Megabacteria - what to do?

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* Non-prescription antibiotic for birds
* Ideal for non-specific bacterial infections
Broad range Doxycycline Hyclate is an antibiotic that can be used for non-specific systemic and local infections in pet birds. Add the contents of one capsule to 8 ounces of drinking water. Make a fresh solution daily. Continue treatment for 7 - 10 days. 100 count.

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Target Species:
All avian species susceptible to Megabacteria.

Availability
Powder: 25g, 40g

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Other Applications
Effective against other yeast and fungal infections of the gastrointestinal system ( e.g.: Candida ).

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He describes symptoms of budgerigars in the acute stage to include severe drowsiness, lethargy, fluffed feathers - ending with death within 12 - 24 hours. Regurgitated blood can stain the feathers around the beak and neck. This same bleeding may result in droppings that are black or reddish-black. The chronic stage is more common, and is usually seen in budgerigars over one year of age, or just after the first breeding season. These birds become depressed, lose condition, fluff up and lose weight in spite of their apparent good appetites. Although the birds are often at the food dish, they only grind or mouth their foods, swallowing very little. Birds may regurgitate blood tinged food. They may "mouth gag" or "neck stretch" in an attempt to regurgitate. Their droppings may contain undigested seed particles, or even undigested whole seeds. These budgies will continue to lose weight over weeks or even months, then they either die or slowly recover. He cautions that what may appear to be a recovered bird will usually relapse later when stressed, naming molting or breeding as examples of stress. He also advises that these birds are of no value in a breeding program.

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The first symptom of megabacteria (which is a fungal infection and not bacterial at all) is weight loss. If a bird starts losing weight and does not have any other obvious symptom for it, the best thing is to put him on an antifungal.

Megabacteria comes, mostly, from unsanitary situations: dirty cages, cages without a bottom grid where birds forage among their own poop, bedding not changed regularly, bowls made of plastic instead of steel, that kind of thing.

It's contagious in that it can spread through fecal matter (that's why the bottom grid is so important).

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http://naturalbird.com/mcwatters/acv_for_birds.htm
What are the nutritional benefits of ACV?

Many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and substances are available in ACV to improve the health of your bird. ....

Other benefits of ACV…

ACV has the ability to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold; therefore, adding it to your bird’s fresh foods as a nutritional supplement has an additional purpose. The acid content of ACV will help reduce the chance of bacterial or fungal growth on fresh foods during the period of time they are in your bird’s food bowl.

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The dosage I use is 1/4 tsp. for small parrots and 1/2 tsp. for medium-large parrots. It can also be given orally diluted in water under the guidance of a vet or avian health practitioner.

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