# Topical Ivermectin Dosage Help



## Techtress (Jun 29, 2007)

I found out recently that my rats have lice after having one of my girls euthanized due to a tumor. I have obtained ivermectin in a 5mg/ml consistency (ivomec pour-on for cattle). I have researched online dosages for rats, but most all pertain to the 1% ivermectin. This is the information that I have collected in my search pertaining to rats from http://ratguide.com/meds/antiinfectives/ivermectin.php:

"Dosage Recommendations
Ivomec: 100 mcg/lb to 200 mcg/lb, PO (pour on?) or SQ (sub cutaneous?), once a week for three weeks. May be applied as a topical behind the ear.

or

Ivermectin 200 mcg/kg to 400 mcg/kg, PO, SQ, repeat in 8-10 days May be applied as a topical behind the ear.

or

Ivermectin 0.2 mg/kg q7 days x 3 weeks; PO, SQ, 1. May be applied as a topical behind the ear.

*NOTE* The following dosing instruction contributed by C.Himsel-Daly DVM.

When having to dilute ivermectin: Dilute the 1% solution (which is the injectable used for cattle) with propylene glycol 1:10. Take 1 mL ivermectin and mix with 9mL PG; thus diluting it from a 10 mg/mL solution to a 1 mg/mL solution, and dose at 200-400 mcg/kg. This makes it more accurate for the really wee ones."


From what I gathered above, 1% ivermectin = 10mg/mL, so my 5mg/mL is then essentially 0.5% ivermectin? So with that in mind, I need to dilute it 1:5 and apply once a week for 3 weeks? The three dosages above say from 100mcg/kg body weight to 400mcg/kg body weight or 0.2mg/kg, which should I follow? The back of the bottle says 1mL/22lb of body weight.

I know its late, and I'm trying hard to wrap my brain around all this math. I don't want to get dosages wrong!


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Here you go my friend...courtesy of guinealynx 

You just need the weight of your girls...and be very very careful, Ivermectin is much more lethal than Revolution by far.

http://www.guinealynx.info/topical_ivermectin_pour-on.html


----------



## Techtress (Jun 29, 2007)

That site is great! Thanks so much! I don't know why I didn't think to look up other similarly sized mammals. I found a site with very detailed how-to for mice (thefunmouse.com) that used the 5mg/mL.

Today is going to be a total tear down and bleaching/scrubbing of their cage followed by weighing and treatment round one. Hopefully they'll feel some relief soon.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Techtress said:


> That site is great! Thanks so much! I don't know why I didn't think to look up other similarly sized mammals. I found a site with very detailed how-to for mice (thefunmouse.com) that used the 5mg/mL.
> 
> Today is going to be a total tear down and bleaching/scrubbing of their cage followed by weighing and treatment round one. Hopefully they'll feel some relief soon.


too bad you couldn't get Revolution, TONS easier and safer.

Good luck!!!


----------



## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

I have swome good ivermectin solutions also that are ingested. PM me if you want what I have.


----------

