• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here
  • This forum is for advice about initial treatment given to your injured/sick bird until a qualified avian veterinarian is available.
    THIS IS NOT MEANT TO REPLACE VET CARE

Help with giving medicne please?

Status
Not open for further replies.

atvchick95

Biking along the boulevard
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
7,443
Location
Birdie Lane, Indiana
Real Name
Kelli
I don't think it would be safe for her to try to use Hand Feeding formula, since there is a possibility the bird is aspirated with just medicine, the same thing would happen with hand feeding formula because She was not shown how to do it by the doctor/nurse etc. BUT you could try it with oatmeal or formula and a Spoon - because the spoon would just go at the front of the beak and they eat off it and wouldn't have to worry about it going into the lungs - when I hand feed babies and We move from syringe to spoon I just use a plastic disposable spoon

aren't vets supposed to ask if the owner knows how to give meds? When I had a budgie taken in to get a lump drained I had to give her Baytril, my b/f took her in I couldn't go (kids were home vehicle only holds 2 people) they asked him if he knew how - he said no but my girlfriend does and she'll be the one doing it, But they did show him on the syringes they sent home with him What line the medicine was to go to but mine was a budgie and a lot easier

Julie - this might work for your lovie since they're similar in size(mine was an English Budgie)

I put her head Between my Index and middle finger and lightly wrapped the rest of my hand around her body to hold her (I'm right handed so I held her in my left hand) I held her straight up in my hand and used the tip of the Syringe to open her beak I put it in on the MY LEFT side but AIMED at the The RIGHT SIDE of the mouth (this is with the bird facing me) and gently squeezed once she started taking it I squirted the rest in - she actually liked it and never gave me any fuss And she hates being touched but she loved that medicine
 

Riley's mom

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
1/10/10
Messages
1,075
Location
Holiday, Florida
Real Name
Cindy
Good morning! How is your baby this morning? We always show are clients how to give meds orally. We NEVER send home injectibles with clients to use on birds. One of the ways that has worked for giving the oral meds is after drawing meds up in the syringe, pull back on plunger a little and draw up some apple juice or some other flavor of juice. Usually once they get that sweet taste, they will lap it up. Good luck to you.
 

Greycloud

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/17/09
Messages
19,270
I just want to bring up that twice different people said they administered meds from the left and squirting toward the birds right. This is incorrect. It will send the meds into the lungs. See Johns link. Also Gary gave correct information on how to administer. Meds and formula always go from the birds right across to the left.
I would not administer any more eds till you speak with your vet. I hope your little tiel is doing better this a.m.
 
Last edited:

birdlvr466

Hit the Road
Joined
10/15/09
Messages
16,655
Real Name
Pat
Judy I am a little confused by your post. This is taken from the link that John gave as well as what others said about giving medication

Administering the medication
Place the syringe at the left side of the bird's beak (the bird's left, not your left) and point the syringe towards the right side of the bird's throat.
Place just the tip of the syringe inside the bird's mouth or at the side of the beak (do not put the entire syringe inside the bird's mouth, or down its throat).
Apply a gentle, even pressure to the syringe plunger to slowly squeeze the liquid into your bird's mouth.
-If your bird is actively drinking the medication and it is not leaking out of the mouth, continue with an even pressure
- If your bird is not drinking the medication, stop squeezing it out of the syringe and wait until the medicine is swallowed before giving more.

If I am misunderstanding please let me know.
 
Last edited:

Riley's mom

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
1/10/10
Messages
1,075
Location
Holiday, Florida
Real Name
Cindy
Getting ready to go to a "Mutt March" event, but following this thread hoping the bird is ok. Actually, the correct way for administering the meds is what Gary said. Hope all works out well.
 

birdlvr466

Hit the Road
Joined
10/15/09
Messages
16,655
Real Name
Pat
So do I just need more coffee this morning or is the information in the link incorrect? :confused: They are saying to point the syringe to the right side of the birds throat.
 

Prince Toasty Buns

Jogging around the block
Joined
10/29/09
Messages
718
Yes, Judy (Greycloud) mis-spoke saying that "meds always go from the bird's right across to the left".

All this left/right, right/left stuff can be confusing to a newbie or someone having to administer drugs etc. into the bird thru the mouth.

Best way to remember, I think, is to simply remember: the "right way" = get the meds directed to the "right" side of the back of the bird's throat, whichever way you do it. Whether you are right handed or left handed or directly facing the bird or not. Since the bird is getting the meds, we are almost always to be concerned about it's "right" side. Right is right.

I use a Stainless Steel gavage instrument myself to administer oral meds or injectible meds, that can be absorbed from the intestines, right into the crop. I myself go from the right side of the bird's beak down the esophagus which is almost always on the bird's right. There are some exceptions. Some birds are born with the esophagus on the left side. Not many people know this. So, if one was treating a bird that one could not see thru the skin how the bird swallows, then one would need to feel the esophagus while the bird is swallowing to feel which side is the correct side.
 
Last edited:

birdlvr466

Hit the Road
Joined
10/15/09
Messages
16,655
Real Name
Pat
All this left/right, right/left stuff can be confusing to a newbie or someone having to administer drugs etc. into the bird thru the mouth.


You got that right! :lol: I was sitting here this morning with one of my dogs stuffed animals on my lap trying to figure this out! :p
 

Riley's mom

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
1/10/10
Messages
1,075
Location
Holiday, Florida
Real Name
Cindy
At this point, and all the info that has been given which I'm sure is very confusing to you, if I were in your shoes, I would call the vet this morning and have them show you the correct way of doing it. We will not send home oral meds with our clients that have never given a bird meds orally before without demonstrating the correct technique and having them do it while we are there. Often times the clients come back at the time of the next dose and give it themselves with us watching. We want them to feel comfortable with the process. If they are not, we urge them to bring the birds in and we will do the administration for them. If you are at all apprehensive about this, please call your vet. Good luck to you.
 

Prince Toasty Buns

Jogging around the block
Joined
10/29/09
Messages
718
"........... Often times the clients come back at the time of the next dose and give it themselves with us watching. We want them to feel comfortable with the process. If they are not, we urge them to bring the birds in and we will do the administration for them. If you are at all apprehensive about this, please call your vet. Good luck to you."
Curious as to what your office charges your clients to bring the birds back in for you to do the administration for them?
 

Riley's mom

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
1/10/10
Messages
1,075
Location
Holiday, Florida
Real Name
Cindy
While we do charge an "technician injection" fee with certain instances such as allergy injections, adiquan injections, fluids, etc., avians fall under a different category. They are more diffecult to give oral meds and injections. In that case, the client just has to let us know when they will be there so someone can be available and there is no charge.
 

srtiels

Ripping up the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avian Angel
Joined
11/23/09
Messages
1,000,000
Location
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Real Name
Susanne
OK...since this is a tiel, and will be reluctant to be orally fed or given anything you must also try and keep the head held as firmly as possible. I am left-handed, so the illus are for a lefty. A righty would dose on the birds right side as Prince pointed out, but the hand hold would be similar.

The first 2 pix's are the handhold I use for handfeeding a cockatiel. The same grip would be used for a reluctant tiel as to medicating.

The last 2 pixs are of a mousebird, but it shows the formula being dispenced down the birds right side of the esophagus. I crop/espophagus feed my mousebird chicks because after aspirating some in the past it is the saftest way to dispence fluids. You might want to ask your vet if he has a dispencing tip for oral meds, if needed. The place where I get these tips also sells to vets, and the website is listed on the illustration.

Usually when a syringe tip is touching the inside of the mouth the bird will automatically close the glottis (not sure of the spelling) to keep fluids from going down the wrong way.

Tiels are not fond of juices or sweet things, so do not mix the meds with anything sweet. This will be rejected as strongly as the taste of the meds.

If in the event a bird does get aspirated it can gasp (from lack of air) die quickly. Watch carefully after you give the meds. If the bird is gasping and staggerring you might need to clear the airway. What I have done as soon as I realized this was to grash the bird and put my entire mouth over it's beak and cer and gently blow a quick puff of air into the bird. 95% of the time it clears the airway so that it can breathe. NOt too hard, just a gentle puff or two.
 

Attachments

Prince Toasty Buns

Jogging around the block
Joined
10/29/09
Messages
718
While we do charge an "technician injection" fee with certain instances such as allergy injections, adiquan injections, fluids, etc., avians fall under a different category. They are more diffecult to give oral meds and injections. In that case, the client just has to let us know when they will be there so someone can be available and there is no charge.
What a kind & generous office/vet(s) you work for Cindy. Administering follow up meds orally and/or injections to avian patients free of charge deserves huge kudos. I will have to ask the avian vets in my area if they would do this. I kinda doubt it though, since IME they try to fleece our pockets every chance they get.

Since sometimes (often) vets are quite a drive from a compassionate vet like the one you work for or because often meds need to be administered during off hrs. at the vet clinic/office, I suggest to all birdkeepers (as I often do, please excuse this repitition) to learn asap from your vet or tech. or a caring breeder or petshop owner in your area, just how to safely gavage feed any bird in need. Most of you can do it, with a positive attitude.
 

WingedVictory

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
1,435
Location
Pacific Northwest
Real Name
Gary
Hi, I have attached an image "looking at the bird". Medications go the same place food goes, down the esophagus to the crop. The esophagus is on your left side when facing the bird. In the picture it is where the crop needle has been inserted for feeding.

gary
 

Attachments

birdlvr466

Hit the Road
Joined
10/15/09
Messages
16,655
Real Name
Pat
Thank you Gary for that picture, that helps alot.
 

srtiels

Ripping up the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avian Angel
Joined
11/23/09
Messages
1,000,000
Location
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Real Name
Susanne
Gary, Great illus. Some birds like mousebirds and softbills do not have crops. What they have is an expandable esophagus. But regardless of crop or expandable esophagus meds and food are still dispenced on the same side.
 

Prince Toasty Buns

Jogging around the block
Joined
10/29/09
Messages
718
OK...since this is a tiel, and will be reluctant to be orally fed or given anything you must also try and keep the head held as firmly as possible. I am left-handed, so the illus are for a lefty. A righty would dose on the birds right side as Prince pointed out, but the hand hold would be similar.

The first 2 pix's are the handhold I use for handfeeding a cockatiel. The same grip would be used for a reluctant tiel as to medicating.

The last 2 pixs are of a mousebird, but it shows the formula being dispenced down the birds right side of the esophagus. I crop/espophagus feed my mousebird chicks because after aspirating some in the past it is the saftest way to dispence fluids. You might want to ask your vet if he has a dispencing tip for oral meds, if needed. The place where I get these tips also sells to vets, and the website is listed on the illustration.

Usually when a syringe tip is touching the inside of the mouth the bird will automatically close the glottis (not sure of the spelling) to keep fluids from going down the wrong way.

Tiels are not fond of juices or sweet things, so do not mix the meds with anything sweet. This will be rejected as strongly as the taste of the meds.

If in the event a bird does get aspirated it can gasp (from lack of air) die quickly. Watch carefully after you give the meds. If the bird is gasping and staggerring you might need to clear the airway. What I have done as soon as I realized this was to grash the bird and put my entire mouth over it's beak and cer and gently blow a quick puff of air into the bird. 95% of the time it clears the airway so that it can breathe. NOt too hard, just a gentle puff or two.
I want to openly & personally thank you Susanne for always taking the time to provide all these wonderful close-up pics and instructions for the board members here on exactly how things should be done and what the different types of instruments look like that IMO every birdkeeper should have on hand.

And while I am at it, I want to also thank everyone else who takes the time to share their own experiences here (especially the ones related to avian health & welfare) and also thanks for specifically sharing your avian vet experiences, test results, vet costs, names of meds, doses and etc. ... What a great bunch we have here, as has often already been said by many others.
 

JLcribber

@cockatoojohn
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
22,620
Location
Alberta, Canada
Real Name
John
Great illustration Gary. :)
 

Prince Toasty Buns

Jogging around the block
Joined
10/29/09
Messages
718
Hi, I have attached an image "looking at the bird". Medications go the same place food goes, down the esophagus to the crop. The esophagus is on your left side when facing the bird. In the picture it is where the crop needle has been inserted for feeding.

gary
Thanks for providing that pic to everyone Gary. One comment: The illustration shows crop feeding with a gavage "needle"/instrument that is curved. A straight gavage "needle"/instrument would be inserted from the bird's right side, not the left - for those that may not know there are two types of gavage "needles".

Also to be more accurate: Safer to say that the esophagus is usually on the left side when facing the bird but not always. It can rarely be on the right side (when facing them). I believe the stats are that 1 in 300 approx. are born with the esophagus on the unusual side - if I may put it that way. Certain species are born this way more often than others. One that comes to mind at the moment is Amazons.
 

Greycloud

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/17/09
Messages
19,270
OIy!!! I did make a misprint! So sorry. I was sitting here at the computer holding a pretend bird in my lap and got discombobulated! Ack!!! What a mess up.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top