[Gpdd] Health: Mites and Ivermectin

EVE BLACKE shiksachick at hotmail.com
Wed Mar 15 20:59:53 EST 2006


Hi Julie,

I recently went through a mite infection with my one pig Paddington.  The 
vet gave him the initial dose of ivermectin by injection.  He didn't care 
for it and neither did I.  It did help him, though.  For his followup dose 
as well as treating my other guineas, I searched for a vet supply store 
online.  I got generic ivermectin along with syringes delivered to my house 
in 6 days for less than the cost of a single vet visit and I was able to 
treat all of my piggies and have a reserve *just in case*.

It is really easy to make up an oral dose.  The ivermectin is marketed for 
cattle (1% injectable) so you have to dilute the ivermectin to make it piggy 
friendly.  You also have to have an accurate weight for your piggie to give 
the appropriate dose.  You need a small 1cc syringe with the needle.  Draw 
out 0.5cc of the ivermectin and squirt it into a small container.  Then take 
4.5cc of warm water and squirt it into the same container and MIX 
THOROUGHLY.  It's EXTREMELY important to be as accurate with these 
measurements as possible!  You are only using a tiny portion of this amount. 
  The dose is 0.2cc per kilogram of pig....so if your piggie is 1000grams or 
2.2pounds exactly, draw 0.2cc of the mixture into the syringe (without the 
needle this time) and administer it to the pig.  My pigs didn't kick up a 
fuss and readily accepted it.   What's left over has to be thrown out and 
you need to make up a fresh mixture for their followup dose.

The site I got my ivermectin on was KV Vet Supply along with the 1cc 
syringes and a 10cc syringe (made the water measurement easier).  Necessity 
is the mother of invention......I don't have a good exotics vet and what the 
latest one put my pig through just to receive his first dose was 
unacceptable to me so I searched for hours online before settling on KV Vet 
Supply.

*****An underdose won't solve the problem and an overdose can kill.  If you 
aren't comfortable with the math or don't understand how to come up with the 
right dose for your piggie, consult guinealynx or your vet.  If you choose 
to administer diluted ivermectin to your pigs, you are doing so AT YOUR OWN 
RISK*******

I hope Dougall gets better real soon!  He does need ivermectin, though, if 
it's mites....I'm not aware of any natural remedy.  Just know you have 
options!!

Eve along with the furry brood!






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