The Russian Tortoise 
Agrionemys horsfieldii ( Testudo horsfieldii)  

The following is important information for anyone
considering self medicating their tortoise for worms

 

Someone forwarded this list message to me last night and I just wanted to make a couple of quick comments because I feel there might be some misunderstandings about the article I wrote. 

The following are the main points I was trying to get across:

 1. Panacur (fenbendazole) is a drug.  Even when used at published dosages, it has the potential to do harm...because it is a drug. 

2. Because panacur is a drug, it should be used with diagnostics (fecal checks) as well as in conjunction with a veterinarian.  Medicine is an art as much as it is a science.

3. There is NO universal dosage for panacur for any given situation.  My field is zoological medicine where dosages are based on experience, the species I am treating, the condition of the animal, the age of the animal, the parasite load of the animal (upper level dosages with high parasite loads/dehydrated animals have the potential to cause GI obstruction with sudden parasite death), the size of the animal, and ALSO the published dosage levels.  There is simply NO universal dosage for a drug.  Pharmacokinetic tests are run on healthy animals of one species generally so there is a lot of extrapolation which again is where your veterinarian comes into play.

4. The effectiveness of panacur (fenbendazole) continues to fade as an anthelminthic (antiparasite drug).  I am seeing more and more resistance in the herps that I treat and frankly am using this drug less and less compared to others.

5. Panacur (fenbendazole) comes in different strengths.  For example, there is a US product that is a gel that comes in a tube that is meant to treat 1200 pounds of horse.  Trying to scale something like that down to a 1 kg chelonian safely is not possible.

6. Because dosages are so dependent on so many variables, I find the publishing of generic cureall dosages to be highly disturbing.  I strongly believe that this type of activity does more harm than good.

Anyway, I hope this helps clarify the points I was trying to make. 

Off to check on my hibernating Russians!

ChrisChris Tabaka, DVMStaff

VeterinarianMemphis Zoo

World Chelonian Trust- veterinary advisor and trustee  www.chelonia.org

Turtle Survival Alliance- TMG point person/veterinary advisor and steering committee     www.turtlesurvival.org

AZA Chelonian Taxon Advisory Group- veterinary advisor



PANACUR® C CANINE DEWORMER

Intervet

(fenbendazole)

Consult your veterinarian for assistance in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of parasitism.

Drug Facts

Active ingredients (in each dosage unit):

Fenbendazole Granules 22.2% (222 mg/g)

Purpose: Dewormer for Dogs Only

Uses: For the treatment and control of Roundworms (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina), Hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala), Whipworms (Trichuris vulpis), and Tapeworms (Taenia pisiformis).

Human Warning: Keep this and all medication out of the reach of children.

Adverse Reactions: In US clinical studies 3 of 240 dogs (about 1% of the treated dogs) had vomiting associated with use of the product.

When using this product: Panacur® C is safe for use in puppies 6 weeks or older and adult dogs, including pregnant bitches. Do not deworm a dog or puppy that is sick. Consult your veterinarian for diagnosis of the illness.

Directions:

The daily dose for Panacur® C is 50 mg/kg (22.7 mg/lb) of body weight. Please refer to the following dosing table for help in finding the right dose for your dog.

Dosing Table

Dog Weight

Packet Size*

10 pounds

1 gram

20 pounds

2 gram

30 pounds

1 gram + 2 gram

40 pounds

4 gram

50 pounds

1 gram + 4 gram

60 pounds

2 gram + 4 gram

80 pounds

Two 4 gram

Over 80 pounds

Use combinations to obtain recommended daily dose.

*Packet size is the daily dose. The dog must be treated with this dose for 3 days in a row.

You should weigh your dog to make sure you are using the right size and number of packets. If your dog's weight is in-between the suggested dosing sizes, it is safe to use the next higher size. For example, a 15-pound dog should be treated with the 2-gram packet.

Give Panacur® C to your dog by mixing the daily dose with a small amount of the usual food. Make sure your dog eats all of the medicated food. You may need to moisten dry dog food to aid mixing.

Repeat the daily dose for three days in a row.

Other Information:

Diagnosis of Parasites: Specific diagnoses require laboratory testing. Consult your veterinarian for help in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of parasitism. Dogs can become infected with several different kinds of tapeworms. Panacur® C only kills Taenia species of tapeworms. If you continue to see tapeworm segments in your dog's stool after treatment with Panacur® C, consult your veterinarian.

Recommended Deworming Schedule:

Deworming schedules may vary depending on the climate where you live and the activity of your dog. The following schedule should be used as general guidance. Newly weaned pups (6 to 8 weeks of age) should be dewormed at 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks of age. Treat the dam at the same time as the puppies. Dogs over six months of age should be dewormed at least twice each year. Each deworming requires 3 daily treatments. (See Directions)

Storage: Store at controlled room temperature (59-86°F).

Questions? Comments?

To report a suspected adverse reaction or to obtain product information including material safety data sheets (MSDS), call 1-800-441-8272.

Manufactured by: Patheon Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Made in Canada

Distributed by: INTERVET INC., Millsboro, DE

www.intervetusa.com

NADA #121-473, Approved by FDA

Net Weight:

Package Contents:

 

3 grams

Three 1-gram packets
Each Packet Treats 10 lbs.

IC-30084/G 446500-B
PF-30085/G 749500-B

6 grams

Three 2-gram packets
Each Packet Treats 20 lbs.

IC-30095/G 446600-B
PF-30097/G 749600-B

12 grams

Three 4-gram packets
Each Packet Treats 40 lbs.

IC-30098/G 446700-B
PF-30101/G 749700-B

NAC No.: 11062880


 

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