# Appertex vs. Albon



## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Does anyone here have an opinion on using Appertex vs. Albon for treating coccidia? Is one Appertex usually enough to eliminate an infection?

Thanks!
Jennifer


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Never really thought about it since I don't have either one. Sorta'. I've got sulfa drugs, which are what Albon is based on. They've never not worked. I've also used Amprolium (Corid) in the water and it always works, too. Coccidiosis is a fairly easy to manage disease, although you can never completely get rid of it. I've always used multiple-day treatments on the birds that have had it and they're usually in pretty bad shape. I have to wonder if Appertex is packaged more for birds at the onset of the thing instead of a feral that's doggone near dying of it.

Pidgey


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Ah. I wondered partially because Albon is one of those drugs that is very expensive to buy. What about dosing Corid individually? Or using Appertex for several days, the way we do with Spartrix?

Which are the other sulfa drugs that would work?

Thanks,
Jennifer


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

The cheapest sulfa that comes to mind is Sulmet. You get it in a pretty good sized bottle and dose it in their water, although if you do the math, you could easily put it down them with a syringe. It's about 12.5% sulfa-somethingorother-azine. Trimethoprim/Sulfas like Divet, Bactrim, SulfaTrim, SMZ-TMP (or the other way around--I can never remember!) will do the same thing. I'm sure there are even fish sulfas for aquariums that you can buy.

Pidgey


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Sulmet works very well for us. We also have Albon but have yet to use it. We just put the Sulmet in their drinking water.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

jenfer said:


> Does anyone here have an opinion on using Appertex vs. Albon for treating coccidia? Is one Appertex usually enough to eliminate an infection?
> 
> Thanks!
> Jennifer



Jennifer, the reason that some vets choose Albon over other sulpha medications is that is stays in the bloodstream longer than other sulpha medications used in treating coccidia. Albon is also used in treating some respiratory conditions. I never thought of it as expensive, check out this link:

http://nepigeonsupplies.com/catalog.php?category=Antibiotics

Scroll down the page to find Albon, it's sold at this site for $11.70 for a 16oz.

I sometimes use Diclazuril initially when taking in a rescue just to 'knock' the
coccidia population down quickly while I continue addressing other issues. In a bird that has a very bad case of Coccidial overburden, one
may have to treat the bird for the normal time range on a sulpha med, then
rest and follow up again w/another round of medication. So, as mentioned,
a one time shot would most likely be inadequate in a bird severely infected.

Sulmet is good for coccidial overburdens and is also good for bad gut bacteria. Choosing which med to use on a given rescue is frequently determined by the specifics of the individual bird's health issues.

fp


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

fp,

Thanks for the link. The Albon I've been using is this one: http://www.pfizerah.com/product_overview.asp?drug=AO&country=US&lang=EN&species=CN

which costs around $54/16 oz online. It's nice to have other options. How much of the 12% Albon makes up a dose for the average-sized pigeon?

Jennifer


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

The bottle I have is most likely 're-packaged' by the pigeon supply house as they frequently do and they put their own lablel on it w/pigeon doses. It is
12-1/2% and the dose rate is 2tbsp per gallon of water for 6 days to be followed w/vitamins and lactobacillus. The nice thing about the product coming in the original packaging is that minor detail called the 'expiration date'. But at what looks to be the range of only 1/5th the price of the one in the original packaging, you could afford to purchase the med, new, yearly, lol.

fp


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Do you use it for individual treatment, though? I'm not a fan of water treatments because I can never be sure how much the bird is getting, although I suppose one could simply do continual gram stains to check.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Yes, I understand that dilemna and I've given Albon in the water and mixed
for oral syringing. If you think the bird isn't drinking enough you could syringe
some medicated water in addition to leaving the medicated water out.
According to Exotic Companion Medicine Handbook in the Pigeon section,
the water consumption for a pigeon per day is "30-60ml (depending on environmental temperature); 5-8% of body weight." 
And from this site:

http://myweb.cableone.net/searl/IWC/Selected Diseases of Racing Pigeons.htm

Gordon Chalmers states:

"Dosage Range: Many of the drugs give you a dosage range. This is done for 2 reasons:

1. The lower dose may be used in mild infections but the higher dose may be needed in more severe infections.

2. Since most drugs are given in the water, the amount of the drug a pigeon gets varies with how much water he drinks. We assumed that in hot weather 30 birds drink a gallon/day and in cold weather 60 birds drink a gallon per day. The low dose is figured on the 30 bird/day consumption level and the high dose on the 60 bird/day consumption level. This is a very important principle to keep in mind with the more toxic drugs such as dimetridazole (Emtryl)."

Some folks measure how much is placed in the water bowl and how much is
there when taken out to make sure the bird is drinking.

fp


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