Bird · Agapornis roseicollis · typical adult weight 0.04–0.06 kg
Lactulose is dosed at 150–650 mg/kg PO q8-12h in lovebirds, per 43. Bailey TA, Apo MM. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine, 3rd ed., Mosby Elsevier, Edinburgh, Scotland; 2016:637-678. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.492 doi:10.1016/b978-0-7234-3832-8.00023-7 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.18 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Birds). 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; Avian Medicine (Samour) — ISBN 9780723438328, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780723438328. Lactulose is used in lovebirds for Hepatic encephalopathy (reduces blood ammonia). Routes documented in lovebirds: PO. A typical adult lovebird weighs 0.04–0.06 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Lactulose in lovebirds, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Kristalose, Cephulac
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 150–650 mg/kg | q8-12h | Hepatic encephalopathy (reduces blood ammonia) | Moderate | 43. Bailey TA, Apo MM. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine, 3rd ed., Mosby Elsevier, Edinburgh, Scotland; 2016:637-678. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.492 doi:10.1016/b978-0-7234-3832-8.00023-7 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.18 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Birds). 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; Avian Medicine (Samour) — ISBN 9780723438328, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780723438328 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150–650 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.18 | 150-650 mg/kg (0.2-1 mL/kg) PO q8-12h |
| 200 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.18 | 200 mg/kg (0.3 mL/kg) PO q8- 12h |
| Dose (ml/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2–1 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.190 | Appetite stimulant, hepatic encephalopathy: 0.2-1 ml/kg p.o. q8-12h |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your lovebird's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Synthetic disaccharide broken down by colonic bacteria to lactic, acetic, and formic acids. Osmotic effect draws water into colon. Acidifies colonic contents, converting ammonia to non-absorbable ammonium.
Dose to effect (soft stool). Excessive doses cause diarrhea, flatulence, cramping. Monitor electrolytes with chronic use. Essential in hepatic encephalopathy management.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for lovebirds may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Lactulose dose range in lovebirds, with cited source references: PO 150–650 mg/kg q8-12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Lactulose in lovebirds: PO.
Lactulose is indicated in lovebirds for: Hepatic encephalopathy (reduces blood ammonia).
These are general warnings for Lactulose across species; consult the lovebird dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Dose to effect (soft stool). Excessive doses cause diarrhea, flatulence, cramping. Monitor electrolytes with chronic use. Essential in hepatic encephalopathy management.
Why a species-specific page? Lactulose pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in lovebirds — 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.
| 0.3 |
| PO |
| Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.18 |
| 200 mg/kg (0.3 mL/kg) PO q8- 12h |
| 0.2–1 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.18 | 150-650 mg/kg (0.2-1 mL/kg) PO q8-12h |
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.