Bird · Agapornis roseicollis · typical adult weight 0.04–0.06 kg
Levothyroxine is dosed at 20 μg/kg PO q12-24h 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.463 doi:10.1016/b978-0-7234-3832-8.00023-7 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.7 (Hormones and Steroids 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 [w3r2 2026-08-14] LEADING REFERENCE IS WRONG FOR THIS FIGURE (10x). The served 20 micrograms/kg is CORRECT and does not move - Carpenter 6th ed Table 5.7 (Hormones and Steroids Used in Birds) prints "20 ug/kg PO q12-24h43,159,391 | Most species, including psittacines, pigeons, and raptors", and BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part B printed p.179 independently prints "Birds: 0.02 mg/kg p.o. q12-24h. Dissolve 1 mg in 28.4 ml water and give 0.4-0.5 ml/kg q12-24h." But the cited leading reference - Bailey TA and Apo MM, Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine, in Samour J ed, Avian Medicine 3rd ed, Mosby Elsevier, 2016:637-678 - prints levothyroxine TWICE at printed p.665 and BOTH times at 0.2 mg/kg PO q12-24h, ten times the served figure. LEAD WITH the BSAVA Part B monograph, which we hold and which prints the exact served figure, and keep Bailey and Apo only as a recorded disagreement so it is not silently re-added.. Levothyroxine is used in lovebirds for Hypothyroidism / thyroid supplementation. Routes documented in lovebirds: PO. A typical adult lovebird weighs 0.04–0.06 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Levothyroxine in lovebirds, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Soloxine, Thyro-Tabs
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 20 μg/kg | q12-24h | Hypothyroidism / thyroid supplementation | 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.463 doi:10.1016/b978-0-7234-3832-8.00023-7 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.7 (Hormones and Steroids 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 [w3r2 2026-08-14] LEADING REFERENCE IS WRONG FOR THIS FIGURE (10x). The served 20 micrograms/kg is CORRECT and does not move - Carpenter 6th ed Table 5.7 (Hormones and Steroids Used in Birds) prints "20 ug/kg PO q12-24h43,159,391 | Most species, including psittacines, pigeons, and raptors", and BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part B printed p.179 independently prints "Birds: 0.02 mg/kg p.o. q12-24h. Dissolve 1 mg in 28.4 ml water and give 0.4-0.5 ml/kg q12-24h." But the cited leading reference - Bailey TA and Apo MM, Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine, in Samour J ed, Avian Medicine 3rd ed, Mosby Elsevier, 2016:637-678 - prints levothyroxine TWICE at printed p.665 and BOTH times at 0.2 mg/kg PO q12-24h, ten times the served figure. LEAD WITH the BSAVA Part B monograph, which we hold and which prints the exact served figure, and keep Bailey and Apo only as a recorded disagreement so it is not silently re-added. |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.7 | 20 μg/kg PO q12- 24h,159,391 25 μg q24h × 7 days, then 50 μg q24h ×7 days, then 75 μg q24h × 7 days, then 50 μg q24h × 7 days, then 25 μg q24h × 7 days |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.02 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.193 | 0.02 mg/kg p.o. q12-24h. Dissolve 1 mg in 28.4 ml water and give 0.4-0.5 ml/kg q12-24h. - Exotic Pe |
| Dose (ml/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|
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 T4 (thyroxine) that is converted to active T3 in peripheral tissues. Restores normal metabolic rate, thermogenesis, and organ function.
Dose based on body weight, adjusted by monitoring serum T4 levels (4-6 hour post-pill sample). Give on empty stomach. Monitor for signs of thyrotoxicosis (tachycardia, panting, anxiety). Dogs primarily.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for lovebirds may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Levothyroxine dose range in lovebirds, with cited source references: PO 20 μg/kg q12-24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Levothyroxine in lovebirds: PO.
Levothyroxine is indicated in lovebirds for: Hypothyroidism / thyroid supplementation.
These are general warnings for Levothyroxine across species; consult the lovebird dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Dose based on body weight, adjusted by monitoring serum T4 levels (4-6 hour post-pill sample). Give on empty stomach. Monitor for signs of thyrotoxicosis (tachycardia, panting, anxiety). Dogs primarily.
Why a species-specific page? Levothyroxine 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.
| 0.4–0.5 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.193 | mg/kg p.o. q12-24h. Dissolve 1 mg in 28.4 ml water and give 0.4-0.5 ml/kg q12-24h. - Exotic Pets |
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.