# How much powdered antibiotic do I mix with water?



## sama5sama (May 26, 2018)

Hi all,

I have a sick cockatiel with a bacterial infection and have bought the vetafarm triple c broad spectrum antibiotic powder (100g), containing 100mg/g Chlortetracycline hydrochloride. 

Instructions are to mix the antibiotic with his drinking water, so that it's the only drinking source, for 7-10 days. But i'm not 100% sure about the correct dosage of the powder i should mix in his drinking bowl, which is around 350ml.

The label says :

*In water*: Parrots 5.0g/L (1 tsp/qt), Finch/Pigeon 0.5g/L (½ tsp/qt)

My bird weighs 61g (which is light for a cockatiel), it more or less, fits within the finch/pigeon category. Should i do half a teaspoon, into 1 litre of water, then pour it into the drinking bowl? 

And please don't ask me to visit a vet, the vet diagnosed the infection and told me to read the antibiotic instructions.

Many thanks


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Welcome to the forum!

Problem with medication in the water, there's no way to be sure they're getting the right amount to treat the infection. Most vets wouldn't recommend this route. If it were me, I'd call the vet and ask for oral medication instead.

As for the dosage, I don't know. We aren't vets and we can't really give this kind of recommendation because we don't have the license to back up what we say. You can try the finch recommendation, but if your bird can taste the difference in the water, he may not drink it. They can be finicky like that. If that happens, def call the vet back and ask for oral meds.


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## sama5sama (May 26, 2018)

Thank you,

Forunately my bird has been drinking from the medicated water, however he hasn't responded to antibiotics in the past 5 days. I've recently noticed a slimy clear substance from his beak, causing seeds to stick to it, in addition to being puffed up, lack of energy and mostly sleeping. The droppings were normal and green, but after the antibiotics, have now appeared to be mostly white solid. Does it seem like a yeast infection? I've rang the vet but it's all booked out for the entire week, and i'm certain the bird won't make it by the weekend. Is there anything i can do- should I stop the antibiotics, and give it water with a few drops of apple cider vinegar? I don't want to criticise the local vet (which wasn't an avian vet, but a general vet, we don't have AV vets), but i don't think the lady knew very much about birds. Helpppp


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