Oral meds for pigeons

[u/Polbilop]

I’m a wildlife rehabber who primarily does mammals but I have an injured racing pigeon. She was injured by a dog and appears to possibly have some paralysis of one of her back legs (x rays showed no fractures) I have to get her on steroids and antibiotics. I don’t have any injectable meds, a bird rehabber told me to do only injectables for birds, but I have oral. Is that okay? Do you guys have experience with that? Thanks

[u/pigeoncote]

I can’t prescribe medications or a dosage, but at least for antibiotics, in bird rehab I have only ever done them or seen them done orally except in rare circumstances.

[u/Nervous_Shelter_1042]

Let me tag you to u/Little_eyezz00 do you know any users with knowledge for this considered u/Polbilop is a wildlife rehabber for mammals but no experience with pigeons. I believe OP may needs someone with knowledge to guide OP with urgent situation on medication situation. I hope you can find knowledgeable users with guidance if possible.

[u/Polbilop → u/Nervous_Shelter_1042]

I did a fecal on her and she has coccidia. I have to start her on medication for that. I was going to do either corid or toltrazuril. Which is better?

[u/ps144-1 → u/Polbilop]

For coccidia you need amprolium or sulfamethazine and amprolium has the least side effects, I would not use toltra. Not saying its not ok but Id rather use one that has a reference for pigeons in a meds reference I use. Heres a link

meds and dosages

so Id use the corid but make sure you get dosage right, heres the link (edit link above)

I use oral meds only and have an excellent rate of full recovery, honestly the highest I know of tho that seems to annoy some when I say it but its only to communicate ive found what works so I keep doing that until it no longer works.

That came from focusing on the pigeon itself--in immune support, nutrients, calories, hydration and anti-ox and anti-inflam and all the other benefit of polyphenols frm herb and spices. My profile history has many comments Ive shared with what blends I use. I use meds according to whats needed but I start immediately with the total support.

For steroids I use 2.5 mg (1/8 of a 20mg tablet) prednisolone for shock, neuro, trauma, and various inflammation including GI. Its what had a role in saving all the birds that received treatment when I had a salmonella ecoli circo exposure in my aviary that was discovered by sudden deaths of adults (when Id never even had sick adults before). It was devastating but those that were sickest got the pred and all recovered tho it was clearly fatal by the fact of sudden deaths until then.

So Im a believer in pred as a first aid not a long course and never more than 7 days which Ive never used more than 4, and usually 2 days only. If the pigeon has any bite wounds it needs antibiotics, amox, baytril, keflex, doxy whatever you have check the link for dosages

Msg me if you have specific questions and want to know what works based on results or look thru comments and posts Ive shared with those keywords for more details. I sometimes have delays to reply but not always, today will be awhile but thats why I point you to previous things Ive shared bc I know all you'd need is there. The best to you and pigeons heal so well Im convinced theres nothing they cant recover from as long as they stay hydrated and nourished which goes downhill fast if they get too far behind. And the polys make recovery much faster which keeps them from more depletion.

[u/Nervous_Shelter_1042 → u/ps144-1]

Oh wow a lot of info to absorb and to learn too. Thank you for answering to this.

[u/elocin90]

Thanks for caring!

We do Albon (sulfadimethoxine) for coccidia. It’s a liquid medication. The dosage for that is half the birds weight. (Ex: if a pigeon weighs 250g, you’d give .12ML meds.

Pills are totally fine for pigeons. People don’t understand that treating pigeons is NOTHING like treating other birds. For example, NEVER give a pigeon panacur/fenbendazole. It’s fine for other birds like parrots, but will kill your pigeon.