Simply some friendly advice concerning Baytril.
Baytril is not the wonder drug it is made out to be.
Baytril is an antibiotic mainly used for infections and should only be used for such.
Baytril is currently being removed from the market as the drug is being over used within the poultry industry and is causing problems within humans when consuming poultry meats.
There's a bottom line here, using to much of anything and our bodies will become emmune.
Vets are looking at altenative drugs to aid in treating animals.
Ask your vet about the use of vitamins after the baytril treatment is over.
Please keep up on your reading concerning the drug called Baytril and update your knowledge.
Baytril (IMO) should not be added to water,adding to the water breaks the drug down and the drug spoils to quickly and can do more harm than good, again this is my opinion.
If the dosage is 3 cc's, then 3 cc's is needed (at one application), adding to the water will require the bird to drink all the water provided to recieve the complete 3 cc's, this applies to adding this drug to there food.
Depending on your anatomy level and or Medical experience, Baytril should be given orally by syringe or injection, again this is my opinion.(the complete dosage in one application).
Any kind of light (even moderate) breaks this drug down quickly and results in no value.
Read the instructions on the drug, you will see the words (keep out of sunlight), this information is very important.
Talk to your vet concerning this drug, it will never hurt to simply ask questions, I have found that many vets simply don't stress the need for b12 vitamin after treatment using baytril.

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Medication Guide: Enrofloxacin / Baytril
Baytril and Bacteria
Enrofloxacin
Baytril Ban
Baytril: FDA Bans Bayer Antibiotic for Poultry Use RANDY FABI / Reuters 29jul2005

Baytril Warning

All I am saying here is stay updated, I know we do not intend on eating our birds, I am simply stressing that this drug is being overly used for conditions it is not intended to be used for.
Ask questions from your vet, keep updated.
(IMO) never use Penicillin on birds, this has proven to be harmful to birds and in many cases causes blindness, I will provide links to such information later.
Simply stay updated.
Take Care
Arty

I used to have information concerning blindess in birds treated with the drug called penicillin, I found the information to be based upon speculation, so please disreguard my statement above,sorry folks.

Penicillin G (procaine), the procaine in this injectable preparation used in small and large animals is very toxic in avian species and should not be used if safer antibiotics are available to treat the condition.
Avian Medications: A to Z

As with humans, some drugs are proven safe and others are still being tested, unfortunately we are finding many drugs are placed on the market only to find out later on they are not to be safe and or cause more problems down the road.

Talk with your vet, Please stay updated.

Arty

Arty, you are so smart! I wish I had known you when my sweet Gipper was so sick. No one could help him. I bet you would have known what to do.

Arty, do you know of any alternatives to Baytril? This is the first time I've had sick birds and both vets recommended Baytril for them. Like I said, still waiting back for bloodwork this time, which they didn't do with Mojo, but the Baytril seems to have killed whatever he had going on.

The politics are still in the wind, alternative drugs are being sought.
Please don't misunderstand what Catschair or I have stated about Baytril, this drug in my opinion is a wonder drug and can work wonders if used as it was intended.
It was designed to fight bacterial issues, but more and more I am seeing this drug offered to treat just about all illnesses and this sends the general public the wrong impression.
The FDA (it seems) will eventually ban the use of this drug, for right now what the alternative drug will be is numerous and I for one will not comment at this time.
I order my meds from a reliable pigeon supply site, and I have stocked up (somewhat).
Its very important for everyone to understand, I will post information found on the web concerning matters, but at no time will I endorse what I post, hope that makes sense.
& why I am finding most vets not reccomending the use of vitamins after a baytril treatment is simply beyond me, especially vitamins b12, IMO extremely needed.
Anyways, speak to your vet, ask questions.
Take Care
Arty

I very seldom choose to use any antibiotic on myself my children or animals. If caught in time there are much safer natural remedies for most things. Penicillin for example causes blindness in some horses, but it is as a result of anaphylactic shock, that is if the horse does not simply drop dead from a heart attack. Yogurt is a brilliant natural replacer of good bacteria after any antibiotic, probably in any mammal or avian. Yogurt on its own can fix sick calves when they get diarrhea from drinking milk replacer, I never even resorted to antibiotics then.

XDR TB is a major big problem in South Africa in the human population. I think this type of trend of drug resistant super bacteria may continue until there is nothing more to help us. I will not add any antibiotic to baby bird formula for this sort of reason since what happens when the baby grows up and may become ill.

I am in no way knocking any drugs or drug companies, and I am sure they have a long time ago recognized the problem we create for ourselves through indiscriminate use of any antibiotics.

This is so very true! We go the holistic route here unless it is an emergency situation. Some people disagree with this approach but I do not want our birds to be immune to a broad spectrum antibiotic should they ever need it. Keep in mind we know our birds and can tell if they are not feeling well or their droppings appear to be off and have a good idea what it takes to get them back on track. We do have an elaborate microscope set up which we can use to send jpg files to the vet or lab should we not be able to identify the bacteria, parasite or fungus. Please only use antibiotics when needed and when you do use them, watch for fungal infections should the bird become immune compromised. Ask your avian vet about alternatives to antibiotics. Once your bird finishes a round of antibiotics, I would suggest 7 days of a probiotic like bene-bac to promote the growth of good bacteria, again talk to your avian vet.

If you are new to birds you are not going to be able to determine if you have an emergency or not and need to consult an avian vet. There is alternative medicine for almost everything and many of the avian vets are leaning towards the holistic approach where they can.

My 2 cents for what they are worth

No bird should be given an antiobiotic without a culture and sensitivity being run. Shot gun medicine just doesn't work. At the clinic I used to work at only the very very ill would be given a broad spectrum anitbiotic if it was a life or death situation while awaiting the cultures. Blood work alone is not enough....you need those cultures also. Both from poop and from crop, not from the choanal slit in the beak.....

I wish all vets would wait until cultures and sensitivity were done before prescribing baytril or any other antibiotics!