# Fungus among us



## Columbidae (Sep 4, 2006)

Hello all,

I have a recurring need for a good but gentle intestinal anti-fungal treatment that won't produce untoward side effects in pigeons. [I am not referring to yeasts such as Candida.] What is your favorite remedy?

Typical situation...
I am treating a feral pidgey with Cephalexin. On day one, he has a heavy Gram negative bacterial overgrowth in his stool, and is started on the antibiotic. By day three, the bacteria are 98% knocked down, but I now have a heavy cloud-like growth of fungal ascospores, but no hyphae. If I don't do anything, I will end up with hyphae and conidiophores which is the biologic equivalent of a dandelion stem with a huge poof of seeds ready to make 1001 new dandelions.

Acidified water and probiotics alone can not be used as "treatment" for this sort of mycotic problem. Likewise Nystatin is just too wimpy. Sometimes lyophilized Amphotericin B works well (ie, Megabac-S from Vetafarm), but is really pricey. I hate to jump to Fluconazole or its more aggressive and harsher cousin Itraconazole, because they can cause liver and kidney problems.

What else is there that is pidgey friendly???

I have not used it before, but I bought some Caprylic acid capsules today at Vitamin Shoppe, after having seen it listed on my pigeon Rx formulary. It's an antifungal saturated fatty acid that is plentiful in coconut oil. Geeze -- that stuff is a pain in the arse to get into a suspension!  

Undecylenic acid is also a saturated fatty acid and may be superior to Caprylic acid, but I couldn't find any locally. :-(

How about garlic capsules as an anti-mycotic? What would a dose be? Can I sprinkle the capsules on seed laced with an oil to bind it to the seed?

Anyone have any experience with "acidified copper sulfate" (citric acid + Cu Sulfate)? Jedds carries this as a fungus remedy.

Siegel's sells Sorbic acid powder as "hexadoenic acid" (actually, they misspell it as "heksadoenicacid") which is added to drinking water. Any thoughts on this stuff? 

I know oregano and tea tree essential oils are excellent anti-fungals, but I cringe at the thought of using them internally. Oregano is incredibly aromatic (lots of terpenes) and incredibly irritating to mucous membranes. Any thoughts about the essential oils?

Any other anti-mycotic agents I should consider?

Muchos gracias!


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Have you considered Neem oil, and tea tree oil? Proven safe on pigeons. As for the aromatics, it is safer to administer them if they are cold, and not giving off 'fumes' like if they were warm. IE warm tea tree oil fumes may be harmful to bird lungs but a nice cold drop in the beak is fine.

Of course you might want the prescription fungicide.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi columbidae,



I don't know...



Garlic, fresh, raw, minced...probably would be a good experiment...give however much via 'Seed Pop' in several sessions over a day, and see how the tests seem next day.


Possibly Hot Peppers similarly minced fresh...or, a Cayane powder, tubed-in as a slurry.


Parrots, as distant Cousins to Doves/Pigeons, are known to enjoy Hot Peppers, so, probably a Pigeon would tolerate them well digestion-system-wise.


I do not know how well a 'stout' ACV-Water solution would contribute in the lower GI...but, it also could be worth testing, say, at around 10 Tablespoons ACV to a Gallon, tubed-in...


Too bad enemas/lower intestinal lavage are such a logistical difficulty with small Birds...


Otherwise, aside from ACV-Water, and Medistatin, I have not tried anything else for treating presumed or confirmed internal Yeast/Candida/Fungal issues.



Phil
l v


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Nystatin. It's not absorbed systemically from the GI and so stays in the GI to battle fungus.

Pidgey


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Pidgey said:


> Nystatin. It's not absorbed systemically from the GI and so stays in the GI to battle fungus.
> 
> Pidgey




Hi Pidgey,



And 'Medistatin'?




Phil
l v


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

May not be exotic enough for you, but my Vet suggests the use of 12% solution of Doxycycline Hydrochloride. His ready made package is given at the rate of 3 grams in 2 liters of water, and treat birds for 45 days. The name he places on the container is DOXYVET. Don't really know of the cost, since I am dealing with racing pigeons, the cost is not relevant to me anyway.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Medistatin is the commercial name for one Nystatin preparation for birds that doesn't require a prescription to obtain.

Pidgey


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Nystatin would be my choice also.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Columbidae said:


> Any other anti-mycotic agents I should consider?


A drop of Neem oil
a soft gel garlic cap
Reishi cap
Drop of colloidal silver


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Pidgey said:


> Medistatin is the commercial name for one Nystatin preparation for birds that doesn't require a prescription to obtain.
> 
> Pidgey




Oh!


That's right...

I'd forgotten that.


Cool...



Phil
l v


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