Amphotericin B for Geese: Uses, Dosing & Serious Side Effects

This information is for educational purposes only. Never give your pet any medication without your veterinarian's guidance. Dosing, frequency, and safety depend on your pet's specific health profile.

Amphotericin B is a prescription polyene antifungal used for serious fungal infections. In birds, your vet may consider it when a goose has a life-threatening or hard-to-control fungal disease, especially aspergillosis, which can affect the lungs and air sacs. It is not a routine medication and it is not something pet parents should try to dose on their own.

This drug works by binding to fungal cell membranes and damaging them, which can stop fungal growth or kill the organism. In avian medicine, amphotericin B may be given by slow IV infusion, nebulization, or intratracheal administration, depending on the infection site and the goose's stability. Many uses in birds are extra-label, which means your vet is using published veterinary evidence and clinical judgment rather than a species-specific label.

Because amphotericin B can cause serious kidney injury and electrolyte problems, treatment usually requires close monitoring. That often includes body weight checks, hydration support, and repeat bloodwork to watch kidney values and minerals during therapy.

In geese, amphotericin B is most often discussed for severe fungal respiratory disease, especially aspergillosis. Aspergillus spores are common in the environment, and geese can become sick after heavy exposure or when stress, poor ventilation, moldy bedding, transport, injury, or another illness weakens normal defenses.

Your vet may use amphotericin B when fungal disease is affecting the lungs, air sacs, syrinx, or deeper tissues, or when a goose is critically ill and needs a fast-acting antifungal plan. In birds, nebulized or intratracheal amphotericin B may be used to deliver medication directly to the respiratory tract, while IV treatment may be reserved for more severe or disseminated infections.

This medication is usually part of a broader treatment plan, not a stand-alone fix. Your vet may pair it with oxygen support, fluids, nutritional support, environmental cleanup, and sometimes another antifungal depending on culture results, imaging, or how the goose responds over time.

Do not dose amphotericin B without your vet. There is no one safe at-home dose for all geese. Published avian references list several bird protocols, but the right plan depends on the formulation used, the route, the goose's hydration status, kidney function, and whether the infection is localized or widespread.

Merck Veterinary Manual tables for birds list examples such as 1.5 mg/kg IV every 8 hours for 3 to 5 days, 1 mg/kg nebulized every 24 hours for 10 to 14 days, and 1 mg/kg intratracheally every 8 to 12 hours or nebulized 0.25 to 1 mg/mL for 10 to 20 minutes twice daily. These are reference doses for birds, not a direct dosing instruction for geese at home. Waterfowl may need route and handling adjustments, and some clinicians use different protocols based on species, severity, and whether a conventional or lipid formulation is chosen.

In practice, your vet will usually calculate the dose from an accurate body weight, choose the safest route, and decide how often to recheck bloodwork. If kidney values rise, appetite drops, or the goose becomes dehydrated, the plan may need to change quickly. Never substitute one amphotericin B product for another unless your vet specifically says it is appropriate, because formulations do not behave the same way.

The biggest concern with amphotericin B is nephrotoxicity, meaning kidney damage. This risk is well recognized in veterinary references and is the reason many birds receiving systemic amphotericin B need repeat monitoring. Electrolyte losses, especially low potassium, can happen along with kidney injury.

Call your vet promptly if your goose shows reduced appetite, weakness, lethargy, worsening dehydration, vomiting or regurgitation, loose droppings, sudden weight loss, or a clear decline in activity during treatment. With respiratory delivery, some birds may also show stress during nebulization, increased respiratory effort, or irritation depending on the technique and underlying disease.

See your vet immediately if your goose becomes unable to stand, severely weak, collapses, breathes with an open mouth, has marked tail bobbing, or stops eating and drinking. Those signs may reflect progression of the fungal disease, medication toxicity, or both. Early rechecks matter because side effects can become serious before they are obvious at home.

Amphotericin B has several important interactions because it can strain the kidneys and alter electrolytes. Merck advises avoiding or using extra caution with aminoglycosides such as gentamicin or amikacin, because the combination can increase the risk of kidney injury. Other drugs that may raise concern include cyclosporine, some antineoplastic drugs, and medications that worsen low potassium or low sodium.

Merck also notes caution with digitalis drugs, curarizing agents, mineralocorticoids, and thiazide diuretics because electrolyte shifts can increase toxicity or neuromuscular problems. In a goose, even if a medication is not classically listed as an interaction, your vet still has to think about the full picture: dehydration, poor intake, heat stress, and concurrent antibiotics can all change risk.

Before treatment starts, tell your vet about every medication, supplement, and electrolyte product your goose is receiving. That includes injectable antibiotics, over-the-counter poultry products, and anything added to water. Small details can change whether amphotericin B is a reasonable option or whether another antifungal plan is safer.