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Deworming question

Hello, I have a question on how to give worming medicine to aviary birds. I’ve heard of ivermectin drops and a pigeon wormer that is diluted in the drinking water. The birds don`t drink a lot of water and I want to be sure they are free of internal parasites. What would you recommend to be the best?

Your best answer would come from your attending veterinarian who is most aware of the setting the birds are in, their species, their underlying diet and management, and what types of “worms” may or may not be present. Should your birds not have intestinal parasites, there should be no need for the use of any form of anthelmenthic. Should there be parasites present, on occasion, Ivermection may have merit, but this drug would also be quite ineffective for other parasites that may be present.

About Brian Speer, DVM

Avian veterinarian Dr. Brian Speer was raised in a small town on California’s coast. He received his BS in Biology from California Polytechnic State University in 1978, and his DVM degree from the University of California at Davis in 1983.

An active member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), Dr. Speer is a much sought after guest speaker and has presented at numerous conferences in the avicultural and zoological communities both within the United States and abroad. He is well published in the AAV annual proceedings, has served as guest editor for the journal Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, the Veterinary Clinics of North America, and authored chapters in several recent veterinary medical texts on pet bird, avicultural and ratite medical topics. In 1995 he co-authored the extensive avicultural reference, The Large Macaws, and helped to co-author Birds for Dummies in 1999.

Since 1989, Dr, Speer has run a “bird’s only” practice in the San Francisco Bay area and is the President and Director of The Medical Center for Birds. He is a consultant for The Veterinary Information Network (Avian Medical Boards) and the Maui Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. In 2003 he was the recipient of the Lafeber award for excellence in private practice of avian medicine and surgery and in 2006, was named Speaker of the Year for the North American Veterinary Conference.