🚀 go-pugleaf

Hiya,

        I was reading through the reference posted on a mailing list about
concerns regarding  treating horses with Moxidectin in the form of a paste.  
http://www.horse-previews.com/198articles/198vetcorner.html

A couple of important things stood out, given that I spent about a week recently
trying to learn more about the actions, effects and uses of different drugs used
to treat different animals for worms, mites etc.

        On the horse page referred to, the main concern appeared to be that the
active drug Moxidectin would leave residue (leftovers) in the animals' fat
cells.  If you use it too often on the same horse, it builds up, like vitamin A
or arsenic.  This means there must be a longer time between treatments with this
particular drug, Moxidectin.

        Dosing too often would mean the residue would build up to a point where
the drug was now dangerous to the horse.  The same thing could happen with
Ivermectin (Ivomec, Equimec), but it doesn't build up or stay in the fat cells
quite as much.

        That reminded me about something I read on a goat page (well, I guess
goats need care too :-D )  About certain forms of Ivermectin applied in certain
ways, causing greater residual build up or just long lasting residue of the
drug... like Moxidectin (Quest) in horses.

        Another point was that this residue could result in the next generation
or worms, mites, etc. being exposed to the low levels of that drug, and that
would gradually lead to parasites becoming resistant to the drug entirely.

        If an animal becomes resistant to one of the Avermectin group of drugs,
apparently resistance to another of those drugs was likely.  So if worms become
resistant to the Moxidectin in the form of Cydectin or Quest, they are also
resistant to Ivermectin, as Ivomec or Equimec.

        The recommendation on several sites was to use different drugs
sometimes, rather than the same thing all the time.  This would help avoid toxic
levels of residues, as well as helping prevent the worms etc. becoming resistant
to drugs.

        So, now we have a couple of questions about our use of antiparasitic
drugs on our pet rats and mice.  How often are we going to use each drug, and is
there a drug other than Ivermectin and Moxidectin which we can and should use
from time to time?
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/parasit/anthel/anthel_3.html
        Suggestions might be Morantel or Pyrantel, both of which come in worming
syrup for treatment for little kids, as well as other animals.  Same with
Mebendazole.  Piperazine comes in those little bottles of 'small animal worming
treatment' you see sometimes in supermarket pet sections.

        That would give us access to four different groups of antiparasitic
drugs.  Some of them would only treat worms, not mites, and we'd then have to
look at flea powders or washes, probably those for cats, since cats also groom
their fur lots. Speaking of cats, all other animals in the household,
particularly those which go in and out of the house, must also be treated, for
their own good, as well as helping prevent them carrying parasites into the
household environment.

        Well, that's about as far as I've come with reading about the whole
mess.  I'd welcome anybodys' thoughts on this, it would seem pretty important to
prepare in advance, rather than learning the hard way.  It is really difficult
to understand how the AusRFS has been growing for about 6 years without
recognising and dealing with something so blindingly obvious, but they are
recognised problems and must be dealt with sooner rather than later.

Ana




   <:3)~~
Rats, science, fiction, politics and an odd old hippie.
urli at dingoblue dot net dot au
http://members.dingoblue.net.au/~farrall