Read About Choosing Bird Medication

Choosing bird medication that your bird will readily take can be a challenge. If your vet has prescribed medication for your bird due to illness or parasitic infestation, it is important to follow the dosing and duration instructions carefully. Working with your vet to choose bird medications that are conducive to your situation can help you succeed in this challenge. For skin or feather related problems, such as external parasites or ulcerative dermatitis, your vet may prescribe a topical medication to apply to the bird’s skin or feathers. It is often helpful to have the assistance of someone else the bird is comfortable with, so that one person can hold the bird while the other applies the medicine. Flavored liquid medications are among the easiest to administer to a bird. Companies that add flavors to human prescriptions are now expanding this service to pet medications as well. Giving a bird a “dose” of fruit flavored medicine is much easier than getting him to swallow something that doesn’t taste good. Talk to your vet about whether this is an option he offers, or find out if there is a local pharmacy that offers this service that can fill the prescription. For bird medication in pill form, consider breaking the pill up into pieces to make swallowing easier. Always discuss this with your vet first. Some medications may have coatings to help the bird better digest them or to allow the medication to slowly absorb over time, and breaking them apart can make swallowing more difficult or even make the medication dangerous. Not all bird medicines are prescribed by the vet for illness. Bird vitamins and supplements can help birds the same way they help humans: by causing chemical reactions within the body and assisting in the proper absorption of fats and carbohydrates. Most birds get all their nutritional needs met through their everyday diets. Not all birds need vitamins and supplements, and not all birds that do need them require them in the same dosages. It is important to know which vitamins are needed for your bird, and which he is not already getting in sufficient amounts through his daily diet. If there are vitamins and minerals your bird needs that he is not receiving through his diet, consider changing his diet before choosing bird medication such as bird vitamins and supplements. Choosing bird medication that you can successfully administer to your bird is important. Be sure to check with your vet for any recommendations, such as adding flavorings, or any restrictions, such as not giving a medication with food.