LEVAMED Soluble Pig Wormer - BIMEDA - levamisole hydrochloride 99.5% - imidazothiazole - feed additive

Brand: LEVAMED ™ Soluble PIG WORMER

Company: BIMEDA

DELIVERY FORM: «additives and medicated feeds» for oral administration.

ACTIVE INGREDIENT(S): levamisole hydrochloride 99.5%

CHEMICAL CLASS of the active ingredient(s): imidazothiazole

INDICATIONS: SWINE

PARASITES CONTROLLED* (spectrum of activity)

* Country-specific differences may apply: read the product label.

RECOMMENDED DOSE

  • When you are ready to worm pigs, add water to the powder in this bottle up to 500 mL mark (results in an solution with 9.25 g/L levamisole hydrochloride). Agitate to mix thoroughly before using. If any solution is left over, it may be stored for up to 25°C for up to 3 months in this tightly capped bottle; agitate well before using.
  • Add 10 mL (2 teaspoonfuls) of the solution from this bottle to 1 gallon of water; mix thoroughly.
  • Allow one gallon of medicated water for each 100 pounds of body weight of pigs to be treated. No other source of water should be offered.
  • As soon as pigs have consumed all of the medicated water, resume use of regular water.

SAFETY

  • LD50 (acute oral) in rats: 180 mg/kg (for the a.i.)
  • LD50 (acute dermal) in rats: n.a.

Suspected poisoning? Read the article on levamisole safety in this site.

Withholding periods (=withdrawal times)

  • Meat: 72 hours

WARNING !!!: Never use on humans, dogs or cats

You may be interested in the following articles in this site dealing with the general safety of veterinary products:

RESISTANCE PREVENTION

Risk of resistance? LOW

There are a few reports on resistance of Oesophagostomum worms to benzimidazoles, levamisole and pyrantel (mainly in Europe) but so far the problem is much less frequent and severe than in sheep or cattle.

This means that if this product does not achieve the expected efficacy against the mentioned parasites, there is a certain risk that it is due to resistance and not to incorrect use, which is usually the most frequent cause of product failure.

Alternative chemical classes/active ingredients to prevent resistance of gastrointestinal roundworms through product rotation in swine:

These alternative products may not be available in all countries or may not be effective against all the concerned parasites.

It is highly recommended to periodically check the resistance status of each property performing appropriate tests (e.g. fecal egg counts) under supervision of a veterinary doctor. Such tests are now routinely available for most producers in developed countries.

Learn more about resistance and how it develops.

MARKETING

Are the active ingredients of this product ORIGINAL* or GENERICS**?

  • GENERICS

*Meaning that they are still patent protected and generics are not yet available
**Meaning that they have lost patent protection and may be acquired from manufacturers of generic active ingredients other than the holder of the original patent.

COUNTRIES where this brand/product is marketed: USA
GENERIC BRANDS available? Yes, in most countries.

Click here to learn more about GENERIC vs. ORIGINAL drugs.

Click here for an overview on the most used antiparasitic feed additives and medicated feeds for livestock and horses.

COMMENTS

LEVAMED SOLUBLE PIG WORMER is a classic anthelmintic from BIMEDA containing generic levamisole.

Levamisole is a veteran anthelmintic. It was introduced by JANSSEN already in the 1960s (NILVERM, RIPERCOL). It has a broad-spectrum of activity against roundworms (gastrointestinal and pulmonary) but no efficacy whatsoever against tapeworms and flukes. It is also completely ineffective against external parasites of livestock (ticks, flies, lice, mites, etc). Levamisole has been used massively worldwide in countless generic formulations for livestock. It still remains one of the most preferred low-cost anthelmintics for livestock worldwide. Usage in pets or horses is rather scarce. It is not used in agriculture.

As many other anthelmintics (e.g. benzimidazoles, tetrahydropyrimidines) levamisole administered orally has no residual effect, i.e. it kills the parasites shortly after administration, but does not significantly protect the animals against re-infestation by infective stages in their environment.

Thanks to its higher solubility in water levamisole is also available as a pour-on and as an injectable for livestock, but only in some countries.

DISCLAIMER

This article IS NOT A PRODUCT LABEL. It offers complementary information that may be useful to veterinary professionals and users that are not familiar with veterinary antiparasitics. 

Information offered in this article has been extracted from publications issued by manufacturers, government agencies (e.g. EMEA, FDA, USDA, etc.) or in the scientific literature. No guarantee is given on its accuracy, integrity, sufficiency, actuality and opportunity, and any liability is denied. Read the site's DISCLAIMER.

In case of doubt contact the manufacturer or a veterinary professional.

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