Tapeworm - help!

[mariac]

I noticed a large number of the chicken poops (I have 1 rooster and 4 chickens) have tapeworm cysts visible. They all seem to be in good health and eating and drinking normally. They free range on a good sized plot. Some of their poops are truly covered with them. They are definitely tapeworm cysts as they move and compare against all the images I can find on the net. I have wormed with Flubenvet for the normal 7 days but now 5 days later the cysts are still visible so I am assuming the Flubenvet wasn't effective. I have some Levamisole that the vet gave me last year (although I normally prefer Flubenvet because it has no withdrawal for eggs) and thought perhaps to use this. I am concerned though that a) worming them twice so close together may make matters worse and b) I have read mixed reports about the efficacy of Levamisole. Any experience or thoughts would be really welcome!

 

[cafarmgirl]

The best luck I've had getting rid of tapes is with wormer containing praziquantel. Equimax or Zimectrin Gold have both worked well. According to what I have read on parasitipedia.net Levamisol is not effective on tapes.

 

[casportpony]

I noticed a large number of the chicken poops (I have 1 rooster and 4 chickens) have tapeworm cysts visible. They all seem to be in good health and eating and drinking normally. They free range on a good sized plot. Some of their poops are truly covered with them. They are definitely tapeworm cysts as they move and compare against all the images I can find on the net. I have wormed with Flubenvet for the normal 7 days but now 5 days later the cysts are still visible so I am assuming the Flubenvet wasn't effective. I have some Levamisole that the vet gave me last year (although I normally prefer Flubenvet because it has no withdrawal for eggs) and thought perhaps to use this. I am concerned though that a) worming them twice so close together may make matters worse and b) I have read mixed reports about the efficacy of Levamisole. Any experience or thoughts would be really welcome!

Welcome to BYC. For tapes you need a wormer with praziquantel in it. Are you in the UK?

-Kathy

 

[mariac]

Thank you for your replys. I'm from the UK but actually living in France. I have relatives in the UK who could send any recommended products over to me if they are only available in the UK. Thanks for you help.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you for your replys. I'm from the UK but actually living in France. I have relatives in the UK who could send any recommended products over to me if they are only available in the UK. Thanks for you help.

Check the equine supply websites in France, I'm pretty sure you can get an equine dewormer with praziquantel and ivermectin.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Wow, I'm jealous! Looks like you can get this:
http://www.wormers-direct.co.uk/equitape-paste-p-2.html

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Pretty sure the praziquantel dose for chickens is 10mg/kg, which is 10x more than horses, so the amount you would give a chicken using that paste is 0.05 ml per pound.

1 / 2.2 x 10 / 90 = 0.05 ml per pound

-Kathy

 

[mariac]

Wow, thanks for all your help Kathy. That's brilliant! I also found this:

www.viovet.co.uk/Equimax_Horse_Wormer/c6251/?pk_campaign=AdWords-234&pk_kwd=equimax&oa_matchtype=b&oa_advert=3583&oa_network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQiA3t-2BRCKivi-suDY24gBEiQAX1wiXOuhEDFnJ3ZxIGWHgkLk0_jhgXlVUpRka43FCawJs1AaAi2V8P8HAQ

...which contains the praziquantel and ivermectin. Which one would be better in your opinion and would the dosage be the same? It's really difficult to buy wormers here without prescription, luckily our vet is pretty good with our chickens so maybe he will have something equivalent, if not I'll get one of these sent over from the UK.

I feel really unlucky with our chickens. I've had them less than a year, lost one to a crop problem (after having two operations by the vet), had roundworms, lice, a respiratory infection and bumblefoot!! I've had goats for over 10 years and not had that many problems amongst them in all that time! I feel like I am learning so much about the chooks, although at times it seems overwhelming I still love them all dearly and eventually hope that one day I will feel like I know what I am doing!

Thanks again or all your help, you are a star! Maria

 

[casportpony]

Problem using the Equimax is that to get the right amount of praziquantel, you have to give way too much ivermectin. Many people do it and never have issues giving that amount, but I'm uncomfortable suggesting that people use more than the dose that's usually recommended. I'll double check the Equimax and let you know what the tapeworm dose is.

-Kathy

 

[mariac]

Thanks for the information. I will stick with the Equipaste with just the Praziquantel, I don't want to give them any chemicals they don't need. I have 2 ml syringes which are graduated in 0.1 ml increments so I guess I could syringe the correct dosage and give it to them. Would I need to give a second dose in a couple of weeks or should the one dose be enough? I guess the egg withdrawal time would be a couple of weeks? Thanks again. Maria