Protect lBorder Collies from Ivermectin
I was just at the Hermiston Select Horse sale and while I was pleased to see horse prices trend up I got a kick out of all the different ranch dogs in the rigs, those happy canines reminded that those of us who own horses and cattle need to take some measures to protect our dogs. Many folks aren’t aware that some of the common medicine we use with our livestock can blind or kill certain breeds of dog, most notably border collies, a species that goes hand and hand with the ranching lifestyle. I’m Susan Allen back with an Open Range you won’t want to miss. A couple years ago my border collie got into something toxic and in ruling out a variety of poisons my vet made me aware of a common livestock dewormer that can instantly blind or kill border collies. Ivermectin. A WSU Vet discovered a genetic syndrome in collie breeds that makes them extremely susceptible to Ivermectin and sister drugs found in some ear and heart worm medications, and the anti-diarrhea medicine Imodium. Thirty five percent of all collies are affected with this disorder while forty-five percent are carriers. There is now a genetic test to determine how or if your collie is affected. Other breeds, some German Shepard’s, sight hounds, Old English Sheep dogs and Austrian cattle dogs are at risk as well. I can’t tell stress enough the importance of properly disposing flavored paste wormers, even a little as a tablespoon licked off a dropped applicator could blind your border collie.
