Bacterial Infections in Domestic Pigeons

Bird · Columba livia domestica · typical adult weight 0.30–0.50 kg

16 cited drugs treat Bacterial Infections in domestic pigeons: Amikacin, Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin-Clavulanate, Cefadroxil, Cefotaxime, Cephalexin, Chlortetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Difloxacin, Doxycycline, Enrofloxacin, Ormetoprim-sulfadimethoxine, Spectinomycin, Trimethoprim, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole, Trimethoprim/sulfadiazine.

General coverage of susceptible bacterial pathogens. Drug selection turns on the suspected organism's gram-stain, the patient's species (oral β-lactams unsafe in rabbits/guinea pigs), and the infection site (penetration to bone, CSF, or biliary tree).

The overview above describes Bacterial Infections across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to domestic pigeons — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.

Amikacin(Amiglyde-V, Amikin)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
SC, IM, IV	15–20 mg/kg	q8-12h x 5 days max	Gram-negative bacterial infection	Moderate	241. Dorrestein GM. Passerine and softbill therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:35-57. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.405 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30094-4

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Amoxicillin(Amoxi-Tabs, Amoxil)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	100–200 mg/kg	q4-8h	Bacterial infection	Moderate	245. Dorrestein GM, Van Gogh H, Rinzema JD, et al. Comparative study of ampicillin and amoxicillin after intravenous, intramuscular and oral administration in homing pigeons (Columba livia). Res Vet Sci. 1987;42:343-348. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.405 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) doi:10.1016/s0034-5288(18)30716-1
IM	250 mg/kg	q12-24h	Gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infection	Moderate	236. Dorrestein GM. Studies on Pharmacokinetics of Some Antibacterial Agents in Homing Pigeons (Columba livia), Thesis: Utrecht University; 1986. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.405 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)
IM	50 mg/kg	q12-24h	Gram-positive bacterial infection	Moderate	236. Dorrestein GM. Studies on Pharmacokinetics of Some Antibacterial Agents in Homing Pigeons (Columba livia), Thesis: Utrecht University; 1986. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.405 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)
PO	100 mg/kg	q12-24h	Bacterial infection	Moderate	245. Dorrestein GM, Van Gogh H, Rinzema JD, et al. Comparative study of ampicillin and amoxicillin after intravenous, intramuscular and oral administration in homing pigeons (Columba livia). Res Vet Sci. 1987;42:343-348. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.405 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) doi:10.1016/s0034-5288(18)30716-1
SC, IM	150 mg/kg	q24h x 5 days (q48h if long-acting)	Bacterial infection	Moderate	802. Samour J. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine; Mosby, Philadelphia, PA; 2000:388-418. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.405 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) doi:10.1016/b978-0-7234-3832-8.00023-7

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Amoxicillin-Clavulanate(Clavamox, Augmentin)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	125 mg/kg	q12h	Bacterial infection	Moderate	702. Phalen DN. Common bacterial and fungal infectious diseases in pet birds. Suppl Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet. 2003;25:43-48. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.406 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) PMID: 21872782

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Cefadroxil(Duricef)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	100 mg/kg	q12h x 7 days (14-21d if deep pyoderma)	Bacterial infection; pyoderma	Moderate	379. Harlin RW. Practical pigeon medicine. Proc Annu Conf Assoc Avian Vet; 2006:249-262. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.407 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

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Cefotaxime(Claforan)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	100 mg/kg	q8-12h	Gram-negative bacterial infection	Moderate	376. Harlin RW. Pigeons. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1994;24:157-173. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.408 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

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Cephalexin(Keflex)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	100 mg/kg	q8-12h	Bacterial infection; pyoderma	Moderate	376. Harlin RW. Pigeons. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1994;24:157-173. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.408 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)
PO, IM	35–50 mg/kg	q6-8h	Bacterial infection	Moderate	133. Bush M, Locke D, Neal LA, et al. Pharmacokinetics of cephalothin and cephalexin in selected avian species. Am J Vet Res. 1981;42:1014-1017. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.408 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) doi:10.2460/ajvr.1981.42.06.1014

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Chlortetracycline(Aureomycin)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	40–50 mg/kg	q8h (w/grit), or q12h (w/o grit)	Bacterial infection including Chlamydia and Mycoplasma	Moderate	391. Hawkins MG, Barron H, Speer BL, et al. Birds. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 4th ed., Elsevier Saunders, St. Louis, MO; 2013:183-437. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.410 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

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Ciprofloxacin(Cipro, Baytril)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	5–20 mg/kg	q12h x 5-7 days	Gram-negative bacterial infection; Chlamydia; Mycoplasma	Moderate	790. Rupiper DJ, Ehrenberg M. Introduction to pigeon practice. Proc Annu Conf Assoc Avian Vet; 1994:203-211. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.410 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) PMID: 41137041

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Difloxacin(Dicural)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	10 mg/kg	single dose	bacterial infection (pharmacokinetic study dose)	Weak	Jin YG, Liu Y, Zhang YN, Chen YX, Sun LJ, Li SH, Wang WR, Yang F. Pharmacokinetics of difloxacin after single intravenous, oral and intramuscular administration in pigeons. Poultry Science. 2025;104(2):104800. doi:10.1016/j.psj.2025.104800. PMID 39799859; PMCID PMC11770492. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11770492/
IM	10 mg/kg	See source	Single-dose pharmacokinetic study. Per the conclusion, IM or IV administration at 10 mg/kg BW is effective against bacterial infections with MIC values <= 0.1 ug/mL.	Weak	Jin et al. Pharmacokinetics of difloxacin after single intravenous, oral and intramuscular administration in pigeons. Poultry Science. 2025;104(2):104800. DOI 10.1016/j.psj.2025.104800. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11770492/
IV	10 mg/kg	See source	Single-dose pharmacokinetic study. Per the conclusion, IM or IV administration at 10 mg/kg BW is effective against bacterial infections with MIC values <= 0.1 ug/mL.	Weak	Jin et al. Pharmacokinetics of difloxacin after single intravenous, oral and intramuscular administration in pigeons. Poultry Science. 2025;104(2):104800. DOI 10.1016/j.psj.2025.104800. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11770492/
IV	10 mg/kg	single dose	bacterial infection (pharmacokinetic study dose)	Weak	Jin YG, Liu Y, Zhang YN, Chen YX, Sun LJ, Li SH, Wang WR, Yang F. Pharmacokinetics of difloxacin after single intravenous, oral and intramuscular administration in pigeons. Poultry Science. 2025;104(2):104800. doi:10.1016/j.psj.2025.104800. PMID 39799859; PMCID PMC11770492. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11770492/

Full Difloxacin dosing in Domestic Pigeons →Calculate for this domestic pigeon →

Doxycycline(Vibramycin)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	40 mg/kg	q24h	Streptococcus bovis / bacterial infection	Moderate	207. De Herdt P, Devriese LA, De Groote B, et al. Antibiotic treatment of Streptococcus bovis infections in pigeons. Proc Eur Conf Avian Med Surg; 1993:297-304. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.412 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) doi:10.1080/03079459308418947

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Enrofloxacin(Baytril)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	20–30 mg/kg	q12-24h	Respiratory bacterial infection	Weak	265. Esposito JF. Respiratory medicine. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:395-402. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.414 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)
PO, SC, IM	20 mg/kg	q12h	Gram-negative bacterial infection	Moderate	391. Hawkins MG, Barron H, Speer BL, et al. Birds. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 4th ed., Elsevier Saunders, St. Louis, MO; 2013:183-437. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.414 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

Full Enrofloxacin dosing in Domestic Pigeons →Calculate for this domestic pigeon →

Ormetoprim-sulfadimethoxine

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	60 mg/kg	q12h	Bacterial infection (potentiated sulfonamide)	Moderate	378. Harlin RW. Pigeon therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:19-34. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.418 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

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Spectinomycin(Trobicin, Spectam)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	25–35 mg/kg	q8-12h	Bacterial infection	Moderate	377. Harlin RW. Pigeons. Proc Annu Conf Assoc Avian Vet; 1995:361-373. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.420 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

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Trimethoprim(Tribrissen)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	10–20 mg/kg	q8h	Bacterial infection	Moderate	236. Dorrestein GM. Studies on Pharmacokinetics of Some Antibacterial Agents in Homing Pigeons (Columba livia), Thesis: Utrecht University; 1986. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.422 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

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Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole(Bactrim, TMS)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	60 mg/kg	q24h	Bacterial infection (potentiated sulfonamide)	Moderate	236. Dorrestein GM. Studies on Pharmacokinetics of Some Antibacterial Agents in Homing Pigeons (Columba livia), Thesis: Utrecht University; 1986. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.422 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

Full Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole dosing in Domestic Pigeons →Calculate for this domestic pigeon →

Trimethoprim/sulfadiazine

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	60 mg/kg	q12h	Bacterial infection (potentiated sulfonamide)	Moderate	378. Harlin RW. Pigeon therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:19-34. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.422 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW)

Full Trimethoprim/sulfadiazine dosing in Domestic Pigeons →Calculate for this domestic pigeon →

All drugs cited for Bacterial Infections →All drugs for Domestic Pigeons →

Other conditions in Domestic Pigeons

Endoparasites Sedation Coccidiosis

Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice. Verify against current literature before clinical use.