| Active Ingredient / Product | Category | Drug / Chemical Class | Primary Parasite Targets | Route(s) of Administration | Egg Withdrawal Risk (qual.) | Meat Withdrawal Risk (qual.) | Use in Layers? | U.S. Regulatory Status (summary) | Dosage Recommendations Cited in Peer Reviewed Literature or Product Labels | Compliance notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fenbendazole (SAFE-GUARD® AquaSol®) | Anthelmintic | Benzimidazole | Roundworms (Ascaridia), cecal worms (Heterakis) (label-dependent); some other nematodes | Oral (drinking water) | 0-day egg withdrawal when used according to the label | 0-day meat withdrawal when used according to the label | Yes (per label when used as directed) | FDA-approved for chickens (label-specific indications); follow label | Dose: 1 mg/kg body weight (0.454 mg/lb) daily - 0.0023 ml/lb. Schedule: Administered via drinking water for 5 consecutive days. | Extra-label dosing: Capillaria worms - 2X dose; tapeworms - 20 mg/kg for 3 consecutive days. 14-day withdrawal. Flocks under 22 lbs - create a 1:10 dilution (1 part AquaSol, 9 parts water) dose at 0.023 ml/lb. Toxic in pigeons. | |
| Albendazole (Valbazen®; other) | Anthelmintic | Benzimidazole | Nematodes; some cestodes (tapeworms) (variable efficacy) | Oral | 14-day withdrawal for eggs | 14-day withdrawal for meat | No / Extra-label | Not labeled for U.S. poultry; extra-label use in food birds creates residue risk | 10 mg/kg of body weight administered as a single oral dose. | Administration during molt or in young birds causes feather deformities and toxicity, particularly in pigeons, which are highly sensitive to benzimidazoles. Toxic in pigeons. | |
| Flubendazole (EU/UK poultry dewormer; jurisdiction dependent) | Anthelmintic | Benzimidazole | Nematodes (Ascaridia; Capillaria spp. depending on label) | Oral (feed/water depending on product) | 0-day egg withdrawal when used according to the EU label | 7-day meat withdrawal when used according to the EU label | Yes where labeled (follow withdrawal) | Not a standard U.S. labeled poultry product; common in EU/UK | Dose in Feed: 30 ppm (30 mg active ingredient per kg of feed) for chickens and geese. 7 Consecutive Days. | Flubendazole is almost exclusively administered via feed (medicated feed) for 7 consecutive days. The European Union (EU) Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for flubendazole in eggs is 400 µg/kg. All info related to EU label | |
| Levamisole (Levamed®, Prohibit®) | Anthelmintic | Imidazothiazole | Nematodes (roundworms; variable across species) | Oral | 21 days | 18 days for meat. | No / Extra-label | Not approved for poultry use in the U.S.; residue limits/egg tolerances not established | Chickens: 18–36 mg/kg PO, administered as a single dose in drinking water. | Because Levamisole is not FDA-approved for use in poultry in the United States, there is no official label withdrawal period. Its use is considered "extra-label" (ELDU), and withdrawal times are based on pharmacokinetic studies and expert recommendations rather than regulatory approval. | |
| Ivermectin (Ivomec® Pour-On, Noromectin® Pour-On) | Endectocide (worms + mites) (off-label in poultry) | Macrocyclic lactone | Some nematodes; some external parasites (mites/lice) (variable) | Oral / topical / injectable (species products; poultry use off-label) | 12-week egg withdrawal (no U.S. poultry tolerance; residues a major concern) | 12-week meat withdrawal | No (U.S. food birds) | Not approved for any poultry species in the U.S.; no tolerance for egg/meat residues | 0.2 mg/kg - 0.4 mg/kg (0.02 ml/lb - 0.04 ml/lb) Topical formulation, two doses 10-14 days apart applied to the skin at the base of the neck. One drop equals approximately 0.05 ml | Highly liphylic (concentrates in fat tissue/egg yolk). Seek alternatives if possible. | |
| Moxidectin (Cydectin® Pour-On 0.5% [5 mg/ml]) | Endectocide (off-label in poultry) | Macrocyclic lactone | Nematodes; some ectoparasites (variable) | Oral / topical (product dependent) | 12-week egg withdrawal (no U.S. poultry tolerance; residues a major concern) | 12-week meat withdrawal (no U.S. poultry tolerance; residues a major concern) | No (food birds) / uncertain | Not a standard labeled poultry product in the U.S.; treat as high residue risk | 0.2 mg/kg to 0.5 mg/kg of body weight. | Highly liphylic (concentrates in fat tissue/egg yolk). Seek alternatives if possible. | |
| Praziquantel (Droncet®, Drontal®) | Anthelmintic | Isoquinoline-pyrazine | Tapeworms (cestodes); some flukes (trematodes) (species-dependent) | Oral | 21-day withdrawal for eggs | 28-day withdrawal for meat | No (U.S. food birds) | Not approved for U.S. poultry; considered experimental/off-label in food birds | Praziquantel: 10-20 mg/kg orally for tapeworms (off-label). | If using a combination product (e.g., Equimax), you must calculate the dose based on the praziquantel component and ensure the ivermectin dose remains safe (avoiding overdose in sensitive waterfowl). | |
| Piperazine (Wazine) | Anthelmintic | Piperazine derivative | Large roundworms (ascarids) primarily | Oral (water/feed; product dependent) | 14-day withdrawal for eggs | 14-day withdrawal for meat | Yes where labeled (follow withdrawal) | Regulatory status depends on specific product and bird class; verify label for egg birds | 1 oz (30 mL) per 1 gallon of water. | Piperazine products labeled for poultry (like Wazine) were voluntarily withdrawn from the US market by manufacturers or are currently unavailable/discontinued for poultry use. | |
| Pyrantel pamoate (Nemex-2 ) | Anthelmintic | Tetrahydropyrimidine | Ascarids and some nematodes (varies) | Oral | 8-week withdrawal for eggs | 28-day withdrawal for eggs | No (U.S. food birds) | Not a labeled poultry product in U.S.; residue guidance limited | 4.5 mg/kg – 10 mg/kg | Pyrantel Pamoate is a common dewormer for dogs and cats that is occasionally used extra-label in poultry. It is considered safe but has a limited spectrum of activity in birds. |
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Dr. Blayne Mozisek
CEO & Founder of Poultry Doc, Inc