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Budgie with coccidia

My Question: I have a three month old budgie who has been diagnosed with coccidia. My avian vet has seen him and prescribed baycox and baytril. I have used the baycox as follows: 2 days on, 5 days off, two days on. baytril was used for ten days as he was very poorly and we nearly lost him (also fed him with critical care formula). I finally was able to let him back in the aviary on Sunday as he is very much better and has his appetite back. The problem is that he has got undigested seed in his droppings again -this was one of the first signs of the coccidia infection. Should I use the baycox again for two days, and how long can I safely go on using it this way? Otherwise he is not showing any ill signs.

At least in the United States, coccidiosis is comparatively uncommonly diagnosed in the Budgerigar. In other parts of the globe, however, this can be seen more often, however. Australia is one example where this diagnosis may be more common. Baycox is the brand name of the drug Toltrazuril, which is active on the intracellular phase of infection, usually requiring a very short two day treatment period. Passage of undigested seed in the droppings is an uncommon clinical sign that would be linked to Coccidiosis. The broad spectrum antibiotic, Baytril (Enrofloxacin) has no activity against this parasite (coccidia). In general, I would suggest that you ask your veterinarian to repeat a physical examination on your young budgie, and to consider screening for intestinal parasites, Gastric Yeast (Macrorhabdus) and other more likely explanations for the clinical signs you see.

About Brian Speer, DVM

Avian veterinarian Dr. Brian Speer was raised in a small town on California’s coast. He received his BS in Biology from California Polytechnic State University in 1978, and his DVM degree from the University of California at Davis in 1983.

An active member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), Dr. Speer is a much sought after guest speaker and has presented at numerous conferences in the avicultural and zoological communities both within the United States and abroad. He is well published in the AAV annual proceedings, has served as guest editor for the journal Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, the Veterinary Clinics of North America, and authored chapters in several recent veterinary medical texts on pet bird, avicultural and ratite medical topics. In 1995 he co-authored the extensive avicultural reference, The Large Macaws, and helped to co-author Birds for Dummies in 1999.

Since 1989, Dr, Speer has run a “bird’s only” practice in the San Francisco Bay area and is the President and Director of The Medical Center for Birds. He is a consultant for The Veterinary Information Network (Avian Medical Boards) and the Maui Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. In 2003 he was the recipient of the Lafeber award for excellence in private practice of avian medicine and surgery and in 2006, was named Speaker of the Year for the North American Veterinary Conference.