Antibiotics + Probiotics at same time?

[SchwuggieLove]

Took my baby to the vet, she did a fecal examination and couldn't find anything, even though she agreed the color/texture was off.

She gave me Baytril for his water (yes, I know, putting it in the water is not ideal, but that's the vet said to do and in addition, my bird is not hand tame.)

I asked about probiotics. She said normally she gives that if they've had more than one round of antibiotics, but she said it could be a helpful for him and gave me some. It's a powder that I'm supposed to sprinkle on wet food.

I was expecting it was meant to be used after the antibiotics, but she said to use at the same time. I did some research, and though most of what I read is targeted at humans, they recommended to have 2 hours in between. Problem is, if one is sprinkled on his food, and one is in his water bowl.... that's not really going to work.

Has anyone given their bird both at the same time? How did you do it?

 

[painesgrey]

Good luck with the baytril in the water... even my hand-tame birds refused to drink the bitter antibiotic water. It's yucky, but maybe your bird won't mind.

But when my little guy was on antibiotics, they suggested a probiotic at the same time. Nothing was mentioned of any waiting time between dosing, and everyone did just fine.

Follow the advice of your vet.

That being said, closely monitor water intake. If it seems he's not drinking, do take him back to the vet. Dehydration will only worsen things, and there are other antibiotic options.

 

[SchwuggieLove]

Good luck with the baytril in the water... even my hand-tame birds refused to drink the bitter antibiotic water. It's yucky, but maybe your bird won't mind.

But when my little guy was on antibiotics, they suggested a probiotic at the same time. Nothing was mentioned of any waiting time between dosing, and everyone did just fine.

Follow the advice of your vet.

That being said, closely monitor water intake. If it seems he's not drinking, do take him back to the vet. Dehydration will only worsen things, and there are other antibiotic options.

Thank you! I have been watching closely, and although he's eating and drinking less than his healthy self, he's been drinking as much with the Baytril (today is 3rd day) as he was the couple days before. I'm so relieved, because trying to give it directly would stress him out SO much. I did it with my female last year but she was a little more tame.

 

[sunnysmom]

I have given both at the same time. It wasn't baytril but another water soluble antibiotic. My tiel used to throw up after his oral meds. We weren't sure if he was allergic to it or if it was the stress of orally giving it to him. So my vet gave us one you put in water. We had to give it for 30 days though. I also gave probiotics at the same time. And then my vet advised continuing to give the probiotics for another 30 days after the antibiotics stopped.

 

[SchwuggieLove]

I have given both at the same time. It wasn't baytril but another water soluble antibiotic. My tiel used to throw up after his oral meds. We weren't sure if he was allergic to it or if it was the stress of orally giving it to him. So my vet gave us one you put in water. We had to give it for 30 days though. I also gave probiotics at the same time. And then my vet advised continuing to give the probiotics for another 30 days after the antibiotics stopped.

I don't know how many days I'm supposed to give the Baytril.. She measured it out into the little bottle and wrote "use until gone".

I will have to ask her about how long to continue it afterwards. I also want toadd ACV in his water after the antibiotics are done to hopefully help prevent any secondary fungal infections. I'll have to call them about that though because I forgot to ask her about it.

 

[SchwuggieLove]

One of my biggest concerns is the possibility he could have a fungal infection already, and the antibiotics will do no good. :/ He hasn't come out of his cage in 4 days, even though the door has been open (very unusual for him). So I haven't been able to smell him for signs of sour crop or anything.

 

[sunnysmom]

Your vet did do a gram stain? What about a throat swab? Is he eating/drinking, etc?

 

[SchwuggieLove]

Your vet did do a gram stain? What about a throat swab? Is he eating/drinking, etc?

She called it a "fecal examination" but yes I believe that's what it was. She didn't do the throat though. But I've heard that sometimes fungal stuff can't always be detected, so I'm also considering saving some for several days and taking it to her to test.

He has been eating and drinking the whole time, though less than usual. I've been watching him very closely though, giving him plenty of his favorite food (millet spray, of course), and even counting the pellets in his bowl to make sure he's actually ingesting them, not just playing. And checking the seed that falls to make sure there are lots of hulls, not just whole seeds. And, though it's obviously a lot harder to tell in a feathered bird, I have made a habit over the past year or so of trying to "eye" whether his crop looks full. Also watching number of poops, etc.

I gave him some of the probiotics last night on some moistened seed, since I am low on fresh food... I didn't want to wait till I got groceries today. (No I do not normally feed wet seed... it was to help the powder probiotics stick.. and I dumped it after about 30 minutes. Just wanted to get SOME in him.)

 

[SchwuggieLove]

So.. I am HOPING this is a good sign.

My little Wuggie came out of his cage for the first time today, in nearly a week! I've had the cage door open just as much as usual, and he normally spends probably 6-8 hours or so out. On non-sick mornings he will usually get restless if I don't let him out within about 30 min of uncovering him. So sitting inside voluntarily for 6 days straight has been scary to me.

I got some kisses (no, not on the mouth..), and he smells good. No sign of that "sour crop" smell. He's already sung more today than he has total in any one day since he's been sick. And his overnight poops were looking much better than the ones from yesterday. I really really hope this means he's on the mend!!!

But could he be feeling better but not actually be getting better? Because he seemed to actually get worse after going to the vet. I don't know if it's because I caught it so early that he was still in the [human analogy] "sore throat" stage vs. "fever and chills" stage. But I'm not sure if bacterial stuff works like that.

His face is so scraggly looking that it scares me! That's how my Schwa's face looked when she was sick. BUT, he's also in his big moult (he seems to moult his down like every month, but his wing and tail feathers only a couple times a year).

The tail bobbing started a couple days ago so that makes me worried too. He wasn't even doing that yet when I took him to the vet.

And I've been on medical leave this week but have to go back on Monday so I won't be able to keep as close an eye throughout the day...

 

[sunnysmom]

Coming out is a good sign. He also could have been traumatized about going to the vet if he's not used to it. The first time I took my tiel to the vet he wouldn't come out of his cage for 4 days. I felt terrible. Can you weigh him to make sure he's not losing weight? Although it sounds like he's eating okay.

 

[SchwuggieLove]

He's been singing more and eating more. Still only came out that one time, plus once today, but that was my fault. I was carrying a box and he got startled.

His balance seems to be affected. The couple times he has flown, his landings have not been as strong as normal. He's still perching though--no sitting on the floor. And still has been pulling one foot up, which I heard they often won't if they're super weak.

His face looks scraggly too. I don't know if just because of the moult, but it scares me because that's how his girlfriend's face looked last year.

Still no diarrhea, vomit, or sour smell. Tail is only bobbing sometimes.

I've been letting him sleep a lot and without flying and foraging, his main activity has been lots of preening. His moult has finally slowed down but he's working on all those pin feathers.