Several questions. Doxycycline treatment length? Also Baytril??

[bokbokbacab]

I have two pullets going through a respiratory infection that a vet thought is probably mycoplasma. He prescribed doxycycline in all my chickens' water. I'm a little confused though because the bottle label says give it to them for 15-20 days but he definitely didn't give me enough to last that long among 3 pullets. I've also read elsewhere that treatment is 3-5 days?

Also I've only become aware after starting the medication that it's not approved at all for use in egg laying hens. Compounding this...the same vet just prescribed Baytril (again in water) because the pullets seemed to respond to the doxy for a couple days but then worsened again, but now I'm reading that you can NEVER eat the eggs from chicken treated with it??

This is like week 3 I'm dealing with sick chickens and I am at my wits' end. Has anyone treated their hens with either of these meds in water? For how long? What should I do about this Baytril?

Edit to add: I am starting to think the infection probably isn't mycoplasma because the pullet who was sickest is now on the mend while her sister (bought at the same time) is now showing the exact same symptoms the other one had before. Thinking maybe something like IBV...

 

[Eggcessive]

First, what have been all of the symptoms you have seen with the respiratory disease? Antibiotics will only treat bacterial respiratory diseases, but not viruses. Most antibiotics are not approved for poultryp. Baytril is by far better as an antibiotic to treat something like MG. What is on the label of the Baytril, and is it a 10% liquid?

Baytril (enrofloxacin) was banned for chickens years ago because of developing antibiotic resistance to prevent it’s overuse. That said, some vets may still prescribe it for certain infections. Many who use it, wait a month before using eggs again from a treated hen. Here is a study shows it can be found in eggs up to 10 days after stopping the drug:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21392039/

If you should lose a chicken, get a necropsy with testing from your state poultry vet to find out what disease they have.

 

[Folly's place]

You can have testing done on live birds; contact your state veterinary path lab, at your state veterinary school, ir there's one where you live, for details. Your vet should be able to contact them for you, and send in samples.
Adding especially banned drugs, when you don't have a diagnosis, isn't good.
Mary

 

[bokbokbacab]

First, what have been all of the symptoms you have seen with the respiratory disease? Antibiotics will only treat bacterial respiratory diseases, but not viruses. Baytril is by far better as an antibiotic to treat something like MG. What is on the label of the Baytril, and is it a 10% liquid?

Baytril (enrofloxacin) was banned for chickens years ago because of developing antibiotic resistance to prevent it’s overuse. That said, some vets may still prescribe it for certain infections. Many who use it, wait a month before using eggs again from a treated hen. Here is a study shows it can be found in eggs up to 10 days after stopping the drug:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21392039/

If you should lose a chicken, get a necropsy with testing from your state poultry vet to find out what disease they have.

Long story is I bought two speckled sussex pullets who seemed very healthy (bright eyes, active, no mites, no signs of any issues), but within 24 hours of bringing them home (where I put them in quarantine), they were sneezing. Over the next few days the one with the worst sneezing developed a bit of a wheeze and then bubbling eyes. By this time, in spite of practicing good biosecurity and keeping them apart, my buff orpington also started sneezing.

Took the sickest pullet [temporarily dubbed Sneezy] to the vet, who checked her out and said they only saw signs of upper respiratory infection. They said it was probably mycoplasma infection triggered by stress of the move and prescribed the doxyxcyline. It seemed to work pretty quickly and by the next day Sneezy was back up and eating and drinking independently and her breathing has improved steadily (she is still sneezing, however). ...But now, three days after starting treatment, her sister has bubbling eyes and is puffed up and unhappy!

This suggests to me that it's not MG, because they've both been on the medicated water... That said, my buff hasn't had another sneeze since I started the meds. And I did notice Sneezy bullying her sister (sick chicken) this morning so maybe sister hasn't had as much of the medicine??

 

[bokbokbacab]

You can have testing done on live birds; contact your state veterinary path lab, at your state veterinary school, ir there's one where you live, for details. Your vet should be able to contact them for you, and send in samples.
Adding especially banned drugs, when you don't have a diagnosis, isn't good.
Mary

Unfortunately the vet won't be in again until Monday. I think I'm going to hold off on giving them Baytril until I can talk to the vet directly about that and also getting testing done. I have doxycycline still that I can continue if needed until then.

 

[Folly's place]

I hope you can get this diagnosed, so you can have a plan to manage your flock.
Meanwhile, no birds in or out, your barn clothes stay home, and your 'regular' clothes and shoes don't go to the coop, so you aren't spreading this further to other flocks.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

It's about impossible to actually isolate birds from each other in a backyard setting, as you've found out.
All the best,
Mary

 

[Eggcessive]

Sick birds usually do not drink or eat well, so they may not take enough medicated water. That is why giving medicines orally is more accurate. Make sure the sick one is drinking the water. Some birds may also develop secondary diseases or air sacculitis. It is always a risk bringing in new birds from other people. Find a way to get testing done in your area from the state poultry vet, the local NPIP, or from a commercial national lab such as Zoologix who does prc testing of many diseases. If you cull a sick bird or one dies, getting a necropsy is a good way to diagnose an illness. Most repiratory diseases will have an incubation period of 2-10 days after exposure to sick birds.

 

[bokbokbacab]

I know the now-sick pullet definitely drank medicated water the first day or two it was available because she was feeling well and I watched her drink several times. I am not sure if she is getting much now, however. She did eat this morning, though, which is encouraging.

Wondering if anyone can answer my original question of the duration doxycycline is usually administered in drinking water?

 

[Folly's place]

It depends on what it's actually being used for!
Mary