I have read numerous places that Ivermectin is hazardous to herding breeds. Now with Malinois being a breed of the sort would this have an negative impact on them?

I know Collies will have a rough time with it and so on. But what about the Mal's?

And what exactly does it do to collies anyhow if you know by chance...

Crosses the blood brain barrier and causes seizures, drooling, and death among other things.

if i understand correctly, ivermectin comes in various strengths/percentages; different concentrations for horses, cattle, sheep, goats, hogs etc. it is the difference in strengths that causes the problem from one species to another. 2cc of horse formula would be vastly more potent than 2cc of that given to smaller animals. i have heard of people using ivermectin on dogs, but i don't believe it is a simple matter of figuring out how much they need per pound but also depends on the concentration of the medication. i can't imagine that very many vets would even recommend the use of ivermectin in dogs.

Originally posted by patricia powers:
if i understand correctly, ivermectin comes in various strengths/percentages; different concentrations for horses, cattle, sheep, goats, hogs etc. it is the difference in strengths that causes the problem from one species to another. 2cc of horse formula would be vastly more potent than 2cc of that given to smaller animals. i have heard of people using ivermectin on dogs, but i don't believe it is a simple matter of figuring out how much they need per pound but also depends on the concentration of the medication. i can't imagine that very many vets would even recommend the use of ivermectin in dogs. actually ivermectin is possibly one of the safest drugs in other breeds. This means that in other breeds it is VERY hard to over doese as it is supposed to be VERY safe except in herding breeds. Now I have heard that it is fine for the herding breeds but you must give proper doses. IN others like collies, old english sheepdogs, etc its not recommended.

Ivermectin is the same med used to treat parasites from worms to mange mites. In fact it is also in heartworm preventatives.

Well, I had a female that had bad skin problems. I traded her back as the vets could not find anything. Her hair was falling out and the Amatraz and tactic just wasn't working for dips etc. So I was given a new pup and now he is starting to lose hair around his eyes. I contacted the breeder and he gave one dose of Ivemec and a bit of sulferdine and the dogs hair grew back. If I knew if it would have been so easy i would not have spent $450 trying to cure it. SO I gave a dose of Ivermectin to this guy here. So far so good. He is on the second dose and will get a third in a few days. So far so good. No adverse side effects and since I am nipping it in the bud early, it hasn't spread any. At this point it seems like it'll clear up before too long...

Long term high dose ivermectin treatment can damage the liver. It shouldn't be used as a magic cure all.

I used ivermectin for heartworm prevention for Auster, but I gave her the exact same dose that was in heartgard. There is no need to give more than absolutely necessary. The only reason I didn't buy heartgard is because the cat hated the chewables so I had to buy the liquid for him anyway. If you don't do the conversions right (from % to mcg) you can easily give the wrong dose and kill an animal.

Originally posted by Lauren Woods:
Long term high dose ivermectin treatment can damage the liver. It shouldn't be used as a magic cure all.

I used ivermectin for heartworm prevention for Auster, but I gave her the exact same dose that was in heartgard. There is no need to give more than absolutely necessary. The only reason I didn't buy heartgard is because the cat hated the chewables so I had to buy the liquid for him anyway. If you don't do the conversions right (from % to mcg) you can easily give the wrong dose and kill an animal. actually I wouldn't use it at all in a normal situation. I am just using it as the other dog cleared up under the one dose. So I am assuming my vet did a shitty job of seaching for mites. By it clearing up that lead to my suspicions of it being a mange related issue and not so much of a thyroid or food allergy. So once this is one its way out then so is the drug.

Mites can be hard to get on a scrape. The vet has to go deep (ouch) and sometimes it has to be done in multiple areas (big ouch).

If it is demodex it can be the first sign of other immune problems down the road.

I have a Malx bitch that is a prone to demodex when coming out of season. Nothing bad, just a spot or two on the flank or shoulder. I regularly use Ivermectin when it pops up and have had zero problems. I have blood panels done yearly and liver function is perfect. I must say that the Ivermectin works like a charm for her. Spots gone within a week. I've tried just about every other "magic" cure for demodex. Nothing worked, not even goodwinal's. I, personally have had no problems using it. But, like everything else, you have to be eductated about it and be able to speak intelligently with your vet to see if is something worth trying. My bitch's first bout of demodex started spreading, despite other therapies. I decided that the risk/reward was worth it and went ahead. As always, you should consult with your vet.

Joseph Jones:
"I have blood panels done yearly and liver function is perfect"

Having had Joe's bitch charge me with murder in her eyes several times ( during OB, *not* protection ) , I'm wondering how anybody got close enough to her to draw those blood samples....

Man, and people complain about poor Fetz... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Some folks are on the good list, and some are on the bad list. Somehow, Will, you made the hate your guts list. Oh, and getting the blood is never a problem. It is distinguishing between her's and the vet's that is the tricky issue.