Ivermectin

by CallaLily Sat 26 Nov 2016, 7:37 am

I think this may have been asked before, but I can't find it.

How often do you treat your mice, as a preventative, with Ivermectin?

I've been treating mine only when they first come home and if I think I'm seeing signs of bugs (excess scratching, thinning fur). Should I be treating more regularly? How long is a treatment effective? And if I should be doing regular preventative treatments, would it have to be as intensive as the dosing is when it's suspected that they have bugs? Other pets are routinely treated as a preventative, and so I was wondering if the same were true for mice. Or is that initial treatment enough as long as they're not showing any signs?

And also, is this bit of info found on the parasite page about topical treatments being risky or is it speaking of oral treatment here?

Transmission of Parasites and Reducing the Risk wrote:The best thing you can do is try and avoid parasites as best as you can. Treating your mouse for parasites is risky. Some mice have died from the treatment.

Because it also says this further down.

Ivermectin Treatment wrote:The topical ivermectin is completely safe

https://petmousefanciers.forumotion.com/t17-hair-loss-scratching-and-parasites

by Peachy Sat 26 Nov 2016, 8:12 am

Norman's Mom said a full treatment acts as a preventative for up to six months, and after the first month you can do a 3 week treatment if they might have been exposed.
I only treat new mice or mice that I think might already have bugs, too... It turns out to be about twice a year. I treated in March and then started another in October when the fur on the girls' shoulders was looking thin.

I'm not sure which treatment Barbara meant there, maybe it was just a general risk warning? Before we rewrote that section, it also advised that you ask your vet to mix the topical treatment for you. I've never heard of anyone dying from the topical, if the instructions are followed I wouldn't worry.

by CallaLily Sat 26 Nov 2016, 8:39 am

Oh I thought she had meant the mix is good for up to six months. Thank you! That's really good to know.

by stephlisa Sun 27 Nov 2016, 1:55 am

So I actually treat Colin once a month as a preventative. The UK Ivermectin (Xeno mini) instruction leaflet suggests this to be appropriate.

I know his chances of getting anything are low anyway, but seeing as we have the Ivermectin and no plans to get more mice until Colin passes we figured it wouldn't hurt to use it before it's expiry date!

It doesn't seem particularly necessary, but I like knowing he's protected and as its not stressful to him to apply (except encouraging him to stay still for a moment or two) we do it once a month just in case. He doesn't seem to be affected by it except when he grooms it off!

This obviously mostly applies to the UK version, but I didn't know if you might find the info useful.