms rather than gapeworms which are rare in most areas.