11 year old lamma second bout meningal worm gave ivermectin safeguard banaminehis back legs are very weak he is having a hard time standing?
Thank you for your question.If your llama has meningeal worm, then it appears that your treatment regime has been appropriate. That said, since we are dealing with a parasite that invades the central nervous system (CNS) causing both a 'space occupying lesion' in the limited space of the CNS then we have to consider that it might have put pressure on a region of the spinal cord or even brain. And in that case, there can be associated swelling and even necrosis (tissue death) of the delicate neural tissue. This is why preventative worming is so important for animals in at risk areas.So, even if the worm is treated with an anti-helmintic like Ivermectin or Safeguard, we do still have to nurse him through the secondary effects of the worm. This damage/swelling can vary in severity and treatment can take time to restore their mobility (if we can get it back at all). If you are seeing him being weak and have been treating him repeatably for a space of time, then you should consider having your vet do a neurological examination (to assess the specific deficits) and discuss steroid therapy (As this can be a more potent anti-inflammatory for neurological issues. But as you have used an NSAID, making a change to steroids needs to be under close veterinary supervision).
I hope this information is helpful. Please do let me know if you have any further questions. If you have no further questions, feedback is always appreciated.
All the best,
Dr. B.
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