It is the reader’s job to ascertain the correctness and legality of the following information in their own particular situation. Not all drugs are available (or legal) in every situation. Most are references for ‘birds’ and do not differentiate between ostriches and hummingbirds, though the species differences may be vast. Some substances are toxic in certain species (or by certain routes) and fine in others, please make sure to verify before administering. Treating pain or other symptoms is far different than treating a specific disease, keep this in mind if trying to treat ‘respiratory disease’ or diarrhea, because treating a chicken for coccidia when it is suffering from salmonella isn’t going to be beneficial, an actual diagnosis will make treatment far more successful rather than a random guess. Also keep in mind not all bacteria are susceptible to all antibiotics (same with fungi and worms) and resistance within a species is also possible, nor will treating a viral infection with an antibiotic work. Also make sure the particular drug you are considering is not toxic in your particular species!
Please make sure you understand how to calculate a dosage before administering anything to your critters and triple check it! An accurate weight is vital to both prevent toxicity as well as to achieve an effective dose. Watch units, as they vary considerably between products! Also pay attention to how your product is meant to be administered, never give an oral solution via injection (though occasionally an injectable product may be given orally). Also consider the size of your birds when considering route of administration, as smaller birds (quail, finches, chicks…) may suffer considerable bruising or even necrosis from an intramuscular injection. If your birds produce products (meat or eggs) that will be for human consumption, they are considered food producing animals and must be managed as such (much stricter rules apply to what can and can’t be used) or converted to ‘pets’ and their products can no longer enter the public food chain. While there is an ‘anesthetic and sedative’ section, this does not mean you are qualified to administer it, many are controlled substances and unavailable to the general public; bird anesthesia is tricky even for trained anesthesiologists, watching a youtube video will not make you an expert!
Definitions and Translation of Veterinary Pharmacological Abbreviations:
IM: intramuscular or in the muscle
PO: per os or by mouth, orally
IV: intravenous or in the vein
SQ: subcutaneous or under the skin
SID: once daily
BID: twice daily
TID: three times daily
QID: four times daily
PRN: as needed
Unit measurements like kilogram (kg) or Liter (L) should be fairly intuitive otherwise google it! A Food Animal is any animal that produces meat, eggs, or milk for human consumption, please consult the label, your vet, or FARAD for withdrawal times, otherwise the animal should be considered a pet and its products should not enter the public food chain! Prescription medications and off-label use of many products in food producing animals require a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR), don’t wait until an emergency happens to have one in place! This information is not to be used to self-diagnose and treat without proper medical oversight! If the dosage information says to check label, please do so as it might actually be labeled for birds, most of these dosages are given for ‘off label’ or ‘minor species’ use, namely for situations that require something that isn’t being used in a commercial species or for a common situation. When available, the label directions or prescriber’s instructions should always be followed!
Anesthetics and Sedatives:
Acepromazine: not recommended
Atipamizole: xylazine reversal, 0.5 mg/kg IM
Atropine: 0.04-0.1 mg/kg IM or SQ for preanesthetic, 0.1-0.2 mg/kg IM or SQ prn for organophosphate toxicity
Butorphanol: possible analgesic effect; 3-4 mg/kg IM
Detomidine: limited data, 0.3 mg/kg IM
Diazepam: 0.4-1 mg/kg IM, sedation in debilitated birds
Isoflurane: great for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia especially in smaller birds
Lidocaine: can be toxic, limited effect, not recommended
Ketamine: 5-15 mg/kg IM, 10-30 minutes anesthesia, can add xylazine
Medetomidine: limited data, 0.1 mg/kg IM
Propofol: not recommended
Pentobarbital: IV use recommended (not IM), rough recovery, slow onset
Thiopental: IV access required
Tolazaline: reverse xylazine, 15 mg/kg IV
Xylazine: 1-3 mg/kg IM, sedation, can add ketamine
Yohimbine: reverse xylazine, 0.1 mg/kg IV
Antibiotics:
Amikacin: 15-20 mg/kg IM or SQ BID (not food animals!)
Amoxicillin: 100-175 mg/kg 2-3 times daily IM, PO, SQ or in drinking water (ratites): 250 mg/ gallon as sole source of water for 3-5 days
Amoxicillin with clavulanic acid: 50-100 mg/kg PO 3-4 times daily
Ampicillin: 1.65 g/L in drinking water or 250 mg/kg in feed or 100 mg/kg IM TID
Cefotaxime: 50-100 mg/kg TID IM or IV
Ceftiofur: ratites 10-20 mg/kg IM BID; for poultry 10-20 mg/kg IM SID 3-5 day
Cephalexin: 35-100 mg/kg QID PO
Cephalothin: 100 mg/ kg IM QID
Chloramphenicol: not food animals; caution handling, not a first choice drug for home use
Chlortetracycline: follow label for food producing animals, 2500 mg/L drinking water
Ciprofloxacin: not food animals, 20 mg/kg PO BID
Doxycycline: 50 mg/kg every 24 hours can divide BID
Enrofloxacin: not food animals, 15 mg/kg PO or IM or in drinking water 250 mg/L
Erythromycin: 60 mg/kg PO BID
Gentamicin: not food animals, 5-10 mg/kg TID IM 5-10 days
Metronidazole: not food animals, 50 mg/kg PO SID for 5 days
Neomycin: label directions for food animals, 10 mg/kg PO BID or 80-260 mg/L drinking water
Oxytetracycline: 50 mg/kg IM SID 3-5 days, severe muscle necrosis possible
Penicillin G (procaine): can be toxic in small birds, turkeys 100 mg/kg IM once daily
Spectinomycin: follow label
Sulfachlorpyridazine: follow label for food animals, 1/4 tsp per liter water, sole water source 5-10 days
Sulfadiazine with trimethoprim: follow label food animal, 2 ml/kg oral suspension PO BID or 50-100 mg/kg PO BID
Tetracycline (soluble powder): use in combination with other tetracyclines for effective dose!,
1 tsp per gallon drinking water, prepare fresh TID
Tylosin: 30 mg/kg IM BID, follow label directions for other applications
Antifungals and Paraciticides (dewormers and coccidiostats):
Albendazole: ratites: 1 ml/22 kg PO BID for 3 days, repeat in 2 weeks for tapeworms and flagellated parasites; in poultry 5 mg/kg for roundworms and 20 mg/kg for tapes PO once
Amprolium: for food animals follow label, for coccidia in pet birds 2 ml (use 9.6% solution)/gallon water for 5 days or more
Fenbendazole: 10-50 mg/kg PO SID 3-5 days
Fluconazole: 5-10 mg/kg PO SID for up to six weeks
Griseofulvin: available?, 35-50 mg/kg PO once a day for ratites
Itraconazole: ratites 6-10 mg/kg PO SID for poultry 5=10 mg/kg 1-2 times daily
Ivermectin: 200 micrograms/kg IM or PO, repeat in two weeks
Ketoconazole: 200 ml/L 7-14 days in drinking water, dissolve in acid first (vinegar)
Levamisole: 18-36 mg/kg PO for poultry
Nystatin: for candida; 300,000 units/kg PO BID 7-10 days, flock follow label
Piperazine: follow label
Praziquantel: chicken tapeworms: 10 mg/kg
Pyrantel: 4.5 mg/kg PO once
Thiabendazole: 44 mg/kg PO once
Analgesics (pain meds) and Steroids:
Acetaminophen: not recommended, liver issues possible
Aspirin: 5 grams in 250 mls water as only water source, make fresh each 12 hours
Carprofen: 2 mg/kg PO each 8-24 hours
Dexamethasone: 2-4 mg/kg IM or IV 2-3 times daily
Flunixin meglumine: 1-10 mg/kg IM once daily, use with caution especially daily, toxic to quail
Ketoprofen: 2 mg/kg IM each 8-24 hours
Meloxicam: 0.1-0.2 mg/kg PO or IM SID
Prednisone: 0.2 mg/30 grams PO
Other:
Calcium citrate: 1 crushed tablet for egg bound hen, less for smaller birds
Calcium gluconate: egg bound bird: 1% solution IM 0.01-0.02 ml/g, provide moist heat and allow 24 hours to pass egg
Diphenhydramine: 2-4 mg/kg BID PO
Epinephrine: 0.5-1 ml IV or Intraosseus once
Furosemide: 0.05 mg/300 grams IM BID
Hydroxyzine: 1.5-2 mg per 4 oz. Drinking water for itchiness
Iron: 10 mg/kg IM weekly
Kaolin pectate: 1 drop to a ml depending on size, 1-4 times daily
Mineral oil: caution with aspiration, 5 ml/kg PO once
Oxytocin: egg expulsion, use with calcium and vitamin A, 0.01-0.1 mls once IM
