Alternatives to oral Antibiotics

[tabritt]

Hi Guys.. I just adopted a 28 year old Double Yellow Amazon that I brought in very sick. Im trying to establish a good, trusting bond with him and it was working until I had to wrangle him and force meds down his throat. (most of which he's just spitting out anyway) My question is there an alternative to having to wrangle him and force this on him for 10 days? I don't even think he's getting any of it anyway. I don't want to waste my time upsetting him daily.. losing ground on trust AND not getting any of the meds in him. Suggestions??:

 

[JerseyWendy]

Don't know where you are located, but the last time my Yellow Nape was on antibiotics, my avian vet gave me pre-filled syringes, which I gave into the chest muscle. He showed me how to do it, and it truly was a piece of cake.

 

[MonicaMc]

Ditto what JerseyWendy said, although I would recommend allowing the vet to give the antibiotics via injection!!!


Can you not mix the meds with food? Greek yogurt. Honey. Organic fruit juices. Piece of toast. Organic baby food (be careful of salt content). Almond butter. (preferably over peanut butter) Mashed sweet potatoes/carrots/bananas.

 

[triordan]

I have given oral meds by soaking it into a piece of bread then put a thin layer of almond butter, he loved it!

 

[tabritt]

Thanks for all your helpful advice. I will try some food first but doubting that will work at this point. He's only had one owner all his 28 years and she just passed away. So not only is he dealing with that but he's dealing with an illness and a new home/environment on top of it so he's really not eating all that much. I'll definitely give it a shot though. If that doesn't work I'll ask the vet about injections instead. I feel horrible because I know its for the best but dammed if I have to seriously man handle the poor thing to get him to attempt taking it. I feel like its just adding to his already mounting stress. Ill let you know how it goes!! Thanks again! Glad I joined this forum... very helpful

 

[SandyBee]

Oh good luck
any piece of food that is absorbent you can put meds on, trying finding something he likes. Also give it to him when he is the hungriest helps.
Otherwise vet injections are the way to go, then your not the bad guy as you are trying to start the bond!

 

[tabritt]

Hi All,
Just an update on PJ. After 10 failed food/antibiotic combination attempts and one cracked medicine syringe from having to wrangle him and force the meds on him... I FINALLY found a food that worked!! FINALLY!!!! I was getting worried that I would never be able to successfully get his meds in him. The vet said he preferred to not inject him every couple of days due to the pain and bruising it would cause in his breast tissue. Also the vet called me this morning and said the culture came back as a bacteria and he now wants him on a 3 WEEK antibiotic schedule. Wish me luck that this food/medicine combo will work for that long so I can work on gaining back what little trust he had in me. Thanks again for all your advice! I really appreciate all your responses and ideas!

 

[Kimmied]

Can you put it in a little 1. Organic baby food and have him eat it off the spoon or 2. Put in sweet potato and either see if he will eat it or have him eat it off the spoon. Most birds when sick like to go back to comfort foods. You just have to find his. Otherwise, the benefit outweighs any short term damage to your relation ship. It's only ten days. At the end of it if you approach him slowly speaking softly you will win him over. The problem with mixing the med in stuff is he might not get it all.

 

[goalerjones]

Injections are quicker and easier. They all go in whereas you don't know if the oral kind all make it in.