They are available and appropriate for use with most pet birds. Select a pellet size appropriate for the size of bird being treated. A special diet might be necessary for lories and lorikeets, which feed on nectar and fruit in the wild. Three treatments available include oral doxycycline, injectable doxycycline, and injectable oxytetracycline. If the bird regurgitates the drug, another treatment method should be used.
All available formulations can cause irritation at the injection site.
However, data are insufficient to determine precise dosage schedules. The injectable-hyclate formulation labeled for intravenous use in humans in the United States is not suitable for IM use in birds because severe tissue reactions will occur at the site of injection. This dosage may be suitable for but has not been tested on other species. This product causes irritation at the site of injection and is best used to initiate treatment in ill birds or those that are reluctant to eat. After stabilization with oxytetracycline treatment, the birds should be switched to another form of treatment to reduce the muscle irritation that is caused by repeated oxytetracycline injection.