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I know there are other people here who medicate their birds with milk thistle... well, I had a fun experience yesterday. Bubba wasn't taking the medicine the vet mixed fot him--a combinatin of Milk thistle, Ginsing, and Dandilion root. So, the vet sent me to a store down the street to pick up milk thistle and ginsing tea (for the birds, w/no caffine, so don't worry)... now, every time I went to my old vet, I was charged $20 for about 1/10 of a bottle... I got a whole bottle at the store for $12.... no formulation was needed or anything--yet I was continuously charged for "formulation costs"--which was basically putting a few mL into a bottle... wow, I am irritated... so if you go to the vet to get milk thistle for your birds--stop, go find a health food store that sells it.

--Jackie

I used to give my female tiel milk thistle as well. The only thing you have to be careful of is to get the ones that do not contain alcohol. The health store that I used to buy mine from had milk thistle that contained alcohol and milk thistle that was alcohol free.

Ugh, don't that just urinate you off when you see how much they milk you for at the vets office Grrr.. What do you use that Milk thistle for anyway??

Glad you found it for cheap!!

Sorry folks but I am laughing at what you call expensive....
Boston is the rip-off capital in the world (next to London) $20.00 doesn't seem outrageous to me. At least it is compounded so you know it is safe at the vet's office.
btw you can buy liquid milk thistle with a glycerine base online
i bleive the address is www.eclectic.com
(I'll see if i can find the email address if this is wrong)

Rosie's Mom, the medicine is for his liver--Bubba has liver problems.

Sherwin's mom--that was the problem with the ginsing that the vet mixed--Bubba wouldn't take it down because of the alcohol in it.

Boston Budgie--$20 for a fraction of what I got for $12 is expensive by any means... the vet sent me to a health food store with a brand name: Nature's Answer. I am just peeved that I paid for the same thing for like 2 years... finally a vet honest enough not to rip me off (hopefully), lol.

If the stuff has a small amount of alcohol in it, then it is safe if you dilute it (which should be safe anyway with the small amount you give).

I like my vet because he actually tells me of things I can try on the birds without having to go in for meds... The bourke and Casey are getting infants ibuprofen, oral suspension for swelling and pain. Noel is getting flax seed oil mixed with corn oil, and children's aspirin tablet crushed into 30cc's water for her liver (and I think the aspirin might also be helping her arthritis)

I also ask my vet over the phone for advice, and he says that if his advice doesn't help then to just bring in the bird for an exam. I trust him, even if he may not be "avian certified". Besides, just because they are certified doesn't make them good with birds!

I bought 2 oz of glycerine based milk thistle amil order through a company called "the eclectic institute" it cost $19.10 in 2002. 1 800 332 HERB

How come Bubba is on milk thistle?
how much do you give him and how many times a day.? Just curious....
one reason I am asking is Button is on heavy does of meds and I am fearing it is taxing her liver.Her poop doesn''t look right. I've sprinkled powdered thistle on her millet but she knows that trick and is avoiding it so today I gave her a drop of liquid thistle after her meds.

First, I got, I beleive (I am not at home now) 3 oz bottle for $12, which I think was pretty good . Second, he has liver problems after being on a seed diet for so long... when I got him from my uncle (whose birds hatched him), he told me to give a 50/50 mix of tiel food and budgie food (to reduce fat content)... I bought books on care, and never saw anything about pellets (which are apparently better for the liver)... nevertheless, his liver is not functioning as it should... he was originally on .05 cc, now on .1 and is drinking ginsing tea (caffine free) instead of water. My vet is apparently a very good herbalist. she has also had me change his diet to pellets plus 2 nutraberries a day (she apparently recently helped reformulate them to be better for birds, something with omega 3 fatty acids). hope that can help .

Thank you for your thoughts and comments Bubba. My vet called last night to check on Button. I talked to her about the milk thistle as a suppliment and she felt it was a good idea since she was on meds and her immune system is off. I bought a new bottle at a health food store (low alcohol) since the bottle I had was questionable in age. I give her .5ml along with her meds. Her poop looks better and she is a bit more alert.

Boston Budgie,

I would try to stay away from any alcohol... that is why Bubba was rejecting his medicine--the ginsing extract had low amounts of alcohol in it... the vet said that he hates it so much because it causes kinda like a blood rush to the head... because she is already not feeling well, I would say stay away from any alcohol, and try to get some without (they make it!). My only thought is that if she is not feeling well, this might make it worse at times, and on top of that, she may really resist it after a while (which is what Bubba did, he just clamped his little beak closed, and I wouldn't want to force him for the rest of his life).

Hope this can help some,

Jackie

Thanks Bubba. I gave Button the milk thistle and her poop was black so you are probably right about even the small amount of alcohol. I will either do mail order to head to the city at some point to find the purely glyerine base.
Ahhhhh..my life evolves around my birds

To Bubba
What is the comapny name on your milk thistle? also if it is liquid, what is it mixed with (glycerine? alcohol?)

My vet specifically told me to get Nature's answer. It has coconut glycerin and purified water.
No alcohol, hope it helps!

Thanks Bubba
What about the dandelion root? is that liquid form too or a food? She will eat dandelion leaves that I buy for her a supermarket.Button has been good about eating the harrison's mash. I think I am going to pick up some pedialite for her as well since she had a lot of blood drawn yesterday.