Posted by:
oldherper
at Thu May 29 08:23:53 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by oldherper ]
If you've already given Panacur at 100mg/kg, that should have killed most nematodes in the GI tract. Panacur does not, by any means, kill all nematodes, though. Since Rhabdiform nematodes spend much of their life cycle in the lungs, Panacur may not have any effect on them at all. I would try dosing IM or SC Ivermectin at 0.1 mg/kg for the first dose to test host tolerance to the drug and to begin to slowly kill the worms, watch for 24 hours for symptoms of drug reaction, then after 4 or 5 days begin dosing at 0.2mg/kg for at least 2 doses at 14 day intervals to give the snake tiome to eliminate the dead worms.
I also use dosing of Panacur in the higher range (75 to 100 mg/kg)for parasites of the GI tract, keeping in mind that Panacur at 100mg/kg has been know to cause irreversible aplastic anemia in reptiles. I think for GI parasites a quick cure is better than a long course of drugs. I never "shotgun" with Panacur.
One thing to keep in mind here is that by trying for a quick cure with lungworms could be very detrimental to the snake. Dead parasites in the digestive tract can be eliminated quickly by the snake in the feces. Not so with worms that die in the lungs. The snake cannot eliminate them quickly and they can begin to decay in the lungs, which can lead to fatal complications.
I am not a veterinarian, and not trying to play veterinarian. This is simply my experience from treating my own reptiles for a lot of years. You may want to verify all this with a qualified herp vet before you do it. It has worked well for me, but your mileage may vary.
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RE: Spilotes pullatus and ivermectin - oldherper, Thu May 29 08:23:53 2003