INDIAN RUNNER DUCK ASSOCIATION

 

Parasitic worms and their treatment in domestic waterfowl

Stock should be wormed routinely twice a year, and on any other occasion which necessitates it e.g. a bird seems ill, or is coughing. Ducks do seem to suffer less from worms than geese, but any bird which is under-weight should be wormed. Worms which affect waterfowl come in a variety of forms.

Gizzard worm (Amidostomum)—more likely to be lethal in geese.

Gapeworms (Syngamus) in the windpipe— these make birds cough and, in extreme cases, will asphyxiate them.

Round worms—live in the gut (Ascarides). Occasionally seen in droppings

Caecal worm (Heterakis) which inhabit the caecae (two blind-ending extensions from the gut).

Also tape worm and fluke.

Most of these worms use earthworms and insects as a host, and wild birds are carriers. So, however clean the environment, there is always a low parasite presence. The higher the density of stocking in an establishment, and the greater the length of time over which the land has been used, the greater the importance of regular worming.

 

 

Treatment

Vermifuges
The preferred wormer for birds is Flubenvet. This vermifuge can be obtained from your vet and the dosage for ducks should be checked with a vet because ducks are not mentioned on the label. The white powder comes in a 240g tub and usually has a very long use-by date. The product is licensed for birds, and kills all the internal parasites listed above, at the correct dosage.

The dosage for geese and chickens is 120g on 100 kg of food (half the dosage for pheasant). This works out at 1.2g per kilo—easier to measure at one level teaspoonful (3.6g) per 3 kg. Check the weight of a teaspoonful on digital kitchen scales. The white powder adheres well to the pellets—better than to wheat—so just use pellets over the worming period. If wheat and pellets are used, dress the mixture with a small amount of cooking oil - this makes the powder stick better. Don’t mix the wormer into the food with your hand because the powder sticks to your skin. Use a table spoon. The disadvantage of Flubenvet is that you have to feed it for a week, in the food, for it to be effective. So birds who are really ill, and not eating, cannot be dosed in this way. Another product and delivery as a drench (liquid down the throat) would be more suitable. Note that withdrawal times for Flubenvet are stated on the product label.

Fubenvet is also sold in a smaller quantity. Observe the dosage rate carefully as it may be different from the 240g tub.

Ivermectin (pour-on) for controlling internal and external parasites is now available in 10 ml dropper bottles (800 μg/ml [0.8%] strength). The recommended dosage for a non-food chain bird, such as a pigeon, is one drop (per 500g) on the skin once a week for 3 weeks. This package is marketed by PHARMAQ Ltd, Unit 15, Sandleheath Industrial Estate, Fordingbridge, Hants SP6 1PA TEL 01425 656081. It is only obtainable through a vet. It is not suitable for all animals.

The number of worm species that ivermectin kills is more limited than flubenvet (tapeworm & fluke are excluded: V Roberts: Diseases of Free Range Poultry) but it is doubly useful in that it also systemically kills external parasites, such as northern mite.

See also Worms in Waterfowl and Poultry

CONSULT A VET ABOUT THESE PRODUCTS

ALWAYS OBSERVE WITHDRAWAL TIMES FOR THESE PRODUCTS IF THE BIRDS OR THEIR EGGS ARE TO BE EATEN

USE ALL THESE PRODUCTS WITH CARE AND DO NOT GET THEM ON YOURSELF, ESPECIALLY IVERMECTIN WHEN YOU SHOULD WEAR PROTECTIVE GLOVES

For further information on the use of veterinary medicines please contact your Vet or visit the website of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate www.vmd.gov.uk who are the regulatory authority for veterinary medicines in the UK.