How safe is Ivermectin?

[Phacelia]

So I know Ivermectn paste is pretty widely recommended by rabbit raisers as a good treatment for ear mites.

I have a brood doe who has had a really stubborn case, so I went ahead and treated her with a pea-sized amount, as per everyone's recommendations.

When I was reading the warning label, it's pretty clear about NOT giving it to horses intended for human consumption. (this is the one I used: http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/durvetreg;-ivermectin-paste-187%-608-g?cm_vc=-10005). So what about rabbits?

She is due to kindle next weekend. Is her litter safe to eat? What about her?

I mean, I know Ivermectin is the go-to treatment for beef cattle too, but there wasn't a warning like that for that medication.

My whole purpose for raising rabbits is to provide healthy meat for my family. I'm wondering if I have undone everything I have worked so hard to attain.

Thoughts?

 

[alforddm]

It's prescribed for human oral use. http://www.drugs.com/dosage/ivermectin.html

I would eat them.

 

[Phacelia]

I saw that too, I was just perplexed about the warning against eating horses treated with it.

 

[Lopsided]

In my opinion, as long as she didn't take it internally it should be fine. If you just put it on her ears, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Sagebrush]

From what "I" understand is that you do not want to consume the meat of an animal that has been treated with Ivermectin for at least 45 days after dosage. So that the animal can get the full dose metabolized out of its system.

Others opinions may very.

 

[ottersatin]

Before you ever eat any rabbit that was treated
with any type of medication I suggest that you
wait at least thirty days after stopping the treatment.
It is better to be safe than sorry.
There is already far too much medications being added
to the foods we are being fed! Why risk more detrimental
actions to our health?
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Zass]

There are some more natural, non-toxic treatments for ear mites you can consider if it comes up again.

I've been using olive or mineral oil on the one I recently brought in with ear mites. It was only one animal with a mild case, but it seems to have worked just fine. I've been oiling everyone's ears as a preventive measure since then, but it's been a few weeks and I think we're in the clear... At least I know I can butcher any of them without worry.

 

[akane]

You know I'm really not sure why it has that warning and not for other animals. I would think the main concern would be for pregnant and breast feeding women who might eat the meat and anyone with allergies. A normal, healthy person should not have any problems eating meat from animals that were dosed with ivermectin. Especially if you wait a month or 2. Humans can tolerate a high dose of ivermectin and the horse forum often has people admitting to dosing themselves with the horse wormer because doctors do not believe in the existence of parasites these days. I've debated it a few times considering I grew up on a farm around lots of manure and indoor/outdoor pets.

 

[Phacelia]

Thanks for your input, everyone.

I treated her when she was about 2 weeks bred, and won't butcher her kits until they are 8-10 weeks, so hopefully we won't have to worry about it.

I like to use natural treatments whenever possible, too. I treated her with mineral oil several times, but they just kept coming back. So this was last resort.

 

[ladysown]

I would be cautious using rabbits treated with ivermectin. There's a study out there (sorry don't have time to find it now) that suggests that ivermectin stays in the rabbits systems a lot longer because of how they eat their night poops. That they keep reingesting it.

So i would wait longer than 30 days and aim for a good month and half (as if it were a horse) after all they have a lot of similarities to how horses digestive systems work anyways.

 

[Ramjet]

Next time you have a case of ear mites , apply Listerine .... it burns a little on contact but wont contaminate your dinner.

 

[michaels4gardens]

JMHO, -ivermectin is very safe for humans and rabbits, and if the withdrawal times are followed there is no "real" problem. I think that if you are treating a doe with a topical ,in the ear before she kindles, the kits will have cleared any ivermectin they got in their system long before they are processed. [and the way you are treating the doe I would not worry about the kits anyway]
I treat my does with 1/4 ml SQ injectable cattle ivermectin in the fall after my breeding season is done [I don't breed rabbits in dec. jan, or feb -as no cheep green feed is available to feed litters]
also --JMHO-- we should not treat does that are in early pregnancy with injectable ivermectin as pregnancy failures have resulted in other species, - [I know that with a continuous breeding schedule this advise will seem ridiculous to some readers, as does are always nursing or pregnant ] I personally see no problem treating a doe [with an obvious problem] ,in the week after she has had her litter, as it is 7 more weeks until butcher time. Fortunately it has been years since I brought in any rabbits , so I have not seen ear mites in years either. [but when I did have ear mites, from bringing in an infected rabbit, I treated the entire herd with injectable ivermectin, one time and ear mites were never seen again.]

 

[katiebear]

The O.P. has the same Ivermectin paste that I have..I have been afraid to use it after reading all the bad reviews...Is it safe? This is the paste so I don't believe it is injectable..I believe you use this kind orally..Is that right? I have been battling ear mites for a long time now and the oil works for a while.... then they are back.I am to the point of treating everybunny once a month if they need it or not. Only problem is when I do that they don't want anything to do with me..for about a week. that makes it hard to be caregiver....
What I was thinking was using it before summer breeding break.. June - October..... any advice???

 

[MamaSheepdog]

This is the paste so I don't believe it is injectable..I believe you use this kind orally..Is that right?

Correct, oral not injectable.

I have been afraid to use it after reading all the bad reviews...Is it safe?

Yes- you just need to do the math to figure out the correct dosage. I figure it out by squirting some into a calibrated syringe (example; dose for 150lbs weight of horse, which is the least amount you can measure out of the tube) and then calculating how much ivermectin is in each cc.

Sorry I don't have the figures to give you- I routinely worm my dogs and puppies with horse paste, but don't use ivermectin. I have Aussies and Border Collie crosses, and they are prone the MDR1 gene mutation. Ivermectin and some other drugs pass into the brain cells but don't pass back out, which can cause neurological problems and/or death.

Dutch rabbits also have similar problems with ivermectin.

 

[michaels4gardens]

The O.P. has the same Ivermectin paste that I have..I have been afraid to use it after reading all the bad reviews...Is it safe? This is the paste so I don't believe it is injectable..I believe you use this kind orally..Is that right? I have been battling ear mites for a long time now and the oil works for a while.... then they are back.I am to the point of treating everybunny once a month if they need it or not. Only problem is when I do that they don't want anything to do with me..for about a week. that makes it hard to be caregiver....
What I was thinking was using it before summer breeding break.. June - October..... any advice???

JMHO, ---I would recommend a small bottle of cattle injectable ivermectin,[for cows 1 ml / 150 lbs] give everyone in the herd 1/4 ml SQ [unless you have giant Flemish then give 1/2 ml] all on the same day ,that way they cannot migrate between rabbits, -- you will get rid of the mites for good. again JMHO

 

[3mina]

I'd be looking at your housing if the mites keep reappearing. Is your herd in wooden hutches, on the ground, or in all wire cages? Wood is almost impossible to keep clear of several nasties that like rabbits as hosts.

 

[Phacelia]

Mine are in hanging wire cages. I just think that the oil treatments weren't killing them all off.

 

[3mina]

Makes sense

 

[Rabbitready]

Ok, I'm going to throw out the stupid question because I am trying to glean as much knowledge as possible as a soon to be new owner of angora rabbits.
I will be breeding and also harvesting fur.
The Ivermectin comes in an injectable and a paste correct?
The paste is to be given orally and not topically?
The different oils and one person suggested Listerine, ARE to be given topically and if the oil works the Ivermectin is not necessary?
I am sorry for the question just want it clear in my mind.
This site has already been a huge inspiration and fount of information. I am so thrilled to have found it.
So thanks everyone

 

[MamaSheepdog]

The Ivermectin comes in an injectable and a paste correct?
The paste is to be given orally and not topically?
The different oils and one person suggested Listerine, ARE to be given topically and if the oil works the Ivermectin is not necessary?

Yes, yes, and yes.

I am sorry for the question just want it clear in my mind.

Please don't apologize. We are all here to help! Thanks for asking, especially about something as important as drug usage.

This site has already been a huge inspiration and fount of information. I am so thrilled to have found it.

I hear you! I was absolutely overjoyed when I found RT! You are so lucky to have found us before you got your first rabbits!

Glad to have you with us!

:welcomewagon: <br /><br /> __________ Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:12 am __________ <br /><br /> ***I just noticed that this is in Random Rabbit Ramblings. I'm moving it to Injuries, Illnesses, and Parasites.***