Livestock · Gallus gallus domesticus · typical adult weight 0.50–5.00 kg
Gentamicin is dosed at 5 mg/kg PO, SC, IM, IV not stated in source in chickens, per Abu-Basha EA, Idkaidek NM, Al-Shunnaq AF. Comparative pharmacokinetics of gentamicin after intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and oral administration in broiler chickens. Vet Res Commun. 2007;31:765-773. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.623 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 6.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Backyard Poultry, Gamebirds, and Waterfowl.a,b). 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; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755 — INTERVAL IS PRINTED: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, Gentamicin (Systemic), printed p.579 — "BIRDS: Susceptible infections (extra-label): 5 - 10 mg/kg IM every 12 hours". Bird-class, not chicken-specific.. Gentamicin is used in chickens for Gram-negative bacterial infection. Routes documented in chickens: PO, SC, IM, IV. A typical adult chicken weighs 0.50–5.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Gentamicin in chickens, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Gentocin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO, SC, IM, IV | 5 mg/kg | not stated in source | Gram-negative bacterial infection | Weak | Abu-Basha EA, Idkaidek NM, Al-Shunnaq AF. Comparative pharmacokinetics of gentamicin after intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and oral administration in broiler chickens. Vet Res Commun. 2007;31:765-773. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.623 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 6.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Backyard Poultry, Gamebirds, and Waterfowl.a,b). 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; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755 — INTERVAL IS PRINTED: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, Gentamicin (Systemic), printed p.579 — "BIRDS: Susceptible infections (extra-label): 5 - 10 mg/kg IM every 12 hours". Bird-class, not chicken-specific. |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your chicken's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Irreversibly binds 30S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Concentration-dependent killing with post-antibiotic effect.
Highly nephrotoxic. Monitor renal values. Maintain hydration. Ototoxic. Avoid in dehydrated patients. Neuromuscular blockade risk. Extended-interval dosing preferred.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for chickens may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Gentamicin dose range in chickens, with cited source references: PO, SC, IM, IV 5 mg/kg not stated in source. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Gentamicin in chickens: PO, SC, IM, IV.
Gentamicin is indicated in chickens for: Gram-negative bacterial infection.
These are general warnings for Gentamicin across species; consult the chicken dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Highly nephrotoxic. Monitor renal values. Maintain hydration. Ototoxic. Avoid in dehydrated patients. Neuromuscular blockade risk. Extended-interval dosing preferred.
Why a species-specific page? Gentamicin pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in chickens — 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.