Post by Sea Wings Loft on Dec 18, 2006 19:21:18 GMT 7
List of Some Drugs Commonly Used in Pigeons
PREPARED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF PIGEON VETERINARIANS
For those of you who use the treatment formulary prepared by the Association of Pigeon Veterinarians and published here and in the CU yearbook, just be aware that all dosages are for the US gallon (4 liters) which is 1/5 smaller than our Imperial gallon (4.55 litres). Remember to increase these dosages by 1/5 for our gallon, the New Zealand and Australian gallon. For example, if the correct dosage in the formulary is given as 1 teasthingy per gallon, increase it to approximately 1 tsp per gallon, etc.. As well you can simply use these dosages for 4 litres of water.
General Considerations Purpose: The purpose of this formulary is to provide a concise, accurate description and proper dosage of the common drugs used in pigeons. Experience has shown that various sources provided vastly different dosage levels. Some of which were so high that they were toxic, other to low that they weren't effective. The dosages and other information in this publication were gathered from multiple knowledgeable sources and are the proper dosages and information to the best of our knowledge. It must be noted, however, that some of this information is based on experience of individuals, not carefully controlled scientific studies. This is especially true for the drugs listed that are not specifically made for or approved for use in pigeons.
Dosage Levels: You will find many of the drugs listed to be given in mg/bird, mg/pound, or mg/gallon, instead of teasthingys or tablesthingys per gallon. The reason is that many of the drugs come in various concentrations. Because of that, a teasthingy of one preparation doesn't equal a teasthingy of another preparation of the same drug. This often results in toxic or ineffective levels being used. This poses no problem for most of the prescription drugs as they are usually listed in milligram equivalents. However, some OTC (over the counter) preparations do not give you the number of milligrams per teasthingy. When this occurs you must figure that out on your own.
The following is an example:
You buy a drug OTC that comes as a powder in a plastic bag. It tells you that there are 10 grams of the drug in that bag. Empty the bag and measure how many teasthingys of powder you have. You find that you have 20 teasthingys. So you have 10 grams/20 teasthingys or .5 gram/tsp. 0.5 gram = 500 mg (see chart) so your drug has 500 mg/teasthingy. Figure how many teasthingys per gallon you need from that. (i.e. if you need 1000 mg/gallon, you need 2 teasthingys per gallon.
You buy a drug OTC that comes in a liquid. You are told that it is a 20% solution. That means there are 20 grams of the drug in every 100 mL of solution. There are 20 teasthingys in 100 mL (see chart), so there is one gram of drug in every teasthingy of liquid in the bottle. One gram is equal to 1000 mg so you have 1000 mg of drug per teasthingy. Figure what you need from that.
Dosage Range: Many of the drugs give you a dosage range. This is done for 2 reasons:
1. The lower dose may be used in mild infections but the higher dose may be needed in more severe infections.
2. Since most drugs are given in the water, the amount of the drug a pigeon gets varies with how much water he drinks. We assumed that in hot weather 30 birds drink a gallon/day and in cold weather 60 birds drink a gallon per day. The low dose is figured on the 30 bird/day consumption level and the high dose on the 60 bird/day consumption level. This is a very important principle to keep in mind with the more toxic drugs such as dimetridazole (Emtryl).
Dosage Intervals: It is important to give the drug for the proper length of time. Failure to do so often results in poor response, relapse of the disease after the drug is stopped, and production of resistant strains of organisms.
Diagnosis: Establishment of a proper diagnosis before treatment begins is extremely important. Shotgun treatment often produces poor results, delays recovery to when the proper drug is finally found, and often produces drug-resistant bacteria and parasites. We can not stress strongly enough, in the case of antibiotics, that a culture and sensitivity be done to make sure the antibiotic used is needed and effective. Just because a drug is noted to be effective against many cases of E. coli doesn't mean it is effective against all cases. More and more drug-resistant bacteria occur every day and can best be treated when proper diagnostics are used first.
Helpful Measurements and Equivalents:
The following table may be helpful in converting various measurements
1 gram 1000 mg (milligrams)
1 cubic centimeter (cc) 1 milliliter (mL)
5 cc 1 teasthingy
15 cc 1 tablesthingy
30 cc 6 teasthingys or 2 tablesthingys
1000 cc 1 liter
8 oz 1 cup
2 cups 1 pint
2 pints 1 quart
4 quarts 1 gallon
ANTIBIOTICS ANTIMICROBIALS
(Remember: for the Imperial gallon used in Canada, the dosages given here should be increased by one fifth).
Also: the word "bacteriacidal" means that bacteria are killed by the drug; "bacteriostatic" means that bacterial growth is stopped by the drug.
Name: Amoxicillin trihydrate (Commercial names: Amoxil, Amoxi-drops, many others)
Description: Amoxicillin is a semisynthetic analogue of penicillin with a broad range of bactericidal activity against many Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Amoxicillin can be used with any bacterial infection showing susceptibility to the drug.
Adverse reactions: None seen with any frequency.
Dosage: 25 - 50 mg/bird divided daily or 1500 - 3000 mg/gallon of water for 10 - 14 days.
Comments: Amoxicillin is very effective, well absorbed, safe, and well tolerated in the pigeon.
Name: Cephalexin (Commercial name: Keflex, many others)
Description: Cephalexin is a member of the cephalosporin group of antibiotics and is effective against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to cephalexin.
Adverse reactions: None seen with any frequency.
Dosage: 25 - 50 mg/bird or 750 - 3000 mg/gallon of water for 10 - 14 days.
Comments: Well tolerated by pigeons and readily accepted in the water. Reported as very effective against streptococcal infections.
Name: Chloramphenicol (Commercial name: Chloromycetin, many others)
Description: Chloramphenicol is a bacteriostatic antibiotic used against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to chloramphenicol.
Adverse reactions: None seen with any frequency.
Dosage: 30 - 50 mg/bird 2 - 3 times/day intramuscularly. Ophthalmic ointment or drops are useful for conjunctivitis used two times daily.
Comments: This drug is broken down so quickly by crop flora, adequate blood levels are hard to attain through oral treatment.
Name: Doxycycline (Commercial name: Vibramycin)
Description: Doxycycline is a bacteriostatic antibiotic with a wide range of activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Doxycycline con be used in bacterial infections susceptible to the drug.
Adverse reactions: None reported as common.
Dosage: 10 - 50 mg/bird once a day.
Comments: Preparations require individual bird dosing. Very effective against chlamydia. Remove calcium containing grit during use (oyster shell, health grit), as calcium will bind the drug and decrease absorption. Note: Pfizer, the company that produced Vibramycin, no longer produces it.
Name: Enrofloxacin (Commercial name: Baytril)
Description: Enrofloxacin is a synthetic chemotherapeutic agent from the quinolone class of drugs. It has antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. it is rapidly absorbed and penetrates all body tissues well.
Usage: Enrofloxacin can be used with any bacterial infection showing susceptibility to the drug.
Adverse reactions: Enrofloxacin causes increased mortality in the egg when the hen is treated during egg formation. It will cause cartilage abnormalities in growing squabs, especially during the lst week to 10 days of age. This, however, is not always seen.
Dosage: 5 - 10 mg/bird divided daily for 7 - 14 days. 150 - 600 mg/gallon for 7 - 14 days.
Comments: Probably the best drug we have for the Gram negative infections of pigeons -- E. coli and paratyphoid infections. It is the only drug shown to prevent recurrence of shedding in most cases of salmonella infection at 6 mg/lb for 10 days. We assume that this means the carrier state has been eliminated in these birds. The liquid water-soluble form is available in Canada. Tablets are not water soluble.
Name: Erythromycin (Commercial name: Gallimycin)
Description: Erythromycin is in the macrolide family of antibiotics. It is bacteriostatic and is effective against Gram positive bacteria and mycoplasmas.
Usage: Any bacterial infection shown to susceptible to erythromycin.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 50 mg/bird divided twice a day for 7 - 10 days. 1500 - 3000 mg/gallon for 7 - 10days.
Comments: Erythromycin is broken down quickly by crop bacteria and thus levels found in the water for flock treatment are probably not as effective as bolus doses to individual birds.
Name: Lincomycin (Commercial name: Lincocin)
Description: Lincomycin is in the macrolide family of antibiotics and is bacteriostatic against Gram positive bacteria and mycoplasmas.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 50 mg/bird divided twice a day for 7 - 10 days. 1500 - 3000 mg/gallon for 7 - 10 days.
Comments: Lincomycin is broken down quickly by the crop flora and thus levels found in the water for flock treatment are probably not as effective as bolus doses to individual birds.
Name: Lincomycin/Spectinomycin (Commercial name: LS 50)
Description: Lincomycin/spectinomycin is a combination macrolide/aminoglycoside antibiotic that is bacteriostatic against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and mycoplasmas.
Usage: Used in a broad range of bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to lincomycin/spectinomycin..
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 50 mg/bird (of lincomycin) daily for 7 - 10 days. 1500 3000 mg/gallon (of lincomycin) for 7 - 10 days.
Comments: Poor palatibilty for pigeons. The lincomycin is broken down quickly by crop bacteria, and thus levels in the water during flock treatment are not as effective as bolus doses. Spectinomycin is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This drug is widely overused and of questionable value in pigeon medicine.
Name: Nitrofurazone (Commercial name: Furacin, many others)
Description: Nitrofurazone is an antimicrobial shown to be effective against a wide range of gram + and gram - bacteria. It is also coccidiostatic.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to nitrofurazone, and coccidiosis.
Adverse reactions: Nitrofurazone is an intestinal irritant and causes a decrease in vigor when given to pigeons.
Dosage: 1 teasthingy/gallon of water soluble powder for 5 - 7 days.
Comments: This drug is highly overused in pigeons and is much less effective than other products. Probably has minimal application in pigeon medicine.
Name: Sodium Sulfachlorpyridazine (Commercial name: Vetisulid)
Description: Sodium sulfachlorpyridazine is an antibacterial agent that is bacteriostatic against a wide range of gram + and gram bacteria. It is also coccidiostatic.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to sodium sulfachlorpyridazine, and coccidiosis.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 1200 mg/gallon for 7 - 10 days. 2/3 to 3/4 teasthingy of Vetisulid powder/gallon for 7 - 10 days.
Comments: Vetisulid is very effective in many cases of E. coli infection. It is also a coccidiostat, however, other drugs are more commonly used in coccidiosis.
Name: Spectinomycin (Commercial name: Spectoguard)
Description: Spectinomycin is a bacteriacidal antibiotic that is effective against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Any bacterial infection shown to be susceptible to spectinomycin.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 1000 mg/gallon for 7 - 10 days. 25 mg/bird twice a day IM.
Comments: As an aminoglycoside, spectinomycin is not absorbed from the intestinal tract. It has been used with some success with intestinal infections, but is not effective against systemic infections.
Name: Sulfadiazine/trimethoprim (Commercial name: Ditrim)
Description: Ditrim is a synthetic antibacterial combination product that is bacteriostatic against a wide range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to sulfadiazine/trimethoprim.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 30 mg/bird once a day for 7 - 14 days.
Comments: only available in pill and injectable form for individual bird dosing.
Name: Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Commercial name: Bactrim, many others)
Description: Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim is a synthetic antibacterial combination product that is bacteriostatic against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to the drug.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 30 mg/bird twice daily for 7 days. 1800 - 3600 mg/gallon for 7 days.
Comments: A good drug in many cases of Gram negative bacterial infections. Some preparations dissolve poorly in water.
Name: Tetracyclines - Chlortetracycline (Commercial name: Aureomycin), oxytetracycline (Commercial name: Terramycin)
Description: The tetracyclines are bacteriostatic antibiotics that are effective against various Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Cross resistance is common.
Usage: Tetracyclines can be used in bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to them. Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 20 - 25 mg/bird three times daily. 600 - 1500 mg/gallon for 7 - 14 days. 4 teasthingys/gallon for regular strength preparations and 2 teasthingys/gallon for concentrates.
Comments: Binds with calcium so consider pulling grit containing calcium (oyster shell and health grits) during use. Very effective in respiratory infections (ornithosis complex) especially when combined with Tylan. Chlamydia are typically very susceptible to tetracycline drugs. This class of antibiotics is better absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream when a little apple cider vinegar is added to the water along with the antibiotic.
Name: Tylosin (Commercial names: Tylan, Tylocine)
Description: Tylosin is a macrolide antibiotic that is bacteriostatic against many Gram positive bacteria and mycoplasmas.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to tylosin. Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 50 mg/bird divided daily. 1500 - 3000 mg/gallon for 7 - 14 days.
Comments: Very effective against mycoplasma and against the ornithosis complex when combined with tetracyclines.
COCCIDIOSTATS
Name: Amprolium (Commercial names: Corid, Amprol)
Description: Amprolium is a chemical that is very similar to thiamine (vitamin B1) in structure. It is coccidiostatic by substituting for thiamine during the coccidia life cycle.
Usage: As a coccidiostat.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 1 teasthingy/gallon (20% powder) for 3 - 5 days. 6 - 12 mL/gallon (9% solution) for 3 - 5 days.
Comments: Amprolium is highly effective, can be mixed with other drugs, and doesn't seem to affect performance. It is considered by many to be the drug of choice for coccidiosis. Vitamins should not be used during treatment, but are recommended by many after treatment.
Name: Sulfamethazine (Commercial name: Sulmet)
Description: Sulfamethazine is a sulfa drug that is coccidiostatic.
Usage: As a coccidiostat.
Adverse reactions: May decrease vigor when used for the full course of treatment.
Dosage: 1 tablesthingy/gallon for 3 - 5 days.
Comments: A popular coccidiostat but no better than amprolium in most cases. Birds typically become listless during treatment (full 5 days of treatment) and therefore it is not recommended for use during racing.
ANTIPROTOZOALS
Name: Carnidazole (Commercial name: Spartrix)
Description: Carnidazole is in the 5-nitro-imidazole family of compounds and has been shown to have significant antiprotozoal activity.
Usage: trichomoniasis (canker).
Adverse reactions: None reported with proper dosage.
Dosage: One 10 mg tablet per pigeon on an empty crop,
Comments: Convenient one day dosage, but recurrence is quicker than with water treatments. Only drug labelled for use in pigeons in the United States.
Name: Dimetridazole (Commercial name: Emtryl - 40% water-soluble powder available in Canada)
Description: Dimetridazole is in the 5-nitro-imidazole family of compounds and has been shown to have significant antiprotozoal activity.
Usage: trichomoniasis (canker).
Adverse reactions: Central nervous signs with overdosage. Fatalities can occur.
Dosage: 1 teasthingy per gallon for 5-7 days for the Canadian gallon (4.55 litres), 3/4 teasthingy per US gallon (4 liters) for 5-7 days (See: "Canker" in text for info on use of Emtryl in very hot weather).
Comments: Very good for flock treatment, legal in Canada but illegal in the USA. Overdosage and underdosage are common problems among fanciers. Under dosing, for example, has already resulted in the development of highly resistant strains of the canker organism in Europe.
Name: Metronidazole (Commercial name: Flagyl)
Description: Metronidazole is in the 5-nitro-imidazole family of compounds and has been shown to have significant antiprotozoal activity.
Usage: trichomoniasis. Poorly soluble in water, so not good in flock treatment.
Adverse reactions: Over dosage can result in central nervous system signs and death.
Dosage: 50 - 100 mg/bird daily for 4 - 6 days.
Note: poor solubility in water.
Name: Ronidazol (Commercial name: Ridzol)
Description: Ronidazol is in the 5-nitro-imidazole family of compounds and has been shown to have significant antiprotozoal activity.
Usage: trichomoniasis.
Adverse reactions: None at the proper dosage.
Dosage: 1/2 - 3/4 teasthingy per gallon for 3 - 5 days. 400 mg/gallon for 3 - 5 days.
Comments: Reported far superior to any drug in the States. Less toxic and more effective. Approved for use only in Europe.
ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS
Name: Primaquine (Commercial name: Aralen)
Description: Primaquine is an 8-aminoquinoline compound having antimalarial activity.
Usage: Haemoproteus.
Adverse reactions: None with the given dosage.
Dosage: 1 - 2 tablets/gallon for 10 - 21 days before the race season. Then 1 - 2 days weekly.
Comments: Primaquine is available as Aralen which also contains chloroquine. When used at the stated dosage, the drug will not cure but only suppress haemoproteus infection in the pigeon, thus alleviating signs.
Name: Quinacrine HCl (Commercial name: Atabrine)
Description: Quinacrine is a bright yellow compound with antimalarial activity.
Usage: Haemoproteus.
Adverse reactions: None with proper dosage.
Dosage: 1 1/2 (meaning one and a half) to 3 tablets/gallon (4 litres) for 10 - 21 days before the race season. Then 1 - 2 days weekly during the race season.
Comments: Quinacrine will not cure haemoproteus, only suppress its numbers in the pigeon, thus alleviating symptoms. It is bitter and not well accepted by the birds.
ANTHELMINTICS
Name: Fenbendazole (Commercial name: Panacur)
Description: Fenbendazole is a member of the benzamidizole class of anthelmintics and is effective against a large variety of intestinal nematodes.
Usage: Ascarids (roundworms), Capillaria (threadworms), Strongyles, and Tetrameres (stomach worms). Not effective against cestodes (tapeworms).
Adverse reactions: Can cause feather abnormalities at the higher dosage, especially in hot weather when they are drinking a lot. It should not be used during the molt or in birds feeding youngsters.
Dosage: 5 mg/bird daily for 3 days.
Comments: Very effective, but not commonly used.
Name: Ivermectin (Commercial names: Ivomec, Eqvalen)
Description: Ivermectin is derived from the avermectins, a family of highly active, broad spectrum, antiparasitic agents.
Usage: Broad spectrum wormer. Effective against Ascarids (roundworms), Capillaria (hairworms), and stomach wall worms. Some resistance developing.
Adverse reactions: None.
Dosage: 500 -1000 ug per bird. Can be dosed in the drinking water, but the efficacy of this method is debatable. The surest way is to treat the pigeons individually. 1 to 2 drops by mouth of Ivomec is the correct dose. The higher dosage is needed to treat roundworms and, for some reason, even this is occasionally ineffective.
Comments: This is a very effective and safe drug. Ivomec, the cattle preparation cannot be mixed well with water, thus birds must be individually dosed. Eqvalen, the horse product is water soluble and may be mixed in the water. Wormer of choice for all worms except tapeworms.
Name: Levamisole (Commercial names: Tramisol, Ripercol)
Description: Levamisole is used to treat against susceptible nematodes (worms).
Usage: Ascarids, Capillaria (poor)
Adverse reactions: Some birds will vomit the drug.
Dosage: 1500 mg/gallon for 3 days.
Comments: Effectiveness is highly variable, especially with Capillaria. This common wormer is probably highly overused and should be replaced with more effective drugs such as ivermectin and mebendazole.
Name: Mebendazole (Commercial name: Telmintic)
Description: Mebendazole is a member of the benzamidizole class of anthelmintics and is effective against a large variety of intestinal nematodes.
Usage: Ascarids, Capillaria, Strongyles, and Tetrameres (stomach worms). Not effective against cestodes (tapeworms).
Adverse reactions: Can cause feather abnormalities at higher doses and should not be used during the moult or in birds feeding youngsters.
Dosage: 2 1/2 (meaning two and a half) mg per bird for 3 to 5 days. 1/4 to 1/2 (meaning one quarter to one half) teasthingy per gallon of Telmintic dog wormer for 3 to 5 days.
Comments: Very effective for a lot of parasites. With the advent of water soluble ivermectin (Eqvalen), this drug will probably be used less and less.
Name: Piperazine (many commercial preparations)
Description: Piperazine is an anthelmintic used for ascarids.
Usage: Roundworms.
Adverse reactions: None.
Dosage: 300 mg/gallon for 2 days. 16 mg/bird for 2 days.
Comments: Very common narrow spectrum anthelmintic. It is not commonly used. Drug only sedates the worm and the bird must pass the worm before the drug is gone or it will remain in the pigeon.
Name: Praziquantal (Commercial name: Droncit)
Description: Praziquantal is a drug shown to have excellent antiparasitic activity against cestodes.
Usage: Cestodes (tapeworms)
Adverse reactions: None.
Dosage: 5 to 12 1/2 (meaning 'five to twelve and a half) mg per bird orally or by subcutaneous injection once.
Comments: Comments: Most people give 1/4 (meaning 'one quarter') of a cat-size Droncit tablet per bird. Drug of choice for tapeworms. Very safe and effective.
MISCELLANEOUS
Name: Nystatin (many commercial preparations)
Description: Nystatin is a polyene antifungal antibiotic.
Usage: crop candida (yeast) overgrowth.
Adverse reactions: None reported.
Dosage: 100,000 units per bird (50,000 for youngsters) daily until 48 hours after signs are gone.
Comments: Very good product for candida (thrush) overgrowth.
Name: Permethrin dust (Commercial name: Insectrin GP)
Description: Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid with good effectiveness against external parasites.
Usage: Lice, mites, and pigeon flies.
Adverse reactions: None.
Dosage: Thoroughly dust into the feathers.
Comments: Gives up to a two week residual effect and very effective. By far the best product for pigeon flies. Good to use before basketing for races in areas where pigeon flies are present.
Methods for the Microscopic Examination of Pigeon Droppings
Method #1
1. Place 1 - 2 teasthingys of fresh droppings in a container and add 1 ounce of water.
2. Mix thoroughly to make a uniform suspension.
3. Half fill a test tube, a small vial, or a plastic pill bottle with this suspension. Fill the other half with sugar solution. Mix well.
4. Place 1-2 drops of mixture on a glass slide and cover with a cover slip. Let sit for a few minutes to allow worm eggs and coccidia to float to the top. Examine microscopically for worm eggs and coccidia.
Sugar Solution -- add 1 ½ oz of table sugar to just over 1 oz of water. [You can make up more volume at a time by increasing the proportions of sugar and water -- the original directions call for 1 lb of table sugar and 12 - 13 oz (355 mL) of distilled water]. Shake to dissolve.
Method #2
1. Add Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to ½ pint of boiling water until the Epsom salts no longer dissolve. Cool and store.
2. Mix a small volume of droppings with twice as much Epsom salt solution. Mix well and allow to stand for a few minutes.
3. 3. Place 1-2 drops of mixture on a glass slide, add a cover slip and examine microscopically for worm eggs and coccidia.
Method #3
Note: A commercial method called a Fecalyzer kit may be available through your veterinarian. The principle is similar to that of the previous two methods.
PREPARED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF PIGEON VETERINARIANS
For those of you who use the treatment formulary prepared by the Association of Pigeon Veterinarians and published here and in the CU yearbook, just be aware that all dosages are for the US gallon (4 liters) which is 1/5 smaller than our Imperial gallon (4.55 litres). Remember to increase these dosages by 1/5 for our gallon, the New Zealand and Australian gallon. For example, if the correct dosage in the formulary is given as 1 teasthingy per gallon, increase it to approximately 1 tsp per gallon, etc.. As well you can simply use these dosages for 4 litres of water.
General Considerations Purpose: The purpose of this formulary is to provide a concise, accurate description and proper dosage of the common drugs used in pigeons. Experience has shown that various sources provided vastly different dosage levels. Some of which were so high that they were toxic, other to low that they weren't effective. The dosages and other information in this publication were gathered from multiple knowledgeable sources and are the proper dosages and information to the best of our knowledge. It must be noted, however, that some of this information is based on experience of individuals, not carefully controlled scientific studies. This is especially true for the drugs listed that are not specifically made for or approved for use in pigeons.
Dosage Levels: You will find many of the drugs listed to be given in mg/bird, mg/pound, or mg/gallon, instead of teasthingys or tablesthingys per gallon. The reason is that many of the drugs come in various concentrations. Because of that, a teasthingy of one preparation doesn't equal a teasthingy of another preparation of the same drug. This often results in toxic or ineffective levels being used. This poses no problem for most of the prescription drugs as they are usually listed in milligram equivalents. However, some OTC (over the counter) preparations do not give you the number of milligrams per teasthingy. When this occurs you must figure that out on your own.
The following is an example:
You buy a drug OTC that comes as a powder in a plastic bag. It tells you that there are 10 grams of the drug in that bag. Empty the bag and measure how many teasthingys of powder you have. You find that you have 20 teasthingys. So you have 10 grams/20 teasthingys or .5 gram/tsp. 0.5 gram = 500 mg (see chart) so your drug has 500 mg/teasthingy. Figure how many teasthingys per gallon you need from that. (i.e. if you need 1000 mg/gallon, you need 2 teasthingys per gallon.
You buy a drug OTC that comes in a liquid. You are told that it is a 20% solution. That means there are 20 grams of the drug in every 100 mL of solution. There are 20 teasthingys in 100 mL (see chart), so there is one gram of drug in every teasthingy of liquid in the bottle. One gram is equal to 1000 mg so you have 1000 mg of drug per teasthingy. Figure what you need from that.
Dosage Range: Many of the drugs give you a dosage range. This is done for 2 reasons:
1. The lower dose may be used in mild infections but the higher dose may be needed in more severe infections.
2. Since most drugs are given in the water, the amount of the drug a pigeon gets varies with how much water he drinks. We assumed that in hot weather 30 birds drink a gallon/day and in cold weather 60 birds drink a gallon per day. The low dose is figured on the 30 bird/day consumption level and the high dose on the 60 bird/day consumption level. This is a very important principle to keep in mind with the more toxic drugs such as dimetridazole (Emtryl).
Dosage Intervals: It is important to give the drug for the proper length of time. Failure to do so often results in poor response, relapse of the disease after the drug is stopped, and production of resistant strains of organisms.
Diagnosis: Establishment of a proper diagnosis before treatment begins is extremely important. Shotgun treatment often produces poor results, delays recovery to when the proper drug is finally found, and often produces drug-resistant bacteria and parasites. We can not stress strongly enough, in the case of antibiotics, that a culture and sensitivity be done to make sure the antibiotic used is needed and effective. Just because a drug is noted to be effective against many cases of E. coli doesn't mean it is effective against all cases. More and more drug-resistant bacteria occur every day and can best be treated when proper diagnostics are used first.
Helpful Measurements and Equivalents:
The following table may be helpful in converting various measurements
1 gram 1000 mg (milligrams)
1 cubic centimeter (cc) 1 milliliter (mL)
5 cc 1 teasthingy
15 cc 1 tablesthingy
30 cc 6 teasthingys or 2 tablesthingys
1000 cc 1 liter
8 oz 1 cup
2 cups 1 pint
2 pints 1 quart
4 quarts 1 gallon
ANTIBIOTICS ANTIMICROBIALS
(Remember: for the Imperial gallon used in Canada, the dosages given here should be increased by one fifth).
Also: the word "bacteriacidal" means that bacteria are killed by the drug; "bacteriostatic" means that bacterial growth is stopped by the drug.
Name: Amoxicillin trihydrate (Commercial names: Amoxil, Amoxi-drops, many others)
Description: Amoxicillin is a semisynthetic analogue of penicillin with a broad range of bactericidal activity against many Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Amoxicillin can be used with any bacterial infection showing susceptibility to the drug.
Adverse reactions: None seen with any frequency.
Dosage: 25 - 50 mg/bird divided daily or 1500 - 3000 mg/gallon of water for 10 - 14 days.
Comments: Amoxicillin is very effective, well absorbed, safe, and well tolerated in the pigeon.
Name: Cephalexin (Commercial name: Keflex, many others)
Description: Cephalexin is a member of the cephalosporin group of antibiotics and is effective against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to cephalexin.
Adverse reactions: None seen with any frequency.
Dosage: 25 - 50 mg/bird or 750 - 3000 mg/gallon of water for 10 - 14 days.
Comments: Well tolerated by pigeons and readily accepted in the water. Reported as very effective against streptococcal infections.
Name: Chloramphenicol (Commercial name: Chloromycetin, many others)
Description: Chloramphenicol is a bacteriostatic antibiotic used against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to chloramphenicol.
Adverse reactions: None seen with any frequency.
Dosage: 30 - 50 mg/bird 2 - 3 times/day intramuscularly. Ophthalmic ointment or drops are useful for conjunctivitis used two times daily.
Comments: This drug is broken down so quickly by crop flora, adequate blood levels are hard to attain through oral treatment.
Name: Doxycycline (Commercial name: Vibramycin)
Description: Doxycycline is a bacteriostatic antibiotic with a wide range of activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Doxycycline con be used in bacterial infections susceptible to the drug.
Adverse reactions: None reported as common.
Dosage: 10 - 50 mg/bird once a day.
Comments: Preparations require individual bird dosing. Very effective against chlamydia. Remove calcium containing grit during use (oyster shell, health grit), as calcium will bind the drug and decrease absorption. Note: Pfizer, the company that produced Vibramycin, no longer produces it.
Name: Enrofloxacin (Commercial name: Baytril)
Description: Enrofloxacin is a synthetic chemotherapeutic agent from the quinolone class of drugs. It has antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. it is rapidly absorbed and penetrates all body tissues well.
Usage: Enrofloxacin can be used with any bacterial infection showing susceptibility to the drug.
Adverse reactions: Enrofloxacin causes increased mortality in the egg when the hen is treated during egg formation. It will cause cartilage abnormalities in growing squabs, especially during the lst week to 10 days of age. This, however, is not always seen.
Dosage: 5 - 10 mg/bird divided daily for 7 - 14 days. 150 - 600 mg/gallon for 7 - 14 days.
Comments: Probably the best drug we have for the Gram negative infections of pigeons -- E. coli and paratyphoid infections. It is the only drug shown to prevent recurrence of shedding in most cases of salmonella infection at 6 mg/lb for 10 days. We assume that this means the carrier state has been eliminated in these birds. The liquid water-soluble form is available in Canada. Tablets are not water soluble.
Name: Erythromycin (Commercial name: Gallimycin)
Description: Erythromycin is in the macrolide family of antibiotics. It is bacteriostatic and is effective against Gram positive bacteria and mycoplasmas.
Usage: Any bacterial infection shown to susceptible to erythromycin.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 50 mg/bird divided twice a day for 7 - 10 days. 1500 - 3000 mg/gallon for 7 - 10days.
Comments: Erythromycin is broken down quickly by crop bacteria and thus levels found in the water for flock treatment are probably not as effective as bolus doses to individual birds.
Name: Lincomycin (Commercial name: Lincocin)
Description: Lincomycin is in the macrolide family of antibiotics and is bacteriostatic against Gram positive bacteria and mycoplasmas.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 50 mg/bird divided twice a day for 7 - 10 days. 1500 - 3000 mg/gallon for 7 - 10 days.
Comments: Lincomycin is broken down quickly by the crop flora and thus levels found in the water for flock treatment are probably not as effective as bolus doses to individual birds.
Name: Lincomycin/Spectinomycin (Commercial name: LS 50)
Description: Lincomycin/spectinomycin is a combination macrolide/aminoglycoside antibiotic that is bacteriostatic against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and mycoplasmas.
Usage: Used in a broad range of bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to lincomycin/spectinomycin..
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 50 mg/bird (of lincomycin) daily for 7 - 10 days. 1500 3000 mg/gallon (of lincomycin) for 7 - 10 days.
Comments: Poor palatibilty for pigeons. The lincomycin is broken down quickly by crop bacteria, and thus levels in the water during flock treatment are not as effective as bolus doses. Spectinomycin is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This drug is widely overused and of questionable value in pigeon medicine.
Name: Nitrofurazone (Commercial name: Furacin, many others)
Description: Nitrofurazone is an antimicrobial shown to be effective against a wide range of gram + and gram - bacteria. It is also coccidiostatic.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to nitrofurazone, and coccidiosis.
Adverse reactions: Nitrofurazone is an intestinal irritant and causes a decrease in vigor when given to pigeons.
Dosage: 1 teasthingy/gallon of water soluble powder for 5 - 7 days.
Comments: This drug is highly overused in pigeons and is much less effective than other products. Probably has minimal application in pigeon medicine.
Name: Sodium Sulfachlorpyridazine (Commercial name: Vetisulid)
Description: Sodium sulfachlorpyridazine is an antibacterial agent that is bacteriostatic against a wide range of gram + and gram bacteria. It is also coccidiostatic.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to sodium sulfachlorpyridazine, and coccidiosis.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 1200 mg/gallon for 7 - 10 days. 2/3 to 3/4 teasthingy of Vetisulid powder/gallon for 7 - 10 days.
Comments: Vetisulid is very effective in many cases of E. coli infection. It is also a coccidiostat, however, other drugs are more commonly used in coccidiosis.
Name: Spectinomycin (Commercial name: Spectoguard)
Description: Spectinomycin is a bacteriacidal antibiotic that is effective against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Any bacterial infection shown to be susceptible to spectinomycin.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 1000 mg/gallon for 7 - 10 days. 25 mg/bird twice a day IM.
Comments: As an aminoglycoside, spectinomycin is not absorbed from the intestinal tract. It has been used with some success with intestinal infections, but is not effective against systemic infections.
Name: Sulfadiazine/trimethoprim (Commercial name: Ditrim)
Description: Ditrim is a synthetic antibacterial combination product that is bacteriostatic against a wide range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to sulfadiazine/trimethoprim.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 30 mg/bird once a day for 7 - 14 days.
Comments: only available in pill and injectable form for individual bird dosing.
Name: Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Commercial name: Bactrim, many others)
Description: Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim is a synthetic antibacterial combination product that is bacteriostatic against a broad range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to the drug.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 30 mg/bird twice daily for 7 days. 1800 - 3600 mg/gallon for 7 days.
Comments: A good drug in many cases of Gram negative bacterial infections. Some preparations dissolve poorly in water.
Name: Tetracyclines - Chlortetracycline (Commercial name: Aureomycin), oxytetracycline (Commercial name: Terramycin)
Description: The tetracyclines are bacteriostatic antibiotics that are effective against various Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Cross resistance is common.
Usage: Tetracyclines can be used in bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to them. Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 20 - 25 mg/bird three times daily. 600 - 1500 mg/gallon for 7 - 14 days. 4 teasthingys/gallon for regular strength preparations and 2 teasthingys/gallon for concentrates.
Comments: Binds with calcium so consider pulling grit containing calcium (oyster shell and health grits) during use. Very effective in respiratory infections (ornithosis complex) especially when combined with Tylan. Chlamydia are typically very susceptible to tetracycline drugs. This class of antibiotics is better absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream when a little apple cider vinegar is added to the water along with the antibiotic.
Name: Tylosin (Commercial names: Tylan, Tylocine)
Description: Tylosin is a macrolide antibiotic that is bacteriostatic against many Gram positive bacteria and mycoplasmas.
Usage: Bacterial infections shown to be susceptible to tylosin. Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 50 mg/bird divided daily. 1500 - 3000 mg/gallon for 7 - 14 days.
Comments: Very effective against mycoplasma and against the ornithosis complex when combined with tetracyclines.
COCCIDIOSTATS
Name: Amprolium (Commercial names: Corid, Amprol)
Description: Amprolium is a chemical that is very similar to thiamine (vitamin B1) in structure. It is coccidiostatic by substituting for thiamine during the coccidia life cycle.
Usage: As a coccidiostat.
Adverse reactions: None that are common.
Dosage: 1 teasthingy/gallon (20% powder) for 3 - 5 days. 6 - 12 mL/gallon (9% solution) for 3 - 5 days.
Comments: Amprolium is highly effective, can be mixed with other drugs, and doesn't seem to affect performance. It is considered by many to be the drug of choice for coccidiosis. Vitamins should not be used during treatment, but are recommended by many after treatment.
Name: Sulfamethazine (Commercial name: Sulmet)
Description: Sulfamethazine is a sulfa drug that is coccidiostatic.
Usage: As a coccidiostat.
Adverse reactions: May decrease vigor when used for the full course of treatment.
Dosage: 1 tablesthingy/gallon for 3 - 5 days.
Comments: A popular coccidiostat but no better than amprolium in most cases. Birds typically become listless during treatment (full 5 days of treatment) and therefore it is not recommended for use during racing.
ANTIPROTOZOALS
Name: Carnidazole (Commercial name: Spartrix)
Description: Carnidazole is in the 5-nitro-imidazole family of compounds and has been shown to have significant antiprotozoal activity.
Usage: trichomoniasis (canker).
Adverse reactions: None reported with proper dosage.
Dosage: One 10 mg tablet per pigeon on an empty crop,
Comments: Convenient one day dosage, but recurrence is quicker than with water treatments. Only drug labelled for use in pigeons in the United States.
Name: Dimetridazole (Commercial name: Emtryl - 40% water-soluble powder available in Canada)
Description: Dimetridazole is in the 5-nitro-imidazole family of compounds and has been shown to have significant antiprotozoal activity.
Usage: trichomoniasis (canker).
Adverse reactions: Central nervous signs with overdosage. Fatalities can occur.
Dosage: 1 teasthingy per gallon for 5-7 days for the Canadian gallon (4.55 litres), 3/4 teasthingy per US gallon (4 liters) for 5-7 days (See: "Canker" in text for info on use of Emtryl in very hot weather).
Comments: Very good for flock treatment, legal in Canada but illegal in the USA. Overdosage and underdosage are common problems among fanciers. Under dosing, for example, has already resulted in the development of highly resistant strains of the canker organism in Europe.
Name: Metronidazole (Commercial name: Flagyl)
Description: Metronidazole is in the 5-nitro-imidazole family of compounds and has been shown to have significant antiprotozoal activity.
Usage: trichomoniasis. Poorly soluble in water, so not good in flock treatment.
Adverse reactions: Over dosage can result in central nervous system signs and death.
Dosage: 50 - 100 mg/bird daily for 4 - 6 days.
Note: poor solubility in water.
Name: Ronidazol (Commercial name: Ridzol)
Description: Ronidazol is in the 5-nitro-imidazole family of compounds and has been shown to have significant antiprotozoal activity.
Usage: trichomoniasis.
Adverse reactions: None at the proper dosage.
Dosage: 1/2 - 3/4 teasthingy per gallon for 3 - 5 days. 400 mg/gallon for 3 - 5 days.
Comments: Reported far superior to any drug in the States. Less toxic and more effective. Approved for use only in Europe.
ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS
Name: Primaquine (Commercial name: Aralen)
Description: Primaquine is an 8-aminoquinoline compound having antimalarial activity.
Usage: Haemoproteus.
Adverse reactions: None with the given dosage.
Dosage: 1 - 2 tablets/gallon for 10 - 21 days before the race season. Then 1 - 2 days weekly.
Comments: Primaquine is available as Aralen which also contains chloroquine. When used at the stated dosage, the drug will not cure but only suppress haemoproteus infection in the pigeon, thus alleviating signs.
Name: Quinacrine HCl (Commercial name: Atabrine)
Description: Quinacrine is a bright yellow compound with antimalarial activity.
Usage: Haemoproteus.
Adverse reactions: None with proper dosage.
Dosage: 1 1/2 (meaning one and a half) to 3 tablets/gallon (4 litres) for 10 - 21 days before the race season. Then 1 - 2 days weekly during the race season.
Comments: Quinacrine will not cure haemoproteus, only suppress its numbers in the pigeon, thus alleviating symptoms. It is bitter and not well accepted by the birds.
ANTHELMINTICS
Name: Fenbendazole (Commercial name: Panacur)
Description: Fenbendazole is a member of the benzamidizole class of anthelmintics and is effective against a large variety of intestinal nematodes.
Usage: Ascarids (roundworms), Capillaria (threadworms), Strongyles, and Tetrameres (stomach worms). Not effective against cestodes (tapeworms).
Adverse reactions: Can cause feather abnormalities at the higher dosage, especially in hot weather when they are drinking a lot. It should not be used during the molt or in birds feeding youngsters.
Dosage: 5 mg/bird daily for 3 days.
Comments: Very effective, but not commonly used.
Name: Ivermectin (Commercial names: Ivomec, Eqvalen)
Description: Ivermectin is derived from the avermectins, a family of highly active, broad spectrum, antiparasitic agents.
Usage: Broad spectrum wormer. Effective against Ascarids (roundworms), Capillaria (hairworms), and stomach wall worms. Some resistance developing.
Adverse reactions: None.
Dosage: 500 -1000 ug per bird. Can be dosed in the drinking water, but the efficacy of this method is debatable. The surest way is to treat the pigeons individually. 1 to 2 drops by mouth of Ivomec is the correct dose. The higher dosage is needed to treat roundworms and, for some reason, even this is occasionally ineffective.
Comments: This is a very effective and safe drug. Ivomec, the cattle preparation cannot be mixed well with water, thus birds must be individually dosed. Eqvalen, the horse product is water soluble and may be mixed in the water. Wormer of choice for all worms except tapeworms.
Name: Levamisole (Commercial names: Tramisol, Ripercol)
Description: Levamisole is used to treat against susceptible nematodes (worms).
Usage: Ascarids, Capillaria (poor)
Adverse reactions: Some birds will vomit the drug.
Dosage: 1500 mg/gallon for 3 days.
Comments: Effectiveness is highly variable, especially with Capillaria. This common wormer is probably highly overused and should be replaced with more effective drugs such as ivermectin and mebendazole.
Name: Mebendazole (Commercial name: Telmintic)
Description: Mebendazole is a member of the benzamidizole class of anthelmintics and is effective against a large variety of intestinal nematodes.
Usage: Ascarids, Capillaria, Strongyles, and Tetrameres (stomach worms). Not effective against cestodes (tapeworms).
Adverse reactions: Can cause feather abnormalities at higher doses and should not be used during the moult or in birds feeding youngsters.
Dosage: 2 1/2 (meaning two and a half) mg per bird for 3 to 5 days. 1/4 to 1/2 (meaning one quarter to one half) teasthingy per gallon of Telmintic dog wormer for 3 to 5 days.
Comments: Very effective for a lot of parasites. With the advent of water soluble ivermectin (Eqvalen), this drug will probably be used less and less.
Name: Piperazine (many commercial preparations)
Description: Piperazine is an anthelmintic used for ascarids.
Usage: Roundworms.
Adverse reactions: None.
Dosage: 300 mg/gallon for 2 days. 16 mg/bird for 2 days.
Comments: Very common narrow spectrum anthelmintic. It is not commonly used. Drug only sedates the worm and the bird must pass the worm before the drug is gone or it will remain in the pigeon.
Name: Praziquantal (Commercial name: Droncit)
Description: Praziquantal is a drug shown to have excellent antiparasitic activity against cestodes.
Usage: Cestodes (tapeworms)
Adverse reactions: None.
Dosage: 5 to 12 1/2 (meaning 'five to twelve and a half) mg per bird orally or by subcutaneous injection once.
Comments: Comments: Most people give 1/4 (meaning 'one quarter') of a cat-size Droncit tablet per bird. Drug of choice for tapeworms. Very safe and effective.
MISCELLANEOUS
Name: Nystatin (many commercial preparations)
Description: Nystatin is a polyene antifungal antibiotic.
Usage: crop candida (yeast) overgrowth.
Adverse reactions: None reported.
Dosage: 100,000 units per bird (50,000 for youngsters) daily until 48 hours after signs are gone.
Comments: Very good product for candida (thrush) overgrowth.
Name: Permethrin dust (Commercial name: Insectrin GP)
Description: Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid with good effectiveness against external parasites.
Usage: Lice, mites, and pigeon flies.
Adverse reactions: None.
Dosage: Thoroughly dust into the feathers.
Comments: Gives up to a two week residual effect and very effective. By far the best product for pigeon flies. Good to use before basketing for races in areas where pigeon flies are present.
Methods for the Microscopic Examination of Pigeon Droppings
Method #1
1. Place 1 - 2 teasthingys of fresh droppings in a container and add 1 ounce of water.
2. Mix thoroughly to make a uniform suspension.
3. Half fill a test tube, a small vial, or a plastic pill bottle with this suspension. Fill the other half with sugar solution. Mix well.
4. Place 1-2 drops of mixture on a glass slide and cover with a cover slip. Let sit for a few minutes to allow worm eggs and coccidia to float to the top. Examine microscopically for worm eggs and coccidia.
Sugar Solution -- add 1 ½ oz of table sugar to just over 1 oz of water. [You can make up more volume at a time by increasing the proportions of sugar and water -- the original directions call for 1 lb of table sugar and 12 - 13 oz (355 mL) of distilled water]. Shake to dissolve.
Method #2
1. Add Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to ½ pint of boiling water until the Epsom salts no longer dissolve. Cool and store.
2. Mix a small volume of droppings with twice as much Epsom salt solution. Mix well and allow to stand for a few minutes.
3. 3. Place 1-2 drops of mixture on a glass slide, add a cover slip and examine microscopically for worm eggs and coccidia.
Method #3
Note: A commercial method called a Fecalyzer kit may be available through your veterinarian. The principle is similar to that of the previous two methods.