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Ivermectin and snakes
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by joesephnettles on June 18, 2010
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I have been reading alot of posts here and realize that many of you are very experienced with snakes of every breed. What is the concensus about feeding rabbits that have been treated with ivermectin before python consumption. Does this help with any worm infestation that the snake may have?
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RE: Ivermectin and snakes
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by CanadianSnakeMan on June 18, 2010
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Just so you know, people on this site (myself included) appreciate it if you fill out your profile in order to show how much experience you have and what your level of knowledge is.
That said, I won't turn down a chance to help a potentially sick snake, so here goes:
Giving medications through food is not a new idea. Reptile keepers have been using it for years. It can be effective depending on the medication used and the disease being treated. As far as I know, Ivermectin can be administered through food.
If you are concerned about gastrointestinal parasites, you'd probably be better off going with Fenbendazole (Panacur). Panacur (100 mg/kg) has been shown as more effective at eliminating nematode parasites (and possibly Coccidians) in the gut than Ivermectin. The problem with Panacur is that it needs to be given for 3-5 days straight with 14 days in between each 3-5 day treatment. I don't know if you'd be able to get your snakes to eat a rabbit that often, you'd probably have to put it in something smaller like rats. Unlike Ivermectin, Panacur has a low toxicity, with its LD/50 being extremely high.
Some resources state that only using Panacur for one dose and repeating in 2 weeks is sufficient, but I have read that since Panacur blocks glucose metabolism in the worms (effectively starving them to death) it has to be maintained for a few days at a time in order to be fully effective.
That said, one disadvantage is that Panacur concentrates in the gut and does not enter systemic circulation easily. If you are trying to kill filarial nematodes, lung worms, external parasites or anything else that isn't in the gut, Ivermictin is the way to go - but NEVER use Ivermectin on turtles or tortioses, and use very carefully on crocodillians.
It should be noted that if you have or suspect a tapeworm problem, neither drug will eliminate the worms. You will have to use something like Praziquantel.
I think I answered more than you asked... I hope you find this information useful.
There are others on this site who are far more experienced than me. Perhaps they have something to say about this.
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