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
|