Tolerability and palatability of doxycyclin-t (R) administered via drinking water in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)

作者：Soto-Flores Ingrid; Cramer Kerstin; Boehme Julia; Winter Karsten; Krautwald-Junghanns Maria-Elisabeth

来源：Berliner und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift, 2018, 131(3-4): 159-168.

DOI：10.2376/0005-9366-17007

• Chlamydia psittaci
• Avian Chlamydiosis
• antibiotic
• oral application
• bird

The antibiotic agent doxycycline has been used for decades to treat Chlamydia psittaci-infections in pet birds, especially psittacines. While available injectable solutions, due to their viscous consistency and comparatively high application volume, often cause muscle necrosis in birds, the insufficient water solubility of doxycycline formulations obtainable for poultry and the inconsistent uptake of medicated drinking water in psittacines from often arid environmental origins rendered the application of doxycycline via drinking water difficult for a long time. For some time now, the first doxycycline compound (doxycyclin-t (R)) for water application in the treatment of avian chlamydiosis has been approved in homing pigeons. Against the background of the problematic application of injectable solutions and the stress-reducing option of water medication, the study aim was to test both compatibility and palatability of this novel doxycycline-compound in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). In a controlled clinical study 18 budgerigars (6 birds per group) were dosed with doxycyclin-t (R) 40, 80 or 160 mg doxycycline/kg body mass (BM)*day (d), respectively for 14 days via the drinking water. An excellent palatability of the applied doxycycline compound could be verified for both the low and medium dosage. In contrast, budgerigars did not accept the highly dosed solution (160 mg/kg BM), hence the study was discontinued in this group. Birds receiving low and medium doses were clinically healthy throughout the entire study. Solely biochemistry and hematological results showed certain changes potentially hinting at reactions to the applied doxycycline; however, values were within reference ranges for the most part. Thus, the low-stress application of doxycyclin-t (R) via drinking water for treatment of bacterial diseases sensitive to doxycycline seems possible and recommendable in budgerigars.

• 出版日期2018-4