ORAL use of Injectable Ivermectin

[chandab]

I really miss the ivermectin crumbles they had out for a few years; my husband's huge saddle gelding hates deworming (it the tube going in his mouth), and mixing the crumbles with a couple handfuls of grain was so easy (the saddle horses don't get much grain, so its always a treat and they always eat it all up).

 

[Miniv]

This all has me so confused. I miss my liquid Eqvalan( can't get the generic stuff either)since they took it off the market. But there must have been a reason why they took it off the market. Are you guys saying that it is okay to use the cattle injectable orally? What do the vets say about that?

We use the ivomec pour on on the cattle. Hart just picked up gallons for them last week. That stuff just goes through the skin, just like the dog stuff we put on for Ticks. Is it all the same stuff?

They used to say that you could not use ivomec on collie dogs, but it doesn't say that on the Frontline package. I think that figures out to be about 1000% percent mark up if it is the same stuff as cattle. What a rip off for pet owners. Maybe ivomec is ivomec.

Yes. Ivomec is Ivomec......look at the contents. We use the cattle Ivomec orrally and have for years....... DO NOT USE THE IVOMEC PLUS.

The Ivomec PLUS has additives specifically for cattle.

We've been doing this with the okay from four different vets.

 

[Minimor]

Do not use the Ivomec pour on either--it is very potent, meant to penetrate the skin of cattle. Horses' skin is very different & the pour on may cause problems for them.

The only kind to use orally on horses is the ordinary injectable form. As MA said, do not use the Ivomec Plus, that is different again and NOT to be used for horses.

As for what the vets say about using the cattle dewormer for horses--many here have been selling it to their customers for years. Some vets will not say it is okay to use, but they will not tell you not to use it. Some vets will tell you that it's okay to use, and you may as well save money by using it instead of the paste. One vet that formerly recommended it has since told me that he no longer recommends it, because he's had two clients lose horses to parasites, specifically migrating small strongyles--the red bloodworms. He says for some reason it appears that the liquid is no longer effective against the migrating strongyles. I am not entirely convinced, as I have asked other vets about this issue & none have had any such issues with their clients' horses.

This vet told me that the two horses in question were show horses that are well cared for, they are not the neglected sort of horses that never get dewormed. However, I would have additional questions, because I know that even some expensive show horses do not get regular, routine care. Sure, the horses were dewormed with the liquid dewormer, but how often? People will say "I deworm them regularly" and to them that means every couple of years--but they aren't going to admit that when one of their horses has just died due to a worm-related issue. So, before I am convinced there is proof of a problem (two horses out of the countless hundreds that get dewormed with liquid Ivomec just in this area alone) I would want to know how often these horses were dewormed and when the last deworming took place...and what their living conditions were.

I do know that the Ivomec is very effective at "getting" worms--ascarids, both small and large strongyles, and all stages of bots. Also pinworms and some external parasites....if it kills the external parasites then it has to be working systemically on the horse--it isn't just killing whatever worms it comes into contact with in the intestinal tract.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I would think that it was more likely that the horses in question had not been five day Fenbendazole'd and the migrating redworms had hatched form encysteds not dealt with in normal worming....that is the main danger of encysteds, they hatch out into a basically worm free zone and go on a munching spree, straight through the....you really do not want to hear this you may be eating your tea!

 

[Minimor]

Jane, the red bloodworms (large strongyles) aren't the encysted ones! Specifically: Strongylus vulgaris, the most destructive, migrates via the arteries of the intestine, creating a thickening in the wall of the anterior mesenteric artery where it attaches to the aorta. The resultant thrombi (blood clot in bloodstream) or aneurysm (ballooning of vessel wall) create a significant reduction in blood flow to a large portion of the bowel. Periodic bouts of colic shortly after feeding or exercise are common due to showering or movement of thrombi into small vessels of the intestines. Severity of the colic episodes depends on the amount of circulatory damage. Total blockage or rupture of an aneurysm can result in death of the horse. The large strongyles, and the long lasting destruction they cause, were largely eliminated from horses once ivermectin came into common use.

The encysted variety of strongles are the small strongyles--the white bloodworms. Specifically-- There are about 40 species of small strongyle (cyathostome) and they are increasing in numbers due to drug resistance. In many areas, the small strongyle may be more of a problem than the large strongyle. Migration is limited to the intestinal lining. Numerous encysted small strongyles emerging from the intestinal wall can induce colic.

This particular vet was very definite--the two horses he referred to died as a result of migrating large strongyles. He didn't elaborate on whether they died of colic or as the result of an aneurysm caused by the red worms--the problem was diagnosed on necropsy. He had personally opened up the one horse; another vet had done the necropsy on the second one and shared the results with this vet.