Brand: EXTENDER JUNIOR ®
Company: BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM (MERIAL)
DELIVERY FORM: slow-release capsule for oral administration.
ACTIVE INGREDIENT(S): albendazole 2.3 g per capsule
CHEMICAL CLASS of the active ingredient(s): benzimidazole
INDICATIONS: SHEEP
PARASITES CONTROLLED (spectrum of activity)
Sheep
For 100 days continuous protection against the following helminths susceptible to benzimidazole-type anthelmintics:
- Barber’s Pole Worm: Haemonchus contortus
- Small Brown Stomach Worm: Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) circumcincta, O. trifurcata
- Stomach Hair Worm: Trichostrongylus axei
- Black Scour Worm: Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Trichostrongylus vitrinus
- Thin-Necked Intestinal Worm: Nematodirus spathiger, Nematodirus filicollis
- Nodule Worm: Oesophagostomum columbianum
- Large Bowel Worm: Oesophagostomum venulosum
- Whip worm: Trichuris ovis
RECOMMENDED DOSE*
* Country-specific differences may apply: read the product label.
One capsule per animal weighing 20 to 40 kg
SAFETY
- LD50 (acute oral) in rats: Albendazole: 2400 mg/kg (for the a.i.) (source MSDS)
Suspected poisoning? Read the article on albendazole safety in this site.
Withholding periods (=withdrawal times) for meat & milk (country-specific differences may apply: read the product label)
- Meat: NIL (ESI 60 days)
- Milk for human consumption: Do not use in female sheep which are producing, or may in the future produce, milk or milk products for human consumption.
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:
- Safety for humans
- Safety for domestic animals
- Safety for the environment
- Hazard classifications of pesticides
RESISTANCE PREVENTION
Risk of resistance? YES
Unfortunately, resistance of several gastrointestinal roundworms to albendazole (and other benzimidazoles) is already very high and very frequent worldwide in sheep and goats.
This means that if this product does not achieve the expected efficacy against the mentioned parasites, it can be 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:
- Derquantel: available so far only in combination with abamectin.
- Imidazothiazoles, mainly levamisole. etc. Imidazothiazoles, mainly levamisole. etc. Frequent resistance problems as well.
- Macrocyclic lactones (e.g. abamectin, doramectin, eprinomectin, ivermectin, moxidectin, etc.). Resistance to macrocyclic lactones is also increasing and strengthening quickly in many countries.
- Monepantel: available only for sheep & goats in some countries (e.g. Australia, UK & EU, New Zealand). First cases of resistance reported in New Zealand in 2013.
- Salicylanilides, e.g. closantel (limited spectrum of activity).
- Tetrahydropyrimidines (e.g. morantel, pyrantel): effective only against certain gastrointestinal roundworms. Not available in some countries. Resistance to morantel has been reported in some countries.
- Nitroxinil: effective only against certain gastrointestinal roundworms (e.g. Bunostomum spp, Haemonchus spp, Oesophagostomum spp). Not available in some countries.
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**?
- Albendazole: GENERIC (introduced in the 1970s)
*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: Australia, New Zealand
GENERIC BRANDS available? Not in the form of capsules so far. Several drenches with a comparable composition.
Click here to learn more about GENERIC vs. ORIGINAL drugs.
For an overview on the most used drench or capsule brands for livestock click here.
COMMENTS
EXTENDER SECO is a slow-release capsule brand with albendazole.
Albendazole, a veteran anthelmintic (introduced in the 1970s by SMITH-KLINE), was the first benzimidazole with a broad-spectrum activity, i.e. it showing a dose-dependent efficacy against all three major classes of parasitic worms: Roundworms (gastrointestinal and pulmonary), tapeworms, and flukes (only adults). Most other benzimidazoles are not effective against flukes, and the oldest ones are also ineffective against tapeworms. Albendazole also kills eggs of roundworms and flukes (ovicidal activity). All this made albendazole particularly popular for use on livestock. As other benzimidazoles, albendazole has no efficacy whatsoever against external parasites (ticks, flies, lice, mites, etc).
A significant disadvantage of albendazole is that it can be teratogenic (other benzimidazoles too, e.g. ricobendazole, parbendazole and cambendazole), i.e. it can cause malformations in the embryos and therefore should not be administered to pregnant animals. Albendazole is abundantly used worldwide in numberless generic brands for livestock, but significantly less for pets.
Click here for general information on good practices for the prevention and control of gastrointestinal worms in livestock.
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.