When keeping large stock of poultry, bacterial infection is not uncommon. The situation is especially aggravated in case of violation of sanitary conditions. From bacterial diseases, the number of young and chicks rapidly decreases. To combat diseases of a bacterial nature, the drug Metronidazole is often used in veterinary medicine. It is inexpensive, effective and relatively safe for domestic birds.
Composition, release form, packaging
The active ingredient of the drug is a broad spectrum antibiotic - metronidazole. As excipients are used: starch, lactose, calcium stearate. The drug is packaged in plastic bags, cardboard boxes and polypropylene jars with a hermetic lid in the amount of 100, 250, 500 and 1000 pieces, instructions are necessarily attached to the preparation. The weight of one tablet is 0.25 g, 0.5 g or 1 g.
Important! General dosages of the drug are indicated, in each case, consultation with an experienced veterinarian is recommended to determine the exact regimen and duration of treatment.
The amount of active ingredient in tablets with different weights is different: tablets with a content of 25% (0.125 g) and 50% (0.250 g) of metronidazole are produced. Tablets have an oval, flat shape, painted white, sometimes with a green or yellow shade. 
Biological properties
"Metronidazole" refers to a group of antibiotic and antiprotozoal drugs with a broad spectrum of action. The drug disrupts the redox balance in pathogenic cells, which causes the accumulation of toxins inside and the death of the microorganism. The active substance also disrupts pathogen cell DNA replication. Effective against the following pathogens:
- balantides;
- Trichomonas;
- amoebas;
- histomonad;
- Giardia;
- coccidia;
- clostridia;
- campylobacter;
- shigella;
- anaerobic bacteria (spore and non spore).
The drug does not affect the mushrooms and aerobic microorganisms. When administered orally, it has a high bioavailability, is rapidly absorbed into the blood from the digestive tract, penetrates organs and tissues, as well as biological fluids. It can accumulate in the liver, easily penetrates the placenta and overcomes the blood-brain barrier.Did you know? In the middle of the XX century, medicine was known only 6 types of antibiotics. To date, almost 7,000 antibiotics have been described, but about 160 species are used in medical practice.
After 1-2 days excreted from the body through the kidneys, partly through the stool. This drug does not have teratogenic, hepatotoxic or embryotoxic effects. 
What diseases helps
In veterinary medicine the drug "Metronidazole" is used for such illnesses:
- infections as a result of labor and obstetric interventions;
- gangrene;
- dysentery and diarrhea;
- necrobacteriosis;
- coccidiosis;
- necrotic mastitis;
- gingivitis;
- trichomoniasis;
- giardiasis;
- histomoniasis;
- balantidosis
Like all domestic animals, poultry is also susceptible to various diseases, here are some of them: worms, pasteurellosis, Newcastle disease, infectious diseases, colibacteriosis, coccidiosis and diarrhea.
In birds, it is used mainly for several ailments: gistomonoz, trichomoniasis, coccidosis. 
Dosing and Administration
In general, the dosage for birds is very similar. The amount of active substance is calculated based on the weight of the animal or the amount of feed. Next, consider how to apply Metronidazole to various types of poultry.
- Turkeys In turkeys, the drug is used to treat histomoniasis. A bacterial infection can affect livestock from 2 weeks of age. It is possible to determine the disease by a decrease or lack of appetite, inactivity, frothy diarrhea of yellow color, as well as blue skin of the head. For adults, the dosage is as follows: 1.5 g per 1 kg of feed, tablets are washed into powder and added to the feed 2 times a day for 10 days. For small poults, the dosage is as follows: 25 mg per 1 kg of weight three times a day for a week. In order to prevent histomonosis, the drug can be given at the rate of 20 mg per 1 kg of body weight for three days.
There are many diseases of turkeys, we advise you to find out the most common of them and how to help them fight.
- Geese and ducks. "Metronidazole" is used to treat trichomoniasis of geese and ducks (not for prevention!), As well as for the fight against histomoniasis. The symptoms of histomoniasis include a yellow patina on the throat, an increase in goiter, difficulty breathing, and discharge from the nose and mouth is also possible. For treatment of adults and small individuals, the dosage is calculated in the same way as in the previous case.
Consider what geese are sick and how to treat them.
- Quail, guinea fowl, pigeons. The dosage for treatment of adults is 20 mg per 1 kg of bird weight, three times a day, for 7-10 days.
Get acquainted with the most popular diseases of pigeons transmitted to humans.
Special instructions and precautionary measures
When taking the drug should follow special instructions:
- Within 5 days after the last medication intake, no poultry should be allowed for meat.
- If a forced slaughter was made within the specified time, the carcass is allowed to produce meat and bone meal.
- It is also not recommended to consume eggs for 5 days. Egg products can be used for feeding animals.
Important! The package must contain the inscription "For veterinary use" or "For animals".
During treatment, you can not use some antibiotic drugs: nitrofurans, nitroimidazoles, derivatives of quinoxaline. It is also important to adhere to the treatment regimen and not to miss taking the pills, otherwise a reduction in the therapeutic effect is possible. 
Due to the fact that the drug is dangerous, when working with him you need to take some precautions:
- Hygiene and general safety regulations for handling hazardous medicinal products should be followed.
- In the presence of an allergy or intolerance to the substance, it is necessary to work with gloves in order to avoid direct contact.
- In case of accidental ingestion of a substance into the body, you need to drink up to 2 liters of water and provoke vomiting, then seek medical help.
- It is forbidden to use empty packaging from under the medication for domestic purposes. They must be disposed of.
For the treatment and prevention of birds are also used drugs such as "Tromeksin", "Tetramizol", "Enrofloks", "Gammatonik", "E-selenium", "Baytril", "Fosprenil", "Amprolium" and "Solikoks".
Contraindications and side effects
This drug should not be given to pregnant animals, but for poultry this contraindication is not relevant. In general, there are no prohibitions on taking Metronidazole, no side effects were observed in the process of application, and when the dosages are observed, the bird tolerates taking the medicine well. 
There was no specific reaction in the initial use, as well as the abolition of the drug. In rare cases, birds with hypersensitivity may develop an allergic reaction or intolerance. In this case, the use of the drug is terminated.
Did you know? In ancient civilizations (Chinese, Egyptian), as well as medieval Europe, for the treatment of wounds they used fermented flour, moldy bread or cheese whey. Not understanding the principle of action, even then people tried to resist bacteria.
Term and storage conditions
The period of use from the date of manufacture is 2 years, subject to the following rules: the drug should be stored at a temperature range from -10 to +40 ° C, in its original packaging, in a dark place. The drug must be protected from sunlight. 
Keep out of reach of children. It is forbidden to store "Metronidazole" near food and feed. After the expiration date of the drug must be disposed of.
Metronidazole is an effective and affordable drug for saving poultry. It can be used both for adults and for chicks. The drug is relatively safe with all the rules of application.
