How To Give Medication To A Pet Bird

 How To Give Medication To A Pet Bird

Administering medication to a bird can be frightening. If it is not administered or fed properly, it may enter the nasal track and cause complications. What is the right way to hold the bird without causing much distress?

Birds can be difficult to medicate. They do not take pills well; they can find and spit out cleverly hidden tablets in food; and they can be quite a challenge to hold while trying to administer medication.

Administering medications to birds can be challenging and stressful to everyone involved. For many bird owners, the thought of administering medications brings up images of capturing their frightened or aggressive bird who is rarely handled, wrapping him in a towel, forcing foul-tasting medications into their beak, and possibly getting bitten for their efforts.

Rough handling can severely damage the relationship between bird owners and their feathered companions, which can affect bird and human quality of life in multiple ways. If birds do not receive necessary medications, their health can suffer, and if the human-animal bond is damaged or destroyed, owner and bird no longer interact pleasantly.

Because many parrots are hand fed as babies, it is easy to teach young birds to take liquid medications from a syringe; it is an extension of a behavior that they already know. However, most bird owners delay this type of training until their bird is an adult and faced with a health problem. Thankfully, there are multiple ways to teach adult birds to voluntarily take medications from a syringe.

If the bird is not afraid of syringes and is willing to investigate the tip of the syringe with their beak, you can put a liquid treat such as fruit juice in the syringe – many birds will eagerly take the juice from the syringe. Intermittently, switch out with a less tasty liquid but then follow it up with the tasty juice. As long as the bird knows their favorite treat is going to follow, they will often willingly take the less desirable liquid.

The other common way to train this behavior is through shaping, which is an excellent option for birds who are initially frightened of syringes. Shaping is the process of reinforcing small steps toward a desired behavior. For example, you start rewarding the bird for looking at the syringe when it is still quite a distance from the bird. You want to make sure the syringe is far enough away from the bird to not evoke a fear response.

Appropriate rewards (also known as reinforcers) could be food, desired touch, access to toys, or access to a favorite person – whatever the bird finds appealing. Once the bird is consistently earning desired consequences for looking at the syringe, move the syringe a little closer to the bird (or reward the bird for moving toward the syringe). Continue reinforcing this behavior for a period of time until the bird willingly looks or moves toward the syringe without showing any signs of discomfort.

Gradually, over time and several training sessions, move the syringe closer and closer to the bird through small approximations. Reward the bird for not showing fear responses. Be careful not to move so quickly that you evoke a fear response. This process is called systematic desensitization and counterconditioning.

Once the syringe is getting close to the bird, carefully and gradually move a food item behind the tip of the syringe, so the bird must move past the syringe to access the food treat. Eventually the bird will bump into the tip of the syringe, either out of curiosity or by accident. Reinforce this heavily, then add it to your criteria for receiving a favorite food item.

When the bird consistently touches the tip of the syringe with the beak, you can put some water or juice in the syringe. Often this means taking several steps back in the shaping process because the syringe looks different. However, it usually takes less time to build back up your criteria than it did originally. Once the bird is reliably touching the tip of the syringe again, you can put a drop of the liquid in the mouth. Many parrots will shake their heads and be startled when this happens for the first time. Pair this with a significant reward. Reduce your criteria again and build back up to the drop of liquid. Then increase your criteria to require multiple drops of liquid to be administered.

If the bird is reliably taking water or juice from a syringe, switch out the liquid for something more bitter, such as dilute apple cider vinegar, and repeat the training process. Always follow accepting fluid from the syringe with some desired reinforcer, such as food (nuts, millet, fruit, juice, etc.), toys, or other pleasant experience.

While this may sound complicated, many bird owners are able to train this behavior in just a few 5- to 15-minute training sessions. Having confidence that they will be able to compassionately and effectively medicate their birds if necessary is a huge relief for them. You can do it, too!

Feeding Oral Medication to a Bird

When you notice the bird is sick, the first thing you should do is take it to the vet and get a checkup done. It is always advisable to avoid self medication, especially if the illness looks severe. Once the vet diagnoses the illness and prescribes the necessary medication, ask him the best way to feed it to the bird. Also remember that, if it is the first time you are feeding medicine to the bird, it may be a little complicated.

Preparation

➙ Ask the vet about the time, frequency, and dosage of medication to be administered. Ask if there are any potential side effects, and how should you prepare for the same.

➙ Shake the medicine before use, and follow any other instruction given by the vet. Use a syringe to feed the medication. Draw medicine into the syringe immediately after you shake it.

➙ Now, draw the recommended dose from the bottle. (Remember, the syringe should not have the needle on it!)

➙ If you see any trapped air bubbles, lightly flick the syringe to get rid of them. It is advisable to use a small syringe, as it is easier to handle, plus the dosage readings will be easy to understand and measure.

Administration

➙ As discussed above, the first time is always going to be a little difficult. But understanding a few techniques and what suits your bird the most can help. Know that each bird is different, so one universal method may not be of help for some. You will have to observe and probably make changes accordingly.

➙ As you get master the skill of feeding medication, the bird will also polish its escaping skills. So be prepared. Most importantly, do not lose your cool.

➙ Choose a place in which your comfortable with feeding medication. Make sure there are no major obstacles that may cause injury or pain when feeding the bird.

➙ Hold the bird in a towel, this will provide a better grip too. Make sure the fabric of the towel has just enough friction, and the birds claws do not get stuck in it. Make sure the cloth is perfectly, yet gently, wrapped around the bird. The bird should be able to breathe well, so do not wrap it very tightly. Use you hands and fingers to get a comfortable grip of the bird in the towel, or manipulate his head or beak. Ensure that the bird does not feel too warm or hot, and can breathe easily.

➙ If you want, you can hold the bird without the towel. You will need to place your palm on either side of the bird. Place you thumb on the side of the bird closest to you, like the cheeks, chest or the beak. Now place your index finger below the chest or the beak, on the side that is away from you. Wrap your fingers around the bird for a comfortable grip.

➙ One can also administer the medicine to the bird while in the cage. So, if you are lucky, you will simply have to manipulate the head of the bird, with your fingers, to open its beak.

➙ Hold the syringe on the left side of the bird’s beak. It should be pointed inside, towards the right side of the bird’s throat. Only the tip of the syringe should be inside the bird’s mouth. Now slowly inject the medicine into the bird’s mouth.

➙ If the bird is readily drinking it, continue injecting with an even pressure. If the bird hesitates, go slow, allow it to gulp down the initial drops, and then start again.

After Care

➙ Wipe the bird well after feeding him the medicine. Use a soft cloth dipped in warm water, gently wipe its feathers and the beak.

➙ Comfort the bird. Most birds get stressed with the whole procedure of medication. So give it some warmth, and let it relax. Spend time with your bird. Talk or play with it. You may also consider offering it a treat.

Important tips

➙ Birds do not have a diaphragm, they simply rely on the expansion and fall of their chest to breathe. When you hold the bird, make sure the grip is not too tight.

➙ You will need to use of fingers and hands to move its head and beak if your bird gets uncomfortable. You can also use the syringe to force open its beak if it refuses to open it.

➙ Make sure that your bird is swallowing the liquid. Do not inject all the medicine in the syringe at once. If the bird is taking time to swallow, stop squeezing and start again only when it has swallowed some.

➙ Injecting or feeding too quickly may cause the bird to choke, the medicine may spill out of its beak or, even worse, cause difficulty in breathing.

➙ You could also lift the bird’s upper mandible, to help open its beak. Also if, the bird’s head is slightly lifted, swallowing becomes easier, and the bird will not spit out the medicine.

In most cases, the bird will drink the medicine without major hassles. But, for any other confusion, and if medication is causing both, you and the bird a lot of discomfort and stress, consider visiting a vet. Every bird has a unique temperament. You will know what suits your bird the best.

Adding Medicine to the Drinking Water

Adding medications to drinking water is controversial but sometimes is the only practical method available, especially in aviaries. The goal is that the bird will self medicate throughout the day as he periodically drinks water.

There are several disadvantages of this method. The first disadvantage is that not all drugs can be placed in drinking water. Some drugs make the water bitter or bad tasting and the bird will not drink. Instead of a sick bird, you may have a sick and dehydrated bird. Some birds may even refuse to drink the water if the medication changed the color of the water. Another disadvantage is that the water and medication mixture must be prepared fresh daily.

Adding Medicine to the Food

Adding medication to food is another method. It is more reliable than the water method, especially if you are able to hide the medication in a favorite treat. Usually, liquid mediations, crushed tablets or the contents of a capsule are mixed in the food. As the bird eats, the medication is ingested.

The disadvantages are that some birds won’t eat the food with medication since the medication can alter the taste of the food. Medication can be difficult to properly mix with the food. You may need to add water to make the medication moist. This will help adhere the medication to the food pieces.

If there is more than one bird in the cage, both may receive medication. If the healthy bird is dominant, he may ingest most of the medication and the sick bird may receive very little.

Giving Liquid Medicine

The most reliable method of medicating your bird is through administration of liquid medications directly to the bird. Most oral suspensions are well liked by birds, especially if flavored.

The procedure to give liquid medication to your bird includes:

• Draw up the prescribed amount of medication in an oral syringe or eye dropper.
• To administer oral medications, begin by removing the bird from the cage.
• Wrap him in a soft towel. Make sure his wings and feet are not exposed.
• Once restrained, allow the bird to calm down before beginning to give the medication.
• Place the tip of the eyedropper or oral syringe just inside the beak. The bird may begin to bite at the tip.
• After the tip has been placed in the beak, slowly administer the medication. Allow your bird to swallow frequently. Giving the medication too quickly may result in aspiration pneumonia or even death.
  You may notice medication coming out of the nostrils. Don’t panic.This does not mean your bird aspirated. Stop giving the medication and allow your bird to calm down. Try to contact your veterinarian to explain what occurred. If you cannot contact your veterinarian, don’t administer any more medication at that time. Still give the next prescribed dose at the proper time.
• After administering the medication, give your bird a treat. This can help alleviate some of the fear and stress involved and can help make future attempts at medication administration go smoother.

Giving Injectable Medication

• Another method of medication delivery is through repeated injections. This is not a very common method due to repeated stress on the bird, pain and other alternatives available.

 Therapeutic Techniques of Birds

Birds have high metabolic rates that generally require more frequent administration of higher doses than those used in mammals. In addition, fluid, nutritional and temperature support are critical. A heat and humidity controlled incubator with humidifier/nebuliser attached is particularly useful in avian practice.

Birds are acutely sensitive to the toxic effects of medications and it is imperative that an accurate body weight is obtained prior to and during therapy.

Many of the pharmacokinetic studies have been undertaken using poultry and other domesticated avian species. While an increasing number of exotic species pharmacokinetic studies are being undertaken, there are currently relatively few drug studies involving even fewer exotic species. Therefore, in many cases it is necessary to extrapolate from one species to another, either directly or by allometric scaling.

A number of pharmaceutical difficulties arise from the fact that the vast majority of drugs are not specifically marketed for avian species. Thus, factors such as the relatively small size of birds versus the concentration of drugs in available dosage forms, the relatively small muscle mass for intramuscular injections and the unique structure of the digestive and respiratory systems are an added dimension for consideration when attempting to develop optimum drug dosage regimes for birds.

The most commonly used routes of drug administration to birds are orally (i.e., in water, in feed, by syringe, by oesophageal feeding tube) or parenterally (i.e., intraosseous, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous). Intravenous and intraosseous routes are commonly employed for irritant drugs and in emergencies, e.g., critical care fluid therapy. Other practically useful methods of drug administration include nebulization, therapeutic implants and endoscopic remote injection techniques.

DRUG ADMINISTRATION

Topical

Birds do not tolerate topical medications particularly well. Oil based creams cause feather disruption and matting and most birds will groom their plumage until all medication is removed. Dangers of gastro-intestinal and systemic side effects from the ingestion of topical medications definitely exist. In cases where topical treatment is essential it is wise to consider bandaging and temporary restraint techniques (e.g., reduced lighting and neck collars).

Oral

In-feed and in-water medications are only really practical on a large scale. Sick birds may eat and drink less and so this method is less reliable and generally not preferred for treating individual patients.

Most birds will attempt to bite an advancing syringe and low volume medication can be easily administered by this method, particularly by owners. For larger volumes it is advisable to administer drugs via a metal or rubber feeding tube placed down the oesophagus, avoiding the glottis and trachea, and into the crop.

a) For crop tubing a psittacine, hold the bird upright with the neck in extension. b) The tube is passed through the left side of the oral cavity and down the oesophagus in the right side of the pharyngeal cavity. The tip of the tube should be palpated to ensure that it is in the crop before delivering fluids or feeding formula. 1-trachea, 2-oesophagus, 3-crop, 4-laryngeal mound, 5-rima glottis, 6-tongue.

For more critical cases involving disease of the mouth, oesophagus, crop or proventriculus, a soft rubber feeding catheter can be surgically placed, transcutaneously, into the proximal oesophagus and down into the proventriculus or ventriculus.

Subcutaneous

Subcutaneous injection is seldom used due to slow update and less dependable pharmacokinetics. Exceptions include the administration of certain vaccines (e.g., polyoma, pox).

Intramuscular

Usually the parenteral route of choice because of dependable pharmacokinetics and rapid uptake. The most common injection sites are the major pectoral (breast) muscles and the iliotibialis (craniolateral thigh) muscles of the pelvic limbs.

Intravenous

Jugular, basilic and medial metatarsal veins are commonly used for intravenous injections. Avian veins tend to be fragile and damage easily. Therefore catheterisation should be considered if frequent access is required. In addition, the ulnar nerve travels alongside the basilic vein and should be carefully avoided.

Intraosseous

Intraosseous catheters are technically easier to place and maintain than intravenous catheters. The distal ulnar and proximal tibia are preferred sites. Care is required to avoid all potentially pneumatized bones including the humerus and femur.

Technique for placing an intraosseous catheter in the distal ulnar. a) The thumb is placed in the centre of the ulnar (1) as a guide. b) The catheter is inserted slightly ventral to the dorsal condyle of the distal ulnar (2). The radius (3) and radial carpal bone (4) can be used for orientation. c) The catheter is sutured or taped in place.

Nebulisation

Respiratory diseases are often complicated by resistant bacteria and fungal infections requiring the use of potentially nephrotoxic antimicrobial drugs. The aerosolisation of these drugs into a fine mist (with particles less than 3 µm in diameter) appears to be beneficial (e.g., amikacin 50 mg in 10 ml saline, amphoteracin B 100 mg in 15 ml saline). Most nebulised drugs (e.g., amikacin, amphoteracin B) are poorly absorbed across the respiratory epithelium, and therefore systemic toxic effects appear less likely. Nebulization should always be combined with systemic therapy.

Special Techniques

The use of fine diameter rigid telescopes (Avian and Exotic Endoscopy, Karl Storz Veterinary Endoscopy) has revolutionized avian medicine. In addition, fine injection/aspiration needles permit the endoscopic administration of drugs directly onto or into a lesion. For example, air sac granulomas are usually resistant to antimicrobial therapy and must be debrided before the local application of antimicrobials via the endoscope.

The use of antibiotic impregnated polymethylmethacrylate beads has also been useful for the treatment of osteomyelitis and chronic cellulitis. Aminoglycoside beads are generally preferred and should only be placed following extensive surgical debridement. Beads should be removed once infection has been controlled.

DRUGS AND DOSAGES

Limited space prevents the inclusion of a drug formulary but readers are directed to the references for specific drugs and dosages.

 Ways to give medications to chickens & other birds

How to give chickens medicine orally by mouth
These “force-feeding” or “gavage” methods can also be used to feed soft food or supplemented liquids to a sick bird that is starving or weak from not eating enough.

*Note: Some Injectible forms of some medications may be given by mouth instead of injection if you prefer. Research online or ask a vet.

Giving LIQUID or SOFT medications or food orally

Medicine can be given orally down the throat via a human syringe, which you can buy at a pharmacy for people. A 1-cc size syringe is best for accurate, small measurements. If the syringe comes with a needle, be sure it is a kind that can be removed.

• Syringes sold at feed stores tend to be larger, so they are more difficult to use if you need to measure small doses accurately.
• To “tube-feed” bigger quantities of food, you can use a medium or large syringe and attach several inches of flexible fish aquarium tubing (Beforehand, use a match to slightly melt the tip so it will be smoother and won’t scrape the chicken’s throat). 

1. If the bottle has a removable lid:

1. • Remove the needle from the syringe & discard the needle.
   • Place the medicine bottle in a stable, slightly larger container (such as an empty tin can) that will help keep it from tipping over & spilling.
   • Open the medicine bottle & insert the (needle-less) syringe.  Pull the plunger back to draw the appropriate amount of medicine into the syringe. Remove syringe from bottle.
2. Place the bird on your lap and restrain it in your arms.
3. [These suggestions on how to position your hands are approximate. Experiment with what works best for you.] Put your left hand to the side of the chicken’s head, with the thumb behind its head/neck. Be careful that you don’t press against the bird’s eyes.
4. Take your right forefinger, and push it against the side of the bird’s beak until it opens its mouth. If you’re right-handed, when the bird opens its mouth, push the forefinger of your left hand in across the mouth from side to side inside the beak and keep it there so your finger acts as a wedge to keep the mouth open.
   • The bird will STRONGLY resist this. Patiently persist. Once you have your finger put in place, within a few seconds the bird will suddenly stop squirming & sit still.
   • Birds mostly try to open their mouths to get away from your finger. They rarely bite hard while you do this, and they can’t bite as hard with their beak in this wide open position.
5. Tilt the bird’s head back so the beak almost points skyward; then the throat passage will be straight & it will be easy to insert the syringe.
6. Hold the syringe in your right hand and gently slide it past the breathing hole (that is on the floor of the mouth on the back part of the tongue area) and on down the very back of the throat (which is the passage for swallowing). Slide the syringe far in (almost halfway down the throat) to be sure no medicine ends up going down the air hole. Be gentle so you don’t scrape the sides of the throat.
   • This sounds intimidatingly risky, but it is actually VERY EASY to see and slide in the right area safely.
7. Depress the plunger on the syringe to dispense the medicine.
8. Withdraw the syringe from the bird’s throat & take your finger out of the bird’s beak.
9. Hold the bird so its side is close against your body so it can feel secure & burrow its head into your arm.
   • Many birds will also be comforted and reassured by the following: With one hand, hold your fingers flat & pat the bird’s outside wing/side in a gentle thumping way to reassure & comfort it.
   • You can tell the bird is feeling more relaxed when it closes its eyes, makes chewing motions, and then makes gentle exhaling noises each time it breathes out. (Note: This is different that the open-mouth breathing a bird may do when in pain, or panting it may do when overheated.)

Giving SOLID medications orally (such as a pill)

A small pill or portion of a larger pill can be pushed down the throat. Follow the steps above, except instead of using a syringe, hold the pill in your fingers.

How to mix in Drinking Water:

Note: Some injectible forms of some medications are also suitable for mixing into drinking water.

• Some medications and supplements taste bad and even thirsty birds will resist drinking it. To make it more tasty, you can mix in something sweet. Xylitol sweetener (available in health food section or baking sweeteners section at grocery store) is ideal since it doesn’t foster the growth of internal fungi. [Cautions: Too much xylitol will cause diarrhea in birds. Also, keep dogs away from xylitol because it can be DEADLY to them.] Fruit juice and/or sugar can be used if that is all that is available.
• The effectiveness of some medications is reduced if they are combined with specific minerals. If you are giving a medication like this, you can use distilled water or water that has gone through reverse osmosis for the birds’ drinking water.
• The effectiveness of some medications decreases over time after they are added to water. If you are giving such a medicine, mix up a fresh batch as frequently as indicated in the package instructions.

How to Give Injections

• “People” needles have much finer, sharper tips. “Animal” needles are suited for larger livestock.
• The plungers on “people” syringes slide much more smoothly. “Animal” syringes tend to stick and then suddenly slide jerkily, which can cause you to accidentally squirt too much medicine or inject it too quickly.
• “People” syringes are usually smaller. The plunger travels further through a thinner tube with measurements marks further apart, so you can more accurately see and control the small amounts of medicine you are injecting.
• For thick medicines, a “Luer Lock” type syringe is ideal because it holds the needle tightly onto the syringe and is less likely for the needle to fall off under pressure.
• Note: Do not buy the ~30-gauge diabetic needles. The needles cannot be removed on many of them, and are too thin for many uses.

If you must use an “animal” needle, never use one that is 20-gauge or thicker

(thicker = lower gauge number) intramuscularly on any bird!!

1. Choose correct size of syringe (plastic injection tube with markings for dose amounts)

• “cc”or “ml” numbers relate to the amount of fluid a syringe can hold.
  • Note: 1 ml = 1 cc
• A small syringe is needed for accuracy for injections for chickens. A size between 1 and 3 cc is optimal.

1. Choose correct size of needle. You need to know the correct thickness and length.
   • Thickness of needle

“Gauge” or “ga” numbers relate to the needle’s diameter thickness. HIGHER gauge numbers = thinner needles.

(Ex.: 25-gauge is thinner than 16-gauge.)

Dull, thick needles can potentially cause great pain and damage to chickens, especially if used intramuscularly.

When possible, use one needle solely for drawing medicine from bottle, and use different needle(s) for injecting into chickens. This saves injection needle from getting dulled by the bottle’s rubber stopper / lid.

Gauge size for drawing medicines into syringe

1. • • Thick needles are easiest and quickest for drawing medicines, though thinner needles can be used.
     • Exception: If you are administering a medicine containing particles, the needle for drawing medicine from the bottle should be the same thickness as the needle used for the injection. This prevents overly large particles from being drawn up into the syringe through a large needle & then clogging up a thinner needle used for an injection.

Gauge size for injecting medicine into a chicken

1. • • 24-gauge to 26-gauge needles are usually best for injections for chickens. 28-gauge to 30-gauge needles may be used if medicine isn’t too thick.
       • Note: If you are administering medicine with floating particles such as Penicillin, you NEED to use a somewhat thicker but not too thick needle for injecting to enable particles to fit through the needle. A good size is a 20-gauge “people” needle, or 22-gauge “animal” needle.
   • Length of needle

“Inch” numbers relate to the length of the needle.

1. • • • Intramuscular injection: 1/2 to 5/8 inch needles are good. If you use a longer needle, be careful to not insert too deep–this can be tricky if chicken is squirming.
       • Subcutaneous injection:  5/8 to 1 1/4 inch are easiest to handle for these.
2. Prepare the medicine
   • Pull any rubber cap off medicine bottle, and pull off the thin metal circle on the center of the bottle’s rubber stopper.
     • Check for and follow any instructions about shaking bottle, bringing medicine to room temperature, etc.
3. Use separate needle to draw medicine into syringe.
   • • Take first needle (which can be a thick one) for drawing medicine. Pull the short cover if there is one off the base end of the needle, & press the base end onto the tip of syringe. Pull the long needle cover off the needle tip end.
     • Poke the tip of the “drawing” needle all the way through the center of the medicine bottle’s rubber stopper. Turn the bottle upside down. Pull back the plunger until mark for desired amount of medicine is reached. Pull needle out of bottle.
       • • If suction inside bottle seems to restrict flow of medicine, you can draw some air into the syringe, insert the needle into the bottle & then expel the air inside to create pressure that will help as you then pull back the plunger to draw out medicine.
           • Caution: This is not advised if needle or syringe has been used before. If you insert air or press on the syringe’s plunger when needle is inside bottle, contamination from them may get injected into bottle.
     • Pull syringe’s plunger back to suck in medicine out of drawing needle, plus a little air. Put long needle cover back on needle. Gently twist and pull base of needle to remove it from syringe.
     • Hold the syringe with the tip pointing up in one hand. With the other hand, tap the side of the syringe a few times to make any air bubbles float up to the tip. Then gently press plunger until air has been expelled from tip.
4. Attach the injection needle.
   • • Take a second, thin needle for injecting. If there is a short cover off the base end, pull it off. Press the base end onto the tip of syringe. Pull the long needle cover off the needle.
     • Point needle upwards. Gently push the plunger on syringe until medicine starts to drip out. Then stop.
5. Use correct administration to inject medicine.

Injections of antibiotics, vaccines, or other fluids can be helpful in some treatments. Some should be given subcutaneously (just under the skin), some intramuscularly (in the muscle), and very few intravenously (in a blood vein). The label on most medicines will tell you which injection method to use.

Notes for ALL injection types:

 

• To minimize wiggling, you can lay the chicken on its back or partly on its side and gently hold it between your thighs.This position calms most birds after a few moments. It is best if you have a footstool to prop your feet up on.
• At the injection site, spread the feathers apart so you have clear access to skin.
  • Do not twist large feathers out of place too much.The base of the quill of a feather is attached under the skin, and too much twisting will cause pain, damage & bleeding under the skin.
  • You can dampen the fluffy feathers around the spot where you are going to inject, so they don’t float around as much. This will REALLYhelp you see through the feathers down to the skin better, which is especially helpful with subcutaneous injections. Use a spray bottle to lightly mist the feathers, or a damp cloth.
  • You can choose if you want to try to clean area with alcohol–Many people don’t. If you do, the bird will likely feel a sting from the alcohol when you poke a needle through the skin.
• The tip of a needle is slanted. For least damage and pain, rotate the needle so the longest edge of the tip is angled toward the place on body where the needle will go in.
• To minimize soreness and any scarring, try to avoid giving injections too often in one location. Alternate giving one time on left side, next time on right, etc.

SUBCUTANEOUS injection

1. • • Least painful for chicken (Chicken’s skin layer sensitivity is different from humans’). Slowest and most even rate of absorption. Possibly lower potency during distribution. Distributes medicine over longest period of time. Can be a little tricky to do–It can be hard to find a spot with loose enough skin.
     • Good locations:
     • EASIEST LOCATION: Just in front of the bird’s leg or in the groove just inside the front of the leg. Push the leg a little forward to help skin in area to be loose. You can lay the bird on its back & gently grip
     • In the lower third of the back of the neck.
       • • Do not twist the base of large feathers around too much, nor poke the needle into the base of a feather.
         • Be sure the needle points more forward than down, to avoid poking the lungs are located in the body below the neck.
       • Near the underside of the wing in the bird’s “wingpit” (similar to armpit).
         • Be careful to not pull really hard in this area, or muscles & membranes can get damaged.

 

1. 1. • How to inject: Gently grab loose skin & feathers between your thumb and forefinger. Lift the “pinch-hold” at an angle slightly away from chicken’s body to create a little “tent” of empty space under the raised skin.
        • • CAUTION: Do not pull feathers or skin away from the bird really hard, or you will tear the connecting membranes beneath the skin and cause internal bleeding.

1. 1. • • Look for and try to avoid hitting any veins, tissues or masses.
        • Poke the needle just through the skin in line with the “ridge” of the “tent” (If you poke across the “tent”, the needle will likely poke out of the skin on the other side.
        • Before pushing in medicine, pull the syringe’s plunger backward a tiny bit to check to make sure you have not accidentally hit a vein.
        • If blood appears in the syringe, withdraw the needle, and try for a different spot that isn’t close by. (If you try to use a spot close to the first spot, medicine may leak out of the chicken’s body through the first puncture hole.)
        • Slowly depress plunger until dose of medicine you want to give is administered. (Watch measurement marks on side of syringe, or fill syringe with only desired dose.)

1. 1. • When you withdraw: Pull the needle out quickly and press a finger on the injection site. Gently massage the area for a minute or two to help spread medicine away from the hole and minimize leaking of medicine.

INTRAMUSCULAR injection

1. • • Easier to find good injection site. Likely to cause muscle soreness: may cause limping if injection site is in leg, or some reluctance to move or eat if in neck. Rate of absorption of medicine is faster than with subcutaneous injection but slower that with intravenous injection.
     • If giving injections into a muscle (such as breast), alternate between giving in the muscle on left side of body one day, and the one on the right side the next day. This will help minimize muscle damage that can commonly happen with injections, and also reduce soreness.
     • Good locations: About 1/4 inch deep in the muscle in the chicken’s thigh, or in the breast muscle a little to the left or right of the center bone (keel bone).
       • Note: The breast muscles are further toward the tail of the chicken than you might think. With your finger, follow the ‘V’-line made by the top of the chicken’s ribcage in the middle of its chest. The dip point in the center is the tip of its keel bone. The breast muscles where you want to inject are the area BELOW that point, as you move down the chicken’s body.
     • How to inject: Insert end of needle about 1/4 inch deep in the muscle. Pull the syringe’s plunger backward a tiny bit just prior to injecting. If blood appears in the syringe, withdraw the needle, and try for a different spot.  Then slowly depress plunger until dose of medicine you want to give is administered. (Watch measurement marks on side of syringe, or fill syringe with only desired dose.)
     • When you withdraw: Pull the needle out quickly and press a finger on the injection hole for a minute to prevent leaking of blood or medicine. Gently press down and massage muscle to help medicine spread well and to help minimize soreness.

INTRAVENOUS injection

1. • • Integrates medicine very quickly into chicken’s system, but maintains it there for only short period of time. Higher risk of medication overdose. Needle insertion is painful to chicken and may cause soreness. Risk of excessive bleeding and vein damage.
2. Clean up supplies.
   • • You can clean and re-use a syringe, and a needle that is used only to draw medicine from a bottle (unless you are using a medicine that reacts with water).
       • Rinse them out immediately after initial use. Prior to re-use, disinfect by drawing rubbing alcohol into syringe then attaching needle & squirting some inside it, and dribble some on outside of needle. Let soak 15 mins. Then rinse out with water so no alcohol remains to cause sting.
     • It is not generally advised to re-use needles used for injection, because of the  risk of accidentally mixing medicines, spreading disease between birds, & bacterial contamination; plus the needle tip gets dulled each time it’s inserted and a dull tip is painful and more likely to cause damage to the chicken’s body.
     • Safeguard against accidental punctures from used needles, immediately after injection.
       • Put the needle cover back over the tip, or tape masking tape over the tip. Put needle in a semi-rigid container (such as a yogurt container) that you have labeled “Used Needles”. Tape it shut and throw it out with your normal trash.

 Disclaimer: This content, is intended to provide only general information to the readers. It is not a replacement for a qualified medical opinion. For more details, always consult a specialist or your doctor.

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

Image-Courtesy-Google

Reference-On Request.