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Probiotics
Truly Species Specific Probiotics for Birds
What is a probiotic?
Probiotics are defined by FAO/WHO as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host."
What’s so important about being species specific?
Four decades of research in normal avian bacterial flora and probiotics has resulted in a list of desirable, even essential, characteristics of an avian probiotic. First and foremost is the ability to attach to the lining cells of the intestinal tract. Research has shown that certain bacteria isolated from the intestinal lining cells of a bird will attach in other birds of that species but not in other species of birds. Other companies advertise species specific probiotics but then suggest their use in all species of birds. There are hundreds of species of birds kept as companions. For example, a blue and gold macaw is a different species than a scarlet macaw. If a probiotic was species specific and appropriate for all species of birds it would have to contain hundreds of different strains of bacteria. Our probiotic bacteria originate from the species of bird we recommend them for, so they are truly species specific.
Other important probiotic characteristics
Colonization: able to reproduce and populate the intestinal lining, surviving in the intestinal tract.
Competitive: able to become the predominant bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Stability: able to withstand processing and storage.
Our probiotic bacteria are chosen for these desirable traits.
For more information about probiotics in birds, click on “Probiotic Information” above.
When should probiotics be used?
• After antibiotic treatment
• During and after stresses
• In parent birds feeding chicks in the nest
• In handfed chicks
• Yearly to replenish normal flora
Tiel-bac™
Naturally occurring, cockatiel origin Lactobacillus salivarius
Probiotic for use in cockatiels.
Description: Freeze dried probiotic for use in cockatiels. Each vial contains a minimum of approximately 300,000,000 live organisms. When reconstituted, each ml contains approximately 20,000,000 live organisms. This strain of L. salivarius was isolated from gastrointestinal lining cells of normal, healthy cockatiels.
Indications for use:
Cockatiels are commonly infected with a variety of intestinal infections: Candida yeast, Avian Gastric Yeast, Giardia, Hexamita, and gram negative bacteria. Maintaining a healthy normal bacterial flora is important to help prevent these infections. Use Tiel-bac in the following situations:
- Parents feeding chicks
- Handfed chicks during handfeeding and weaning
- Pet birds once or twice yearly if they have limited contact with other cockatiels
- During and after stressful periods
- After ending antibiotic treatment
Dosage and Administration
Dosage is approximately 500,000 live bacteria per bird per day.
Remove the aluminum cap by pulling up on the center tab and pulling downward. Remove the rubber stopper from the vial and add 15 ml (3 teaspoons) of non-chlorinated water, such as bottled or purified water. Put the rubber stopper back on the vial, shake well while holding the rubber stopper in place. Store reconstituted Tiel-bac in the refrigerator (36-46 oF, 2-8 oC) for up to 10 days. Shake well, holding the rubber stopper in place, before each use.
Drinking water administration: Mix 1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) reconstituted Tiel-bac into 4 ounces non-chlorinated drinking water. Make fresh treated drinking water daily for 10 days. Use as the only source of drinking water for the 10 days. Drinking water dosing is based on an average daily water consumption of 5 ml/bird/day. If a bird is drinking more water, excess Tiel-bac will not be harmful. If the bird is drinking less water than normal due to illness, the bird should be dosed by mouth once daily as for handfed birds.
Individual administration by mouth: In handfed chicks or adults not drinking adequate amounts of water, give 0.05 ml (approximately 2 drops) by mouth once daily for 10 days.
Contraindications
Do not give to birds while being dosed with antibiotics. Tiel-bac is a live bacterial product and can be killed by antibiotics, making it ineffective. Tiel-bac is not intended as a substitution for treatments for existing intestinal disease.
Safety
Tiel-bac has been given to cockatiel chicks from one day of age to weaning at 100 times the recommended dose with no adverse effects. Tiel-bac is a Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) organism. The carrier alone has been given to cockatiel chicks from hatch to weaning every other day without adverse effects.
Clinical Studies
Cockatiel hatching eggs were sterilized using an ozone generator prior to being placed in a sterilized incubator. Upon hatch, the eggshells were cultured using lactobacillus-selective media and found to be free of lactobacilli. Chicks were divided into a control group (receiving carrier alone), a low dose group, and a high dose group. Birds were dosed every other day by mouth from hatch to 6 weeks of age. The birds were weighed weekly, crop contents were withdrawn weekly and cultured for bacteria anaerobically and aerobically. At two weeks of age two chicks from each group were examined for adherent lactobacilli attached to their crop lining cells. The low dose and high dose chicks had the test lactobacillus adhering to their crops. The low dose group showed statistically significant increased growth rates, 100 times fewer gram negative bacteria, and increased total numbers of lactobacilli in the crop. The high dose group showed numerically, but not statistically significant, improvements over the control group.
In adult cockatiels, birds were treated with doxycycline to eliminate native lactobacilli from the intestinal tract. Fecal cultures were negative for lactobacilli prior to administering 500,000 live Tiel-bac per 5 ml drinking water for 10 days. Tiel-bac was recovered from fecal cultures immediately after the end of the treatment period and eight weeks after treatment.
Ingredients
Active ingredient: Lactobacillus salivarius, cockatiel origin, approximately 300,000,000 CFU/vial at end of expiration date under recommended storage conditions.*
Inactive ingredients: Skim milk, dextrose, sucrose, Protease Petpone no. 3, beef extract, yeast extract, Polysorbate 80, ammonium citrate, sodium acetate, magnesium sulfate, dipotassium phosphate.
*Using lactobacilli-selective media and low oxygen growth conditions
Storage and stability
Shelf life is best preserved by refrigeration (36-46 oF, 2-8 oC) prior to reconstitution. Labeled potency of unreconstituted Tiel-bac is maintained for 1 year under refrigeration conditions. At the end of 10 days of refrigeration, reconstituted Tiel-bac will still contain the required minimum live organisms per dose.
Manufactured by: PHL Associates, Inc., Davis, CA
Manufactured for: Avian Health Products, Diamond Springs, CA
(530)621-4902
www.avianhealthproducts.com
Brochures Available For your Customers
We have brochures available in packets of 25 and brochure holders, at no charge.
The brochure holders can be placed in exam rooms and reception area.
On the order form let us know how many you will need.
Veterinarians Prices Order Page
$10.00/vial
Retail Order Page Orders will be shipped by priorty mail on Monday - Wednesday.
Shipping will be $7.95 up to 1 case. These charges will be added to the total you see in the shopping cart.
(Canary-bacTM are in the final stages of development. To receive notification of their release, click on the Notifation key)