Avian Medicine Is The Treatment Of Diseases For What Animal?

When your bird is sick, you lot have information technology to your vet, some tests are run and evaluated, and so a medication is prescribed. When administered as directed for the correct length of time, your bird gets well. That seems very straightforward, doesn't information technology? However, the simple act of choosing the correct medication for handling is based on many different factors. Let's take a look at the complicated and confusing world of avian medications so we will accept a improve understanding of this subject.

In that location are many medications used in avian medicine today. Veterinarians may choose to prescribe from drugs developed for human being use, those labeled for use in dogs and cats, medications compounded from a pharmacy or less commonly, from those actually developed and labeled for apply in birds. How a veterinary chooses a drug to manipulate depends on many factors, including the species of the bird, its historic period, its general condition, what blazon of illness information technology has, testing results, drug toll, drug availability, how the drug is formulated (pill, oral interruption, injectable, etc.) and personal choice. Drugs tin can be given orally, by injection, by nebulization, topically (in the eye, ear canal, etc.), in the cloaca or possibly by a transdermal patch.

Medications usually have two names, the chemic proper noun that is used to describe the drug, and the trade name that is the name given past a drug company to identify their make of that drug. For case, there are many trade names for the drug combination, trimethoprim/sulfa, including Bactrim ^TM and Septra ^TM . For this reason, it is less disruptive to use the chemical proper name when discussing a drug. Also, readers in other countries will probably non be familiar with trade names of drugs in our country and vice versa.

antibody, one of a group of medications that are used to treat bacterial infections. Some are called broad-spectrum and are used to treat a wide variety of leaner. Other are used to treat a specific grouping of bacteria (Gram positive, Gram negative, aerobic, anaerobic). Some antibiotics kill the offending bacteria (bacteriocidal), others just prevent the leaner from reproducing (bacteriostatic).

aerobic leaner, bacteria that grow in the presence of oxygen

anaerobic bacteria, leaner that grow in the absence of oxygen

ampicillin, an antibiotic in the penicillin family, non often used in avian medicine, since many bacteria that cause avian infections are ofttimes resistant to information technology

amoxicillin, an antibiotic in the penicillin family, not often used in avian medicine, since many bacteria that crusade avian infections are oftentimes resistant to information technology

amoxicillin and clavulanate, a combination of drugs that makes amoxicillin more constructive in treating some bacterial infections

amikacin, an aminoglycocide (as is gentamicin), a potent antibiotic that must be given past injection, as it is non absorbed orally, can cause deafness and/or kidney damage, so fluids should usually be administered during injections to foreclose kidney damage, may also be used in nebulization therapy

amphotericin B, a potent antifungal agent, used for treating aspergillosis, given past intravenous injection, nebulization, or straight into the trachea, is toxic to the kidneys, also available in topical foam

aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), strong anti-inflammatory, useful for musculoskeletal pain, also will bring fever down

butorphanol, a pain medication and cough suppressant, used to treat pain in avian patients

ciprofloxacin, broad-spectrum antibiotic, made for homo use, ofttimes used in avian medicine, was in the news during anthrax scare because it is a first choice antibiotic for treating that disease, is a fluoroquinolone, in the same family of antibiotics every bit enrofloxacin (Baytril ^TM )

cefotaxime, in the group of cephalosporins, an injectable antibiotic that crosses the claret-brain barrier, can be used to care for susceptible bacterial infections in the brain, and also useful for serious susceptible bacterial infections elsewhere in the body

cephalexin, also a cephalosporin, can be given orally to care for susceptible bacterial infections, may be good for deep skin infections

chloramphenicol, an older antibiotic that is bacteriostatic, chloramphenicol palmitate not bachelor in U.S., but tin can exist compounded, can be given orally, in humans and animals, can cause dangerous anemia

chlortetracycline, an older member of the tetracycline family, formerly used to care for psittacosis (Chlamydophila), oral grooming, all the same doxycycline is preferred

clotrimazole, an antifungal used every bit an adjunct to aspergillosis handling, can be administered into air sacs, into the trachea, topically or past nebulization

calcitonin, a hormone used to treat metabolic bone illness

chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone used to inhibit egg-laying, also used to care for plume-picking due to sexually related disorders

calcium EDTA, preferred initial drug to chelate lead or zinc related to toxicosis, given past injection

carprofen, oral or injectable for pain relief

chelating agent, a drug used to bind toxic elements (lead, zinc, iron) and remove them from the body safely

cortisone, a corticosteroid that should be used with extreme caution in avian patients due to immunosuppressive backdrop

cisapride, an oral medication to stimulate gastrointestinal motility, increases gastric emptying rate

celecoxib, a COX-2 enzyme inhibitor, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, used to control symptoms of Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD), is non a cure

doxycycline, a very effective drug for treating psittacosis (Chlamydophila), can be given orally, is bacteriostatic, also available every bit an injectable preparation that will provide blood levels for i week with simply one injection (however, this drug grooming is non bachelor in the U.S., also used to treat susceptible bacterial infections and mycoplasmosis

dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), preferred oral chelator for lead toxicosis, constructive for zinc toxicosis

diazepam, used for sedation, seizures, can be used with anesthetic agents, oral or injectable

dexamethasone, a potent steroid, anti-inflammatory, used for shock and trauma, may predispose a bird to aspergillosis and other fungal infections

diphenhydramine, antihistamine, used for allergic feather-picking

enrofloxacin, broad-spectrum antibiotic, useful for a wide diversity of infections, injectable (can be given orally), tablets, likewise available in a iii.23% solution for poultry that can be administered orally, multiple injections should non be given, every bit they can cause serious tissue damage, pain and nerve damage

fluconazole, antifungal medication, fungistatic, useful for treating Candida yeast infections, can be combined with nystatin, another treatment for yeast

fluoxetine, used equally adjunctive handling for depression-induced plumage-picking, antidepressant

flucytosine, an antifungal, fungistatic, can be used prophylactically in raptors and waterfowl to prevent aspergillosis, may be used every bit adjuvant for aspergillus treatment

fenbendazole, an antiparasitic drug, non recommended for routine apply in avian patients as it can be toxic, perhaps fatal in some species, and other antiparasitic drugs are safer and as constructive

furosemide, a diuretic, helps remove backlog water from tissues, causes increased urination, tin be used in treatment of centre failure, fluid build-upwardly in tissues or celoem

Chiliad:

gentamicin, an aminoglycoside, tin can crusade deafness and kidney disease, not absorbed orally, used in some eye preparations, can be nebulized or given by injection, not recommended for injectable use as safer, newer aminoglycosides are available

glipizide, an oral agent that tin exist used in the management of diabetes mellitus

halothane, an older inhalation coldhearted amanuensis, non usually used in avian patients

hydrocortisone, a steroid that should be used with extreme caution in avian patients due to immunosuppression, in some topical agents

haloperidol, an oral medication used for behavior disorders and for frustration-induced plumage-picking

hyaluronidase, added to sterile fluids for injection, causes increased rate of absorption of fluids (such every bit lactated ringers solution) when administered subcutaneously, in some cases, replacing the need for intravenous or intraosseous fluids

itraconazole, an oral antifungal agent used in the handling of aspergillosis

ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, can be given orally, injectably, or applied topically, effective for mites, lice (ectoparasites), may not exist every bit effective in eradicating ascarids, other nematodes

insulin, injectable hormone for lowering blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus, appears to accept very short duration of activity in avian patients

isoflurane, an inhalation anesthetic agent that is very safe for employ in avian patients

J: just can't find one for J Chiliad:

ketoconazole, for systemic fungal infections including aspergillosis, candidiasis, may cause regurgitation, also may cause adrenal gland suppression, then can be dangerous for employ in stressed birds, safer antifungal is available for treating candidiasis (fluconazole)

ketamine, injectable dissociative agent, may be combined with other injectable medications to provide anesthesia

ketoprofen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, for analgesia, arthritis

lincomycin, an oral or injectable antibiotic used for skin infections, pododermatitis, bone infections

leuprolide acetate, a depot drug to prevent ovulation, may be useful for sexually-related feather-picking, for use in reproductive diseases, may be helpful in sexual assailment cases

levothyroxine, treatment for hypothyroidism, obesity, lipomas, however hypothyroidism cannot be diagnosed by but one solitary thyroid test, hypothyroidism is very rare in pet birds, is probably over-diagnosed

Yard:

metronidazole, an oral or IV injectable bacteriocidal antibiotic/antiprotozoal amanuensis, tablets are very biting and should non exist crushed before use, oral suspension is not bachelor in this country, simply tin can be compounded, treats anaerobic bacteria (such as Clostridium), treats Giardia and other GI protozoal flagellates, seems not as effective in eradicating Giardia equally many isolates seem to be resistant now, so for treating Giardia, ronidazole may be a amend pick

methylprednisolone, corticosteroid, anti-inflammatory, may predispose a bird to aspergillosis and other mycoses, should exist used with farthermost circumspection

metoclopramide, an injectable or oral medication used for gastrointestinal motility disorders (regurgitation, deadening crop move)

North:

nystatin, an oral break used to treat candidiasis (yeast infection), medication must contact the organism, then used virtually often to treat oral or gastrointestinal candidiasis, some isolates of Candida are condign resistant to nystatin, so it may be used every bit a carrier for fluconazole (a systemic antifungal agent), whatsoever infant bird on an antibiotic should also receive an antifungal agent to preclude secondary candidiasis

oxytocin, a drug for apply in humans and mammals that causes uterine contractions and milk letdown, has been used by injection in cases of egg-binding, however, since birds are not mammals, this is not the best, nearly effective drug to employ, but information technology may help a hen lay an egg in certain cases

prostaglandin E2 (dinoprostone) gel, for use in cases of egg-binding, placed into cloaca, will assist deliver an egg (if egg is not too large, in that location are non any complications, etc.)

prednisone, prednisolone, corticosteroids that are anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, may predispose birds to aspergillosis and other fungal infections, should exist used only with extreme caution (either orally, topically or injectably)

piperacillin, injectable antibiotic in the penicillin family, skillful broad-spectrum

penicillin G (procaine), the procaine in this injectable preparation used in pocket-size and large animals is very toxic in avian species and should not be used if safer antibiotics are bachelor to treat the condition

phenobarbital, an oral medication that tin exist used to effort to control seizures in avian species, especially in cases of epilepsy

pyrantel pamoate, an oral dewormer that is very safe and constructive to remove abdominal roundworms, and other types of intestinal worms (except for tapeworms)

praziquantel, a dewormer that can exist used to remove tapeworms and some flukes, can be administered orally or by injection

pyrethrins, topical grooming used to remove lice, mites, stick-tight fleas

quinacrine, oral medication rarely used to treat malaria (Plasmodium) in avian species

ronidazole, oral antiprotozoal medication, very safe and efficacious for treating giardiasis in avian species (nonetheless, non produced for use in the U.Due south., only is available through companies in this country that import the medication for use in pigeons)

sulfachlorpyridazine, powder antibiotic for susceptible bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal tract, also used to treat coccidiosis

sulfadimethoxine, an oral and injectable medication used to treat coccidiosis (a blazon of protozoa)

sevoflurane, newer inhalation anesthetic, similar to isoflurane, provides more rapid recovery

tylosin, older antibiotic, used in nebulization, too orally to treat susceptible bacterial infections, as well tin can care for Mycoplasma and Chlamydophila, however not the recommended drug for those infections

trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (or sulfadizine), oral, injectable bacteriocidal antibiotic combination, used for susceptible organisms

triamcinolone, a corticosteroid often found in topical preparations used for dogs and cats, can be dangerous when used topically in avian species, may predispose to aspergillosis and other fungal infections

tetracycline, an older antibody that is bacteriostatic, was used for treating Chlamydophila, Mycoplasma, spirochetes, rickettsiae, aerobic and anaerobic leaner that are susceptible, also tin can be used to treat sure protozoal infections

vinegar, tin can be used in drinking water (apple cider) to treat gastrointestinal yeast infections, besides tin be applied topically to mucosa of cloaca (everted) to check for evidence of papillomas

vecuronium bromide, tin be used to dilate pupils in avian species

vincristine sulfate, treatment for avian lymphosarcoma, possibly leukemia, given intravenously

Ten:

xylazine, injectable agent used for sedation (seldom used in avian patients)

yohimbine, used to partially reverse xylazine

zinc, a metal that can crusade weakness, low, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, institute in galvanized metallic, some adhesives, some toys, pennies minted after 1982, and more, is associated with feather-picking in some birds, especially cockatoos, tin be chelated

This is far from a complete list of medications used in birds, and is not meant to supercede veterinary care. Never give your bird medication prescribed for another animate being or human. If you have any question most your bird's health, please call your avian veterinarian or schedule an engagement for an examination and lab tests. This information is meant every bit a reference and guide to help yous better sympathize a medication that was maybe prescribed by your vet to care for your pet bird.