pepto bismol for birds

[Tiki Bird]

My mom had budgies as pets when she was a kid in the 50's and when i got my bird as a kid in the 80's, she showed me how to give him pepto bismol when he had bouts of diarrhea, which didn't happen often but it always worked.

Do people still use pepto for birds?

I'd love to get my hands on some water soluble antibiotics but impossible in Canada.

 

[SailBoat]

No!! Parrot /Bird digestive track is very different from Humans!!

 

[Laurasea]

I had diarrhea twice in my birds, avian vet never recommended this...and I've not heard if it before.

Both times was due to bacterial infection and antibiotics were required

 

[Tiki Bird]

No!! Parrot /Bird digestive track is very different from Humans!!

Hmm...times have changed.

Just for the record, you obvioulsy don't use it yourself but are you also saying that you have read somewhere or heard from a vet recently that it should never be used on birds?

I'm asking because like i said, it has worked on budgies I've had before.

 

[Tiki Bird]

I had diarrhea twice in my birds, avian vet never recommended this...and I've not heard if it before.

Both times was due to bacterial infection and antibiotics were required

Yeah, pepto wouldn't get rid of an infection but might prevent the bird from dying of diarhea if you cant see an avian vet right away.

 

[Laurasea]

I haven't researched pepto in birds...so I'm not comfortable with that .

But I am very comfortable with offering Greek yogurt with live culture and no artificial sweetners. My budgies will lick it from my fingers.

What do you think caused sudden diarrhea in your birds?

 

[Tiki Bird]

What do you think caused sudden diarrhea in your birds?

Oh they don't have diarrhea. I was referring to my budgie that i owned back in the 1980's. Not often he would get diarhea that often resolved with a little pepto. I guess it was more more of a stomach irritation rather than infection.

 

[Laurasea]

True diarrhea is rare in birds. It more likely to have too much urine from health issues. So it would be important for people to be able to tell the difference .

And quick veterinarian care for either issue will save lives

 

[Tiki Bird]

True diarrhea is rare in birds. It more likely to have too much urine from health issues. So it would be important for people to be able to tell the difference .

And quick veterinarian care for either issue will save lives

Yeah I agree that diarrhea is usally a symptom of an underlying issue that should be diagnosed. I just like to have something on hand that would prevent the diarhea from dehydrating a bird before it can get to an avian vet. They are few and far between.

Also I always thought lactose isn't good for birds, which is contained in Greek yogourt btw. So i would not feed your bird yogourt, even though there isn't as much lactose as some dairy products.

https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/foods-toxic-pet-birds/

Non-Safe Food for Birds - Zupreem Pet

Things like avocado can be toxic to birds. Now, not all species of avocados are toxic to birds many are so it's better to be safe than sorry. Avoiding all

zupreem.com

 

[Laurasea]

I have for 20 years, approved by my avian vet . And some place have info and articles. Lactose broken down by the cultures
But I'm not feeling good enough today to tackle the topic

 

[Laurasea]

Yogurt is listed on numerous parrot safe foods lists. I take parrot safety very seriously. My avain vet wasn't sure there was any benefit but said it is safe to feed.

I mentioned twice in this thread that prompt veterinarian care saves lives.

I've personally fed yogurt to 9 parrots

Natural Calcium for Birds

Most of us are aware of the serious health issues caused by a calcium-deficient diet, but very few of us understand the risks associated with an EXCESSIVE

www.beautyofbirds.com

From above
" Other: Bone, Cheese, Yogurt; as well as sanitized Eggshell, Oyster shell, Cuttlefish bone, and Mineral blocks"

Why are people feeding birds yogurt?

I've noticed some people mention feeding their birds yogurt. What does that do? Is it good for birds who are on antibiotics?

www.backyardchickens.com

Except
"The organisms that make yogurt what it is, also produce lactase to digest the lactose contained in yogurt, says Naresh Jain, M.D., a gastroenterologist in private practice in Niagara Falls, New York. "Secondly, the bacteria themselves also probably break down the lactose in the milk. "

Good Food To Share With Your Parrot - Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary Services

In general, parrots should receive about 75% pellets and 25% other foods. This handout discusses some of the healthy foods that might make up the part of the diet that is not pellets. Remove fresh foods within about 8 hours to avoid exposing birds to spoilage. Vitamin A Dense Veggies: Vitamin...

www.seavs.com

Exerpt from above
"Good sources of protein include the following – nonfat plain yogurt, tofu, hard boiled eggs, chicken (well cooked), white fish, turkey, water packed tuna, grains, brown rice, enriched/whole grain pasta, nuts (shelled and of human grade, no salt), and beans."

 

[ravvlet]

Chiming in to say I literally got a handout from our avian-certified vet at Sammy’s first appointment that suggested offering small amounts of yogurt in addition to fresh veg etc. was completely fine. They specify that yogurt should be low fat or nonfat.

Editing to add, since there’s good info on this handout -

Yogurt is included in the safe proteins section, along with cooked fish or chicken, cooked egg, cooked beans, tofu, or (limited) nuts.

Specifically, it states that dairy products are fine in small quantities for most birds. However, some birds may not tolerate these foods, and should be avoided in those birds.

That’s verbatim from the handout, hope you find it helpful!

 

[SailBoat]

I have long ago used the pink stuff. But Human medications /treatments have come along way from those days, haven't it? And, That is as true for Parrots meds as Well, correct?

Hey, if you want to use it on your Parrots, that's your choice. Excellent comments above.

 

[Tiki Bird]

Its old wives tales like these 2 examples that have caused untold number of parrots to die prematurely, instead of seeking qualified vet help. Even discussing them helps perpetuate the tales.

Hi! Thanks for your response, just to be clear, you mean pepto bismol kills birds? is that the tale you're talking about? And what was the other example that kills birds that you mentioned? You said 2 tales. I haven't owned budgies for a while and just want to make sure I'm up on the latest info.

Everything I've read online, from multiple sources, about dairy and parrots says "no" because birds lack the enzyme to break it down and it can give them the scoots. Was just sharing what I thought would be helpful for people.

Also, you mentioned "instead" of seeking a vet. Not at all what I said. Avian vets are few and far between in my area and not opened on weekends. If i have a problem with one of my birds, i'd like to know what over the counter meds i can give then to get through a weekend before i can get to a vet.

I can easily afford the vet care for my birds, that is not the issue at all. But they are not always open.

 

[Tiki Bird]

I have long ago used the pink stuff. But Human medications /treatments have come along way from those days, haven't it? And, That is as true for Parrots meds as Well, correct?

I don't know actually, that's EXACTLY what I'm asking. I'd like to keep some meds at home for emergency. If you can recommend any, please do.

Thanks for keeping this thread friendly for new posters like me who are seeking expert advice from current bird owners.

 

[ravvlet]

Re: pepto bismol; it contains bismuth, which has been shown to accumulate in the liver, kidneys and other tissues long-term in both humans and small animals such as birds and mice. Bismuth has a significantly lower solubility than other heavy metals such as lead; however, in companion animal species for whom the medicine was not designed -especially something as small as a budgie - it could accumulate in their bodies and cause health problems years later.

There’s actually a lot of interesting studies on the current environmental impact of hunters switching from lead-shot to bismuth-shot pellets; birds are dying now from the bismuth staying in their system years later, and it’s potentially causing problems in predatory birds who then consume those game birds. I believe it’s no longer considered non-toxic, or at least that’s the direction they’re moving.

Now, mind you, the bismuth in pepto is a colloid and it’s paired with an acid, so it’s possible the combination sort of cancels out the issue - I’m not a vet or a chemist. I would suggest contacting your avian vet on a day they ARE open and asking what you can keep around the house for a “birdie first aid kit” that is parrot safe! Ask specifically about the Pepto - I googled it and found at least one wildlife rescue page that said it would be ok, but they weren’t a veterinarian either. Since animal doctors aren’t sponsored by human pharmaceutical companies I’m certain they don’t have an agenda to push Big Pink on your birds, haha.

 

[Tiki Bird]

Thanks, sounds like it's not exactly widely endorsed. I'll ask the vet if there's something else that might do in a pinch.

On a related note...pedialyte?

 

[ravvlet]

Pedialyte, especially unflavored, is just water and dextrose, with less than 2% of Potassium Citrate, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid and Zinc Gluconate. Technically it is significantly less salty than lots of things people give fids, so it’s probably ok - but again, I’d call a vet. They really, absolutely shouldn’t mind answering these questions for you.

I have also heard of offering coconut water to fids- it similarly contains naturally occurring salts.

My parrot emergency kit is cornstarch, Benebac, syringes for giving oral meds, and a VERY thick towel for restraining (but my birds are on the larger side). I also have a t-stand, dowel perch (for moving an angry or injured bird without risking my hands, haha), travel cage and gram scale. The gram scale tells me almost as much as his poop as far as how he’s feeling - his weight was down 20g when he had a bacterial infection!

Sterile gauze, vet wrap, cotton swabs, and cotton bandages are also great. For birds who are not eating, feeding tubes of the appropriate size (there was a thread somewhere here where people posted a lot of great sizes for budgies) and handfeeding formula are fantastic to keep on hand.

To round it out, an incubator, or heating pads/cage warmers, or even something as simple as a hot water bottle that can be placed under a towel in a travel carrier are excellent to have for sick fids. Sterile saline is useful for rinsing wounds or other applications as directed by a vet (ours had us using sterile saline nose drops to keep our parrot’s nostrils clear one winter).