DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is commonly used to treat inflammation and is applied topically. This can be especially helpful if you need to target a specific area of your starling bird (say, the leg). It is easily absorbed by the skin. DMSO is a by-product of paper making (wood). It’s used as an industrial solvent and as an anti-inflammatory since the mid-20th century. [Read more…]

Oral Antibiotics

Amoxicillin

Amoxicillin (and ampicillin) are effective against many gram postive and some gram negtive bacteria. Most of the infections that birds have are gram negative, so penicillin based products won’t work with most infections. Amoxicillin (penicillin based) is used for cat bites in birds with good results, as Pasteruella is a gram positive bacteria.

The penicillin antibiotics have limited use in birds except for Pasteurella infections. For cat bites, Amoxicillian is a better choice to use, not because it works any better but because the less we use Baytril (see below), the better chance we have of not causing a resistant bacteria to develop.

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