Antibiotics, usage & over-use

Antibiotics in Bird Keeping: Use, Not Abuse

In recent years, the use of antibiotics has become increasingly common among bird fanciers, but is it a good thing or a bad thing? In this article, I explore both sides of antibiotic use, who tends to rely on them most, and who chooses to avoid them altogether.

Without sounding old-fashioned, in years gone by, we had far fewer antibiotics available and instead relied on natural remedies or sulfa-based treatments to help cure sick birds. Today, natural remedies are used far less frequently, with many keepers opting for man-made antibiotics instead. I must admit, I have been guilty of this myself. In my experience, natural remedies are often more effective and considerably less destructive than synthetic antibiotics.

There is a well-known phrase that anyone using antibiotics should remember: “use, do not abuse.” Keeping this in mind helped me reassess my own habits and reduce my reliance on man-made treatments in favour of natural alternatives where appropriate. Too often, when a bird dies during treatment, the keeper fails to ask an important question — was it the illness that caused the death, or the antibiotic itself?

Who Is Most Likely to Overuse Antibiotics

Inexperienced or novice bird keepers are the most likely to overuse antibiotics. This is usually done with good intentions, but often leads to disappointing — and sometimes harmful — outcomes. With so many different antibiotics available, it is easy to select the wrong one. There is no such thing as a single antibiotic that treats all conditions, and there never will be.

Novice fanciers frequently administer antibiotics for infections or pathogens that their birds do not actually have. Treatments are sometimes given far too often and described as a “regime.” Sadly, birds subjected to this level of unnecessary medication often suffer a poor quality of life, if they survive at all.

Later in this article, we explain why antibiotics should only be used when absolutely necessary and never as a routine measure. If you are new to bird keeping or lack experience in treating illness, my strongest advice is to seek guidance from an experienced, long-established fancier. These old-school keepers have invaluable practical knowledge and are often the best source of advice you will ever find.

What to use

If and when your bird becomes sick, you need to identify what is wrong with your bird, either by using an avian vet or other means. If your bird is sick with a bacterial infection, yeast infection, parasitic infestation, fungal infection... you should identify what type it is so that you can choose the right antibiotic to treat it. It is no good guessing what is wrong with your bird by giving it random antibiotics and hoping for the best, it is likely to make matters worse. 

Many dedicated fanciers today use microscopes and perform regular stool or crop samples for their own analysis. It works out a lot cheaper than a trip to an avian vet where costs can skyrocket. Basic knowledge is a good step in the right direction and takes little time to learn. Stool and crop samples can reveal quite a lot about the health of your bird, not to mention, many issues show up in them long before there are any visual signs from your bird.

Most antibiotics are pretty expensive, have a short lifespan and must be used once mixed, so making sure you are using the right one for the right job is also important. If an avian vet has prescribed drugs for your bird, then you 'must' follow the given directions as stated. Antibiotics cannot be messed with; if you miss just one dose, you may need to start the treatment all over again.

When to use

When you discover your bird is sick, know which antibiotic to use. It should then be OK to go ahead and treat the bird. Antibiotic use should be a last resort in all cases for many reasons explained below. In case of a cat attack, the bird will most certainly require an antibiotic, as cats harbour germs deadly to birds in their saliva and in or around their claws.

Sometimes it can be too late to treat a bird with an antibiotic, even if you know 100% what bacteria are causing the problem and have the right antibiotic at hand. It is always essential to find what type of infection you are dealing with as soon as possible, then treat it immediately to have the best outcome.

If you have visited or been told by an avian vet to administer an antibiotic to your bird, then of course you need to follow the directions given to you. If at any point you have any questions or doubts about the diagnosis or medications given to you by your avian vet, then I would suggest contacting them to get further advice.

How to use

If you have been issued a prescription from your avian vet, then there should be clear instructions on how to administer any medications prescribed. Follow any directions given as suggested to avoid overdosing or other complications. Not all medications are administered the same way, as there are various types of antibiotics out there. Some are topical, oral, spot-on, vapour, injectables...

There are many ointments or topical creams which contain antibiotics, these would be rubbed into the skin as suggested by the vet. Oral antibiotics are usually ingested via the beak, directly in the crop, in their drinking water or mixed with the bird's food.

Spot-on treatments are usually applied to the skin in a liquid form and work 'through' the skin where it enters the bloodstream. Vapour antibiotics are usually in the form of a gas, the bird will breathe in the gas where it can enter the bloodstream through the lungs. Injectables work via a syringe, the antibiotic is injected directly into the skin where it can act faster than taken orally or topically.

Abuse of use

To put it bluntly, the words 'precautionary treatments' seem all too common among Rookies who really have no idea about how powerful antibiotics really are. These Rookies use and abuse antibiotics and offer them like offering smarties to children. Overusing antibiotics causes many bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics, which renders the antibiotic useless for future cases, much like the scenario we are in today. Antibiotics that were once reliable and powerful are now useless because of overuse.

You would not put a bandage over your head, just in case you might hurt it at some point in the future, so why the need to treat for something that does not exist? Antibiotics should 'only' be used when absolutely required. These Rookies often know nothing about the antibiotics they are using or how they even work, but yet they still abuse them. Most of the time the bird actually dies from the antibiotics rather than the infection they are trying to cure, but the one administering them is usually too blind to see that.

Some people will at some point have a sick bird and in a state of panic will look through their collection of goodies to see what medication they have at hand. While they are panicking, they will give any antibiotic they have to the bird hoping it will fix the problem, later the bird dies. Was it the medication that killed the bird, overdosed? Or did it die from the infection? Well this is why you need to know what you are treating first, then and only then should you administer the 'right' antibiotic.

A lot of older fanciers or professional breeders tend to steer clear of antibiotic use, but will lean more to the use of natural remedies because they have learnt the mistakes of overuse. You will never produce quality birds by overusing antibiotics by any means.

Overdose

Overdosing is pretty common with novice fanciers or fanciers who are too cocksure of themselves. I don't care how long you have kept birds for, it does 'not' make you an avian vet! It is the people who actually study, learn, use a microscope on a regular basis and know what they are doing who are the ones far less likely to overdose their bird. 

If you are one of those people on social media replying to someone who is requesting help for a sick bird, and you are the one suggesting S76, SCATT, Ivermectin or Moxidectin without knowing what is actually wrong with the bird, then you're an idiot! If you do not know what is actually wrong with their bird, then do the other person and their bird a big favour, keep your opinions to yourself.

Signs of overdose are self-evident, vomiting, sleepiness, unable to perch, uncontrollable body movements, unable to hold head up, twitching, sudden death, not eating or drinking, shaking, constant scratching. These are signs which can be observed shortly after being overdosed with antibiotics. If possible call an avian vet, and seek advice but you 'must' be honest with them, and explain what you administered, including the amount, so they can help.

Where to get it

Antibiotics should be prescribed by your avian vet with directions on how to use them. Some antibiotics do not require a prescription and can be bought over the counter. Even non-prescription drugs need careful attention when administering them, so be warned. Some countries have different laws on how to acquire antibiotics, which opens the door for Rookies to purchase prescription drugs from outside their country, bypassing their own laws.

Laws are created for a reason where antibiotics are concerned, it protects you, your bird, and ensures the antibiotic remains effective in the future. As mentioned above, antibiotic abuse will eventually render the antibiotic useless for everyone.

Storage

Most liquid forms of antibiotics are usually stored in brown glass bottles to protect from ultraviolet light and stored in a cupboard. Some may be required to be stored in a fridge. Always observe the packaging, and check expiry dates, storage instructions.

Leaky, broken seals, damaged packaging, out of date, spoiled antibiotics should be discarded as directed on the packaging.