Possible gapeworm... is Ivermectin what I need?

[ImportTheBest]

We have 3 chickens and they're about 1 yr old. We've never wormed before and my Millie's odd "mute open mouth calls" today made me curious, so after some reading on here I think she (and therefore the other 2) has gapeworm!

Ack!!

Is it the pour on Ivermectin I have read about here that I need to use? Wazine only treats roundworm, am I right? Or should I still do round one with Wazine and round 2 with Ivermectin / whatever it is I need for gapeworm?

I have one large fowl, and 2 itty bitty bantams. We're also bringing home one large size Ameraucana/Easter Egger tomorrow (going straight into quarantine and then slowly introduced). Should she be wormed with the others as well, she'll be around 7mths?

Thanks!!

 

[seminolewind]

I could guess but you'd be better off pm'ing Dawg53

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Are there any respiratory disease symptoms such as nasal discharge, eye swelling, or gurgling noises?

Any paralysis?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I could guess but you'd be better off pm'ing Dawg53

x2 on this!

But the questions I asked he will likely want to know that too I am guessing.

 

[casportpony]

The study below says that fenbendazole will get them when given at 20mg/kg three days in a row.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6750887
Efficacy of fenbendazole against helminth parasites of poultry in Uganda.

Ssenyonga GS.
Abstract

Fenbendazole 4% (Panacur, Hoechst) administered in feed was used to treat chickens infected with Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum and Railletina spp. It was also used to treat Syngamus trachea in broiler birds. There was a marked drop in helminth egg counts in the faeces on the second day of treatment and the faeces became negative by the seventh day after the last treatment. Post-mortem examination 15 to 21 days later showed that the drug was 100% effective against Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum at 10 mg/kg. However, for complete removal of Railletina spp. 15 mg/kg was required. Similarly 20 mg/kg fenbendazole was effective against Syngamus trachea. It was concluded that fenbendazole is suitable for the treatment of the important intestinal and tracheal worms of poultry, a dose of 15 to 20 mg/kg for 3 consecutive days being recommended for use under field conditions.

 

[ImportTheBest]

Thanks for the replies so far! No sign of any sickness at all in any of them. At all. The Marans has taken the summer off of laying, but I can't blame her, it's been awfully hot here for the past few months. Millie (the one I am concerned about) took a couple months off laying but has started back up again. And the frizzled cochin is so darn broody that she only stopped laying for a few weeks in the worst heat and then started back up trying to get a clutch of eggs to hatch, lol! Aside from the break from laying and a half hearted molt on the Marans and cochin, nothing to report at all.

We've been gone all day today so i haven't had a chance to just sit and watch them, but I noticed she doesn't do it ALL the time, just sometimes. Is that normal for gapeworm, or was the gaping and stretching before possibly her just trying to dislodge something she'd eaten?

 

[ImportTheBest]

I saw something that said to use a qtip and swab gently between 1/2" and 1" past her beak in her throat. Gapeworms would show on the qtip when you bring it back out.

Has anyone done this? I'll be honest, I'm scared I'll hurt her!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thanks for the replies so far! No sign of any sickness at all in any of them. At all. The Marans has taken the summer off of laying, but I can't blame her, it's been awfully hot here for the past few months. Millie (the one I am concerned about) took a couple months off laying but has started back up again. And the frizzled cochin is so darn broody that she only stopped laying for a few weeks in the worst heat and then started back up trying to get a clutch of eggs to hatch, lol! Aside from the break from laying and a half hearted molt on the Marans and cochin, nothing to report at all.

We've been gone all day today so i haven't had a chance to just sit and watch them, but I noticed she doesn't do it ALL the time, just sometimes. Is that normal for gapeworm, or was the gaping and stretching before possibly her just trying to dislodge something she'd eaten?

They DO adjust their crops by "yawning" but it should not be an all day thing. It is an occasional thing that you notice once in awhile as you watch the flock...never feeling they are gasping for air.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/626463/gape-worm
this thread may help