# Can antibiotic from vets make them throw up?



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I took Car Alarm to the vets today because of his scaley leg mites and I was worried he may of had an infection on his toes. Apparently his toes were normal for what the mites do and other than that they said he looked good. But they did find a seed husk in his eye so they got it out and gave him an injection (antibiotic) just in case, it's a long lasting one for 7 days.

He was fine earlier but now 5 and a half hours later he threw up some whole seed and looks like he may be shivering a bit. I was just wondering if it's possible that the antibiotic may be making him sick? I don't think it did the last time he had one but then I could have missed it if it did.

Thanks

Edit: He's not shivering so much now that I covered him and it is winter here so that could be why


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

He could be allergic to the antibiotic, I'm not a vet but if I were you I would take him back to one immediately.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Antibiotics can cause nausea (just like in humans) but I would at least call the vet and ask if they think this is an expected side effect and whether there are any special instructions.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks for the replies, it's nearly midnight here at the moment and I've been keeping a close eye on him but I plan on calling the vet first thing in the morning.
I just thought it was strange because he was fine before I took him to the vet, he hasn't had any more come up yet but he does still stretch his neck up then shake his head as if he's going to but nothing comes out


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

The vet said that they don't normally vomit with antibiotics but there is always the odd one that might and to just watch him and write down when/if he does again.
I saw him do it earlier but now I'm wondering if he was actually regurgitating because this time he stretched his head up twice gave a little shake and then I saw seed slowly coming up in his beak and then he sort of dropped it out.
He's still got his energy, chirpy, sleeps on one foot and he's not fluffed up


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

From your description it does sound like vomiting, not regurgitating.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Yeah, sounds more like vomiting to me too. I have never had a Cockatiel vomit while on antibiotics.


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## catalinadee (Jan 1, 2011)

My birds have never vomited on antibiotics either. I'd take him in to your vet for another look to be on the safe side. Is he being treated with ivermectin for the mites?


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

oh ok, I thought it might have been regurgitation because he didn't flick it everywhere and has been showing some mating behaviour towards his mate.

It's a normal vet that I have been seeing as the closest avian vet is over two hours away but I don't think it's ivermectin he uses, he put's a dot of advocate for puppies and kittens on the back of his neck. he was fine with the advocate and antibiotic when he had it the first time around. 
I think this trip to the vet was probably more stressfull for him with them getting the husk out his eye and they cut his nail a bit short so it bled.

Otherwise the only other things that have changed is I made them birdie bread for the first time the day before, didn't look like they ate any of it though and while I was at work their calcium bell fell in the water dish and was there til I got home, oh and he's been pulling the other females feathers and chewing on them.

I've got some probiotic to put in his food/water after the antibiotics wear off (since it says to use them post antibotics) but he didn't have any after the first injection which was two months ago, I'm keeping a close eye on him and will see how he is in the morning


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

Skiddles threw up on her antibiotics and her avian vet said it isn't normal but can happen to some birds - just a reaction (in her case). 

I think the probiotics are a great addition - I use this daily for Skiddles as she got a yeast infection from her drugs.  I mix it in her bean mash as she tends to eat ALL of that. Little miss piggy she is.

The yeast infection has gone but the probiotics are part of her daily routine (doc recommendation).

I hope your bubba is ok. Chirps and scratches coming your way.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thank you
I'm glad she's all better from it  how long did skiddles throw up for after the antobiotics?
I'm trying to get him booked in to the vet today even if it means knocking off work early but it might have to wait until tomorrow because I think they could be booked out today. 
Do you know if the probiotics are ok for them to start while still on the antibiotic or is it best to wait til it's worn off? Thanks


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

If he's been vomiting for more than 24 hours then he really needs to be seen today. Don't take no for an answer -- even if they're booked, it was their medication that did this and they need to make time to see him.


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

Skiddles was on antibiotics for about 2 weeks. There was one particular antibiotic that made her sick and she'd vomit and wimper every time. It was so sad, poor little girl. 

She ended up in birdy hospital for two nights the first time and then 5 nights the second time. She had a sinus and lung infection which also caused her to have a nose bleed.  

She was put on the probiotics after the medication was finished. As to whether you should do it during the medication I don't know. Best to ask the vet.


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

blueybluesky said:


> Thank you
> I'm glad she's all better from it  how long did skiddles throw up for after the antobiotics?
> I'm trying to get him booked in to the vet today even if it means knocking off work early but it might have to wait until tomorrow because I think they could be booked out today.
> Do you know if the probiotics are ok for them to start while still on the antibiotic or is it best to wait til it's worn off? Thanks


Probiotics contain only healthy bacteria it should be okay to start him on them now. I know sometimes they are given during antibiotic treatments and some others give probiotics for other reasons.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

This is scary! :frown: Gosh, even the stuff that is supposed to make them better can make them sick.


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

CharVicki said:


> This is scary! :frown: Gosh, even the stuff that is supposed to make them better can make them sick.


It's no different than people allergic to pennicillin it just happens sometimes. :/


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

My tiel threw up on his antibiotics and the vet switched him to a different kind. It solved the problem. I think tiels can have reactions to some meds just like people. My vet also said to give the probiotics at the same time as the antibiotics.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks sunnysmom
Saw the vet yesterday and they gave me some sachets of Protexin (probiotic) that they prefer than the store bought ones and they said that they don't have any other drugs that they can give him, so he's had his probiotics since yesterday now, he's in my room so I can keep a much closer eye on him. it's been over 24 hours now and no sign of him vomiting, last night he slept on one foot again and had his beak snuggled in his back feathers which was good to see and he's still getting around the cage good. 

He is still quiet though, I'm assuming since it's an injected antibiotic he had I might have to wait until it wears off. but if he gets any worse I'll be taking him for a long drive to an avian vet.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Opinions vary on when to give probiotics. The antibiotics will kill the probiotics so some people figure you may as well wait until afterwards to use the probiotics. Others apparently feel that taking the probiotics and antibiotics together will help keep up the level of beneficial bacteria to some degree. I have no idea which approach is better. 

I hope your birdie feels better soon!


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I'm still keeping a close eye on him and keeping him warm in my room. He still has until Tuesday for the antibiotics to wear of, his droppings are looking better than they did their more firm and has the coil shape more, he's been preening himself a bit more especially last night but he is still quiet.
I decided to put the probiotics in his food instead of water like the vet said because he seems to be eating more than drinking at least that way I know he's getting them. On Tuesday I'm going to see if he will let me weigh him just to make sure he's not underweight.

What is the average weight for an adult tiel? he has always been on the small side compared to the others.

and Thanks for the help so far guys


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Cockatiels have so much individual variation in size that an average weight doesn't mean much, and the best way to gauge the weight is to feel the keelbone. 75 grams is a common weight for small birds, but there's no way to be sure this is appropriate for your bird without feeling the keel.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

He seems to be feeling a lot better now and finally started getting chirpy again, he decided he wanted to have a go at his wolf whistles and just did 20 in a row lol I've actually missed hearing them.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I'm glad to hear he's doing better.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Just an update on Car Alarm, he's still going ok but I was getting a bit worried that his eyes were still red and hadn't gotten any better even though the normal vet said it was part of the mites so I was getting the impression that they didn't really have any idea so decided to take him to an avian vet today, he was such a good boy for the hour and a half trip there and on the way back. 

So from the new vet I found out that it doesn't look like he has scaley leg mites but she couldn't really tell because he had already been treated for it, I also took my receipt from the last vet in with the antibiotic details and she said he was probably throwing up because the dose rate they gave him at the normal vets was to much. She took him out the carrier to look at him and was happy that he seems to be in good body shape and eating and everything but is worried about his eyes and nose because it looked more red than normal.

The bad news is that she thinks he has got a secondary infection, the worst case is he may possibly have Psittacosis, but also said that since I've had him for a year and a half that it may be something else, he's got a broad spectrum antibiotic now for his water but if his eyes don't look any better in 7 days he will most likely need to be tested.

Sorry for the long update guys it's just getting me worried about him and the rest of the flock, so now hoping for something less serious.


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

I think its great that you took him to an avian vet - at least they know birds. 

Can I ask - did she take a blood test to rule out Psittacosis?? I would have thought if thats a possible case then they would have tested him.

Any indication what could be wrong with his eyes?


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I'm glad I took him to an avian vet to, you could notice straight away that their better with how she handled him more gently than the other vet.
I think his eyes might have been one of the reasons she thinks it could be that, he does have a sinus infection though. They didn't take any blood test, she just said to see if the redness in his eyes goes down in 7 days. When he finishes the antibiotics I'm going to go back and get him tested anyway just to be sure. His eyes are kind of a mystery to me because when my dad got him for me he already had his foot and eye problems and I don't think was being treated then either, it's only recently that they have started going watery.
Is it a blood test they do to test them, the vet said it's taking swabs?


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## NikkisMajorDisaster (Jul 26, 2021)

blueybluesky said:


> The vet said that they don't normally vomit with antibiotics but there is always the odd one that might and to just watch him and write down when/if he does again.
> I saw him do it earlier but now I'm wondering if he was actually regurgitating because this time he stretched his head up twice gave a little shake and then I saw seed slowly coming up in his beak and then he sort of dropped it out.
> He's still got his energy, chirpy, sleeps on one foot and he's not fluffed up


 I had a Budgie in Kentucky and 1 morning he was walking around bottom. of cage throwing his head side by side spitting milky seeds to the window glass bout 26 inchs ,I called the vet when you could still get free advice over the Phone and they asked me to check the seed dish for any seed stuck together like maybe got wet, Bingo that was it the seeds fermented an bird was intoxicated. sadly passed that afternoon Also cockatiels and other birds will adjust contents of crop normal but continuous bird has problems after a day or two flush the crop water.my females stretched his head up twice gave a little shake and then back to normal she does it 4 or 5 times a week..Well..good luck move quickly on any out of ordinary symptoms


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