Can I use Cattle ivermectin pour-on for sheep?

[Rustic Green Acres]

I have a bottle of Cattle ivermectin pour-on can I use it on my sheep? if so what's the dosage?

 

[Baymule]

I have never used cattle pour on for sheep. That might be a question for a vet, or someone who has used it. I don’t know anyone who has used cattle pour on for sheep. Might be best to skip it and use a sheep product.

 

[mysunwolf]

Since we are not vets we cannot give advice, but if you check out the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control, they have a lot to say on this topic, which is basically don't do it, pour-ons and small ruminants will hasten dewormer resistance and cause problems in the flock when trying to deworm in the future.

 

[Ridgetop]

I checked it out and it was not advised to use the pour on. The oral stuff is the way to go. There are various types for different kinds of parasites and it is advised to switch off between the several kinds if you have a bad problem.

 

[casportpony]

I checked it out and it was not advised to use the pour on.

Curiously, what reasons were listed?

 

[rachels.haven]

Different transdermal absorption rate is a good one. They could get not enough active ingredient or you could kill them from too much because their skin is less/more vascular and permeable than the target species.
Go by label instructions whenever possible.

 

[farmerjan]

Different transdermal absorption rate is a good one. They could get not enough active ingredient or you could kill them from too much because their skin is less/more vascular and permeable than the target species.
Go by label instructions whenever possible.

Most "pour-ons" are for haired cattle.. and it is not advised to use it on cattle, with heavy winter coats due to not being absorbed. Most sheep are wooled that they advised the drench for... That is preferred over injectible so that the wormer goes DIRECTLY to the source. Granted, there are more and more "haired sheep"... but is seems that sheep, of all the mammals, with many/most being wooled , the absorption rate as @rachels.haven mentioned is different. Many wooled sheep would not get the correct amount and their skin seems to be more sensitive to it. Talked to the vet about it years ago when we had horned dorset sheep... because we also had cattle. And he adamantly said NOT to use pour on. Again, they were wooled sheep. I think that haired sheep would be different... and there are some classes of cattle that they suggest to not use some wormers for as to them having sensitivity to.
You would have to look at the strength of the pour on and try to do a conversion of strength and size and weight of the animal from the cattle dosage to "sheep" dosage. I personally would not use it.