Warning: Your Dogs, and Ivermectin Dewormer
I just learned of another sad episode of a dog being poisoned and blinded after lapping up ivermectin dewormer paste, dropped from a horse's mouth after treatment. So it doesn't happen to your dog(s), here are some heads-up points you should know:
* A genetic mutation, known to be present in certain dog breeds (Collies, Shelties, German and Australian Shepherds, for instance, plus mixes derived from them), is responsible for the problem. A dog with this mutation is unable to process the drug effectively out of his system, and suffers reactions--sometimes fatal--as a result. Blindness is common. Learn more here.
(Ed's dog, Ranger, shown above, is a mixed-breed guy tracing to the affected breeds.)
* It may only take as little as 1/4 teaspoon of the deworming drug to cause serious effects in a dog who ingests it. A horse can easily spit out this much, or you can have this much left over in a discarded tube that a dog finds and starts to chew on.
* Dogs find flavored ivermectins--ones made for increased palatability to horses--especially tasty. They may sniff out and eat amounts falling to the ground from treated horses, or may dig through garbage to find discarded tubes of dewormer with residue remaining.
* Scientists at Washington State University have pinpointed the mutated gene, and have developed a test for it. The results will indicate whether your dog is susceptible to poisoning from ivermectin and certain other drugs.
* Play it safe by keeping your dog(s) confined whenever you plan to administer ivermectin to horses. Watch horses closely after giving the drug, to make sure they haven't spit any out. Wipe up althing that falls and discard safely. Store tubes of ivermectin paste, whether new or used, out of dogs' reach. Dispose of used tubes with care.
* Never give leftover equine dewormer to your dog!
posted by Juli Thorson @ 3:37 PM
23 comments
23 Comments:
Good to know! We have a Border Collie and an adorable Australian Shepherd puppy. The puppy tries to steal the dewormer tubes from my pockets, I will have to watch him closer.
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I posted a link to your post on the GSD Group of Spokane's website.
Important because so many horse owners also have dogs - and you know we country girls are more relaxed about our dogs that most of our city counter parts. They roam around the farm and do and eat pretty much whatever they want - which is why this is sooo important to keep in mind while worming. I mean how many times does your horse fling paste wormer through the air? Mine do all the time. I never go wipe it up. I will now.
Thanks, Steph, for helping to spread the word.
Some important work being done at WSU!
Wow, I had no idea!Thanks for spreading the word. I'll definitely be more careful!
I'm so very glad you posted this. I did not know this until my vet mentioned it the other day to a woman who was worming her dogs that way. She'd give them a dollop along with the horses. I didn't realize it was extremely toxic to dogs. Thanks for spreading the word!
I'll definitely be more careful when I work the horses. Wonder if it wouldn't hurt to spray the ground with a water hose after worming to blast up any little bits that might have fallen. I might not be able to see them with my human eye, but I'm sure my puppy's nose could find them...
Wait, I'm confused...I thought Heartguard contained Ivermectin. Maybe it's a very small dose?
Some canine dewormers do include ivermectin. And they may cause ill effects in dogs with the genetic mutation as well, even though they're at much lower concentration that what you'd give a horse.
The gene test developed at Washington State University--link in the original post--will tell you if your dog has the mutation that prevents proper metabolizing of ivermectin and other drugs.
I just heard of something else today. Landscapers are using a mulch that is made from coco bean hulls (I believe it was the hulls) and some dogs get very sick or can die from it. It smells wonderful! The program I heard was warning people not to use it.
I've known for some time about Ivermectin and dogs. After I worm my horses, the tube AND the cap go back into the clear wrap and into the box it came in then wrap those in a plastic bag and put them in a dog proof container. Although my dogs are quite large, Dobermans, and get Heartguard that does not mean they can still can't become ill. My Jack Russell on the other hand, I am not willing to take that risk.
Always be careful with ALL types of meds.
Thanks for that info! Will sure be on the lookout. We have a couple of clean up Goldens that hang out in the barn.
Juli
This is a very serious issue, and one I'd not heard about before. Would you mind if I pointed people to this post in my own blog?
Thanks,
I like your blog by the way. Very informative and entertaining.
Do feel free to pass along this info or link to my post, and don't forget that WSU (link in original post) can test your dogs for susceptibility to ivermectin poisoning.
Last night my dashound, Abby was taken to the emergency room not knowing she had eaten the ivermectin horse wormer. She was diagnosed this morning with posioning with ivermectin. They are saying 3 to 5 days in vet care on iv's for fluids and feeding. She is currently blind and very jerky with her movements. Yesterday (I have horse boarders) one of my boarders was having her horses feet done and worming them after they were done. I am sure this is where Abby picked it up from. If she makes it and for the sake of my other dogs, I WILL be extremely careful about worming horses around my dogs. So terrible sad to see her in this condition. I am a 4-H horse leader and you know what is going to be on the next meeting adjenda.
Billie, I am so sorry to learn about your dog. I hope she recovers.
This information about ivermectin and dogs is very important to pass along. Not all dogs are susceptible (they don't all have the mutated gene that causes the problem), but better safe than sorry.
We just had our dog turn up blind yesterday...took him to a canine opthalmologist this morning who said, "You have horses? When's the last time you wormed them?" They said he 'should' get better...hoping for the best!
The majority of Invermectin is passed in the feces (Google: invermectin toxicosis) following deworming,mites,and/or lice. Our dogs were poisoned by secondary contact with feces- irresposible owner didn't clean up after his at local HS field- two mini aussies were affected. Symptoms= lethargy,muscle tremors,glassy eyes,balance problems/ instability and vomiting/emesis(later).
Quick trip to vet for IV's and charcoal slurry now both are o'k.
I regret to have to inform you that another dog has lost it's life to Ivermectin. I wish I had found your blog before the fact...
On Sunday November 22nd, my husband and I decided to worm our rescue horse with a product called Ivermectin that we bought over-the-counter at a local feed store. We read the instructions and proceeded to inject the "paste like product" into the mouth, up into the cheek area between the teeth and the cheek as instructed. As the horse received it, he naturally stuck his tongue out to adjust it in the mouth and attempt to swallow it. When he did that...a small piece of a treat that we had given him earlier fell out of his mouth and on to the ground. Without a second's notice, my Australian Sheppard darted in to grab the treat and consume it. Sheila an Australian Shepherd is a livestock dog, she is around livestock all the time at the ranch and this is no unusual occurrence for our dogs to eat up scraps left behind by both cows and horses. Much to our dismay, just 2 hours later…we found our beloved dog Sheila behind the house on her side in violent tremors and foaming at the mouth. We rushed her to the nearest Emergency Animal Hospital only to learn that the product Ivermectin (the most commonly used livestock wormer) and which is known in vet circles to be highly dangerous to dogs and more specifically to Collies and Shepherd’s, the same dog used to control livestock on ranches all over the world, was the culprit and that a small amount of the drug had evidentially been attached to the treat. Six hours later, it was determined that the drug had basically fried Sheila’s brain in a cruel, painful and horrible way and the prognosis was severe brain damage and likely fatal. Under the care of 3 separate veterinarians it was determined that Sheila had less than a 10% survival rate and we then had to make the very difficult decision to put her down. This is a travesty and I would suggest that the FDA remove this product off store shelves immediately. We simply do not need a drug that is used for livestock including horses, cows and sheep…to be anywhere near the dogs which work so hard to manage our livestock. At the very least….this drug should be restricted to the use of a licensed veterinarian only!
And by the way...the packaging doesn't mention any of this!
Although my dogs are Dobermans and a Jack I will not take that chance. I have known for several years about this. Extreme caution should be taken with any kind of meds and animals. Where I worm/medicate my horses, my dogs are banned from (Invisible Fence)and if anything gets on the ground it gets picked up BEFORE I move the horse. I do not know the effects this would have on cats but I would be clean about this for all critters concerned.
As a horseperson for the past 40 years, I believe the most significant development in horse care is the ability to deworm your horse yourself. Obviously ivermectin is a drug and should be handled as such.
Obviously a horse is going to spit out or drop some from his mouth, and obviously a dog is apt to lick it up!
Saying that a useful drug should be taken away because someone was careless with it's use is ignorant.
All drugs are poison. We horsepeople love our horses and our dogs and it's our responsibility to educate ourselves on how to take the best possible care of both. We must recognize that horses and dogs are two completely different species, and obviously things that are tolerated by one species may be deadly to another.
If you aren't comfortable with the responsibility of handling the drug then have the veterinarian deworm your horse. But be sure you are there and you keep your dogs away. Just because he's a vet doesn't mean some ivermectin won't be spit out onto multiple surfaces!
Again, all drugs are poison, and should be treated with the utmost of care for the safety of all creatures on the premises.
But please don't suggest that only a "vet" should administer dewormers to your horse. You make it more stressful on your horse and on your bank account and you would be sending horse care back to the stone age!!!
I took my border collie and Aussie to the feed yard as usual Friday evening. They ran around all over until it was time to go home. Went out to feed the dogs that night, and there they were: stumbling around, dilated pupils, blind, extremely stiff muscles. 24 hour vet hospital couldn't figure out what it was.(ran some fancy tests $$$$) I did some research, and it has to be Ivermectin poisoning. Couldn't find any evidence around the feed yard, or the house, but I can't think of any other explanation. I don't think there are many poisons that cause the pupil dilation as this wormer does. My little blue merle Aussie seems to be doing better. Decided to take them both to a ranch vet after leaving the city hospital, he said right away he thought it was Ivermectin. 4 days now, aussie is still blind, but responding to light. (it happened Dec. 4th 09') My border collie on the other hand, is having a tough go at it. Still won't eat, and not very responsive. We'll give it a few more days. So yes. . . please be careful. Ranch dogs seem to eat everything without problems, but that ivermectin is bad stuff. (I'm just hoping that my dogs pull through) Don't realize how attached you get until there is a chance they aren't gonna make it.
In spite of the over $1,000 vet bill, and the possible loss of my two terrific dogs, I have to agree with Micalah. There are a lot of poisons out there, it is just our responsibility to manage them properly. There is no reason to take Ivermectin off the public market. However, I do wish that whoever decided to leave Ivermectin sitting out for my dogs to get a hold of, would have read this blogg first)
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