1. Contact your veterinarian immediately and take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
  2. Your veterinarian may instruct you to induce vomiting, however, do not induce vomiting unless instructed to.
  3. If possible, provide a sample of the product ingested, including any packaging and package inserts, to your veterinarian to aid in identification of the toxin and estimation of the dose received.

OTHER NAMES

Ivermectin, doramectin, moxidectin, milbemycin oxime

TOXICITY

SEVERE

CLINICAL SIGNS

Clinical signs occur from 3 hours or up to, a few days of ingestion.

  • Lethargy/Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Hypersalivation
  • Vomiting
  • Uncoordinated or wobbly gait (ataxia)
  • Dilated pupils (Mydriasis)
  • Hypersensitivity to touch (hypaeaesthesia)
  • Blindness
  • Seizures
  • Coma
  • Paralysis
  • May cause derangements in body temperature (hypothermia or hyperthermia)

EFFECTS OF TOXICITY

Macrocyclic lactones have an inhibitory action on the nervous system.

TREATMENT

Veterinary care may involve repeat administration of activated charcoal, intravenous fluids, seizure control and temperature management. Comatose animals require 24-hour-monitoring. Your veterinarian may recommend intravenous lipid therapy to soak up any remaining toxin.

REFERENCES

BSAVA (2012) BSAVA/VPIS Guide to Common Canine and Feline Poisons. Gloucester: BSAVA.

McAlees T (2013) Emergency treatment: Toxicities. Webinar presented for the Centre for Veterinary Education, Thursday October 17, 2pm. www.cve.edu.au

Merola V, Khan S, Gwaltney Brant S (2009) Ivermectin toxicoses in dogs: a retrospective study. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 45(3):139-140.

Poppenga RH (2011) Other pesticides. In: Small Animal Toxicology Essentials ed. RH Poppenga and SM Gwaltney-Brant. London: Wiley-Blackwell. Pp143-144.