Treating Tapeworms - Under Construction

[Northern Flights]

Yet another interesting read on Ivermectin (derived it turns out from Avermectin, "... a naturally occurring substance made from a living organism found only in Japan.")

Behold...

The more I learn about this stuff, the more I need to lie down.

 

[szynszyla]

How do you guys know that the tapeworm treatment is working. I gave my rooster some of the Zimectrin Gold, but I feel like he didn't swallow the full dosage. I am afraid to give him more because I don't want to overdose him. I did see a tapeworm come out in his droppings along with more eggs. Does that mean the medicine is starting to work or can tapeworms come out by themselves? How many tapeworms can be in one chicken? Thank you for your help!

 

[Folly's place]

Tapeworm segments can and do come out sometimes, but seeing 'many' sounds good! Yucky, too.
Mary

 

[szynszyla]

Tapeworm segments can and do come out sometimes, but seeing 'many' sounds good! Yucky, too.
Mary

How long can these segments get? The one I saw was very long and all curled up in a ball

 

[Folly's place]

A tapeworm is actually a head with varying numbers of segments attached; each is an egg sack with a muscle to provide some movement coming out of the anus/ vent. The entire critter can be fairly long, and the praziquantel kills the head, which is why you are seeing a longer 'thing'. If the head doesn't detach from the intestinal lining, it continues to live and grow more segments. Get that stuff out of the pen to try to prevent your birds from eating segments. Throw them in the garbage or burn them!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

To be more informed and grossed out, look up the life cycle of tapeworms!
Mary

 

[szynszyla]

A tapeworm is actually a head with varying numbers of segments attached; each is an egg sack with a muscle to provide some movement coming out of the anus/ vent. The entire critter can be fairly long, and the praziquantel kills the head, which is why you are seeing a longer 'thing'. If the head doesn't detach from the intestinal lining, it continues to live and grow more segments. Get that stuff out of the pen to try to prevent your birds from eating segments. Throw them in the garbage or burn them!
Mary

I bought my rooster from an auction, and discovered the tapeworms while he was in quarantine, so luckily he hasn't had access to my other birds. I am throwing all of his droppings away in the trash. Thank you for helping

 

[dawg53]

Redose again in 10 days, that should take care of them.
I've seen all different kinds of shapes and sizes of tapeworms excreted after worming chickens. Some are flat and broken in pieces, others with jellyfish like tentacles, Others that looked like what you described. Looks like the z-gold is working. I'd still redose in 10 days.

 

[casportpony]

Whenever I think of tapes I think of the video of the person extracting tapes from the dog's butt!

 

[dawg53]

I bought my rooster from an auction, and discovered the tapeworms while he was in quarantine, so luckily he hasn't had access to my other birds. I am throwing all of his droppings away in the trash. Thank you for helping

He got tapeworms from eating an infected insect.