Bird · Serinus canaria domestica · typical adult weight 0.01–0.03 kg
Erythromycin is dosed at 125 mg/L drinking water PO (drinking water) continuous in drinking water in canaries, per Dorrestein GM. Infectious diseases and their therapy in Passeriformes Antimicrobial Therapy in Caged Birds and Exotic Pets, Veterinary Learning Systems, Trenton, NJ; 1995:11-27. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.415 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Erythromycin is used in canaries for Bacterial infection (gram-positive; Mycoplasma, Chlamydia), Bacterial infection (aviary/flock treatment). Routes documented in canaries: PO (drinking water), PO (in soft feed). A typical adult canary weighs 0.01–0.03 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Erythromycin in canaries, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Erythro-100, Gallimycin
Contraindicated in Chinchilla, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, Hamster, Degu
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO (drinking water) | 125 mg/L drinking water | continuous in drinking water | No course length printed in the row. | Bacterial infection (gram-positive; Mycoplasma, Chlamydia) | Moderate | Dorrestein GM. Infectious diseases and their therapy in Passeriformes Antimicrobial Therapy in Caged Birds and Exotic Pets, Veterinary Learning Systems, Trenton, NJ; 1995:11-27. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.415 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| PO (drinking water) | 132 mg/L drinking water | in water: 10 d on, 5 d off, 10 d on | Pulsed course as printed: 10 days on, 5 days off, 10 days on. Do not flatten to a continuous course. | Bacterial infection (gram-positive; Mycoplasma, Chlamydia) | Moderate |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.137 | 20 mg/kg i.m., s.c. q8h; 60 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 125 mg/l of drinking water; 200 mg/kg soft feed. |
| 60 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.137 | 20 mg/kg i.m., s.c. q8h; 60 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 125 mg/l of drinking water; 200 mg/kg soft feed. |
| 10–20 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.1 | 10-20 mg/kg IM q24h |
| 50–100 |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your canary's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Binds 50S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting translocation of peptidyl-tRNA, blocking bacterial protein synthesis.
CONTRAINDICATED in rabbits and hindgut fermenters. Prokinetic at sub-antimicrobial doses. GI upset common. Hepatotoxicity reported. Strong CYP inhibitor.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for canaries may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Erythromycin dose ranges in canaries, with cited source references: PO (drinking water) 125 mg/L drinking water continuous in drinking water; PO (drinking water) 132 mg/L drinking water in water: 10 d on, 5 d off, 10 d on; PO (in soft feed) 200 mg/kg soft feed Not stated (in-feed concentration). Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Erythromycin in canaries: PO (drinking water), PO (in soft feed).
Cited course lengths for Erythromycin in canaries include: No course length printed in the row.; Pulsed course as printed: 10 days on, 5 days off, 10 days on. Do not flatten to a continuous course.; No duration stated in the row. The nearest in-water canary-inclusive row is printed as a cycle: 132 mg/L drinking water, 10 days on, 5 days off, 10 days on.. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Erythromycin is indicated in canaries for: Bacterial infection (gram-positive; Mycoplasma, Chlamydia), Bacterial infection (aviary/flock treatment).
These are general warnings for Erythromycin across species; consult the canary dosing table above for species-specific guidance. CONTRAINDICATED in rabbits and hindgut fermenters. Prokinetic at sub-antimicrobial doses. GI upset common. Hepatotoxicity reported. Strong CYP inhibitor.
Why a species-specific page? Erythromycin pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in canaries — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.
| 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.415 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Current Therapy in Avian Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781455746712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781455746712 |
| PO (in soft feed) | 200 mg/kg soft feed | Not stated (in-feed concentration) | No duration stated in the row. The nearest in-water canary-inclusive row is printed as a cycle: 132 mg/L drinking water, 10 days on, 5 days off, 10 days on. | Bacterial infection (aviary/flock treatment) | Moderate | Dorrestein GM. Infectious diseases and their therapy in Passeriformes Antimicrobial Therapy in Caged Birds and Exotic Pets, Veterinary Learning Systems, Trenton, NJ; 1995:11-27. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.415 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| PO |
| Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.1 |
| 50-100 mg/kg PO q8-12h |
| 60 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.1 | 60 mg/kg PO q12h |
| Dose (mg/kg feed) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.137 | s.c. q8h; 60 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 125 mg/l of drinking water; 200 mg/kg soft feed. |
| 200 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.1 | 200 mg/kg soft feed |
| Dose (mg/l) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 125 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.137 | 20 mg/kg i.m., s.c. q8h; 60 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 125 mg/l of drinking water; 200 mg/kg soft feed. |
| 132 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.1 | 132 mg/L drinking water (10 days on, 5 days off, 10 days on)391 |
| 1500 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.1 | 1500 mg/L drinking water |
| 125 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.1 | 125 mg/L drinking water |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.