Regurgitating Antibiotics

[Wingnut]

Hey Everyone! I took my Lovebird Kiwi to the vet yesterday because she has been lethargic, and not wanting to come out of her cage. She's been sneezing, puffy and just not well. The doctor took a look at her and said she looks OK, but saw some white blood cells in her stool during the test. He gave me 5 days of Enrofloxacin in syringes. Now I've syringe fed Kiwi before, and she regurgitated things that had "flavor" if I remember correctly. I smelled this medication and it smells fruity...I gave her the medecine this morning and 3 seconds after getting it down and letting her go, she whipped her head around and regurgitated everything - including some of last nights millet...


Is this normal? Now you have to realize this bird is scared to eat ANYTHING that is not seed. I put a Banana in her bowl and she about had a heart attack. She won't even eat bread or any human foods!


I just wasted 1 dose now as they are pre-filled syringes. Should I try again tonight and see what happens, or just wait and call the doctor in the morning?

 

[noodles123]

Did you get the med from a human pharmacy?
If so, they can add artificial sweeteners etc to them, and so I would make sure that whatever you are giving is safe for birds.
I didn't realize that they did this until a year or 2 ago, but it's pretty common in human liquids that you pick up from a pharmacy, and some artificial sweeteners can be harmful.
I am not saying that is why he regurgitated it---but you mentioned it smelled fruity, so I would look into that and definitely tell your vet because he will need a new dose to replace the one he wasted (assuming he keeps your bird on this medication and doesn't tell you to take a different antibiotic based on that reaction).

It looks like I am too late to answer the second part of your question, but hoping you get some answers today.

 

[GaleriaGila]

In case you ever look for a second opinion...
In case you need a link to profssional veterinary help...
Certified Avian Vets
https://abvp.com/animal-owners/find-an-abvp-specialist/
If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.
International contacts, too.
Or... sometimes I find a place to start just by Googling "avian veterinarian near ((your location))"

Gee, I wish you could get some more dietary variety. May I offer some personal notes?
I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.
Another couple of ideas...
My ol' man is an athlete and health nut. He actually EATS all the good stuff, so it's always around. I find that tossing various stuff into the food bowls at random is good... the variations and differences seem to stimulate curiosity and attention.
The other idea... if you can stand it (lol) EAT the stuff in front of the birds, yes. That encourages them. I have also found that if my ol' man eats stuff in front of the bird, the bird WANTS it for himself. Kinda a rivalry thing!
http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/

 

[Scott]

Have you tried serving Kiwi cooked cereal at room temperature? My flock almost universally loves plain oatmeal as a treat. Most antibiotics (check with vet) can be mixed with the cereal as a "cover." Another alternative to cooked cereal is a quality unsalted/unsweetened baby food from jar.

 

[noodles123]

Have you tried serving Kiwi cooked cereal at room temperature? My flock almost universally loves plain oatmeal as a treat. Most antibiotics (check with vet) can be mixed with the cereal as a "cover." Another alternative to cooked cereal is a quality unsalted/unsweetened baby food from jar.

You just have to make sure the amount of oatmeal/ratio of antibiotics is small enough for them to eat it all. If you dilute it too much, they will get full before finishing the dose/whole thing of oatmeal, and if you do too little oatmeal, they won't like it because it will taste like the meds.
A some mashed banana in with the oatmeal can also help make it a bit tastier, but again, ratios and dose monitoring are key, as you must ensure that your bird takes the full course of antibiotics.

 

[Amsterdam]

not a fan of antibiotics at all i know sometimes its a MUST what i did with a few sick budgies of mine is that i made natural antibiotics with garlic and lemon mixed with water this did the trick for me im not a vet or a PRO but it always worked for me

 

[noodles123]

Amsterdam- be very careful with that- garlic is considered very toxic to birds and lemon isn't healthy for them like it is for sick humans. I know that combination is good for sick people, but I'm skeptical that it could be good for sick birds.

Here is a link that mentions garlic as a food not to feed your bird:
https://www.petmd.com/bird/slideshows/8-foods-are-toxic-birds?view_all=1
"Onions and Garlic
While these veggies have heart benefits in people, whether fed raw or cooked, they are toxic to many animals, including birds, cats and dogs. Onions contain sulfur compounds that, when chewed, can irritate the lining of a bird’s mouth, esophagus, or crop, causing ulcers, and can induce rupture of red blood cells resulting in anemia. Garlic contains allicin, another chemical that can cause anemia and weakness in birds. If you want to spice up your bird’s diet, offer a small piece of vitamin A-rich hot pepper and skip the garlic and onions. "

^Zupreem's website also references the same blurb.

Then there is this: https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/foods-toxic-pet-birds/