COLLOIDAL SILVER

[Danny]

It was never claimed to have any solid SCIENCE supporting its use, just many decades of hands-on experience by an extremely experienced aviculturist who swears by it saving numerous birds (and other animals) over his lifetime .

Doing something for a really long time doesn't automatically make it right. My grandfather was an alcoholic for 60 years but he new squat all about fine wine.

[Tiaris]

The rest of that quote was " where science-based conventional alternatives completely failed" ie. where all other options are exhausted it then showed some positive results in prolonging the life of otherwise imminently dead animals. JA didn't recommend it should be a part of any regular medication program and I don't know of anyone who has ever recommended that.

[Tiaris]

Quite a bit of science supporting its effectiveness as an alternative antibiotic agent actually if you look for it, with undeniable adverse consequences if overused as for many other mainstream medications. Its hard to deny the logic that if larger doses have adverse effects on companion animals & humans that much smaller doses won't knock very small life forms such as harmful bacteria, etc.

[Danny]

Its hard to deny the logic that if larger doses have adverse effects on companion animals & humans that much smaller doses won't knock very small life forms such as harmful bacteria, etc.

Actually that logic is easy to deny. There are countless products toxic to mammals and birds that have no impact on bacteria at all.
Knowing JA personally, his science-based approach is the same two bottles of drug X he has had on the shelf for 20 years. I certainly wouldn't be following his medication recommendations as any sort of gospel. JA is "old school" and very reluctant to budge from that.

[Tiaris]

Do you believe that colloidal silver would have no effect on bacteria?

[Danny]

Do you believe that colloidal silver would have no effect on bacteria?

There is no evidence to suggest it has any benefit in the multitude of "magical properties" it claims. If I had a dollar for every client that walked in with a critically ill bird that had had been treating with colloidal silver, condy's crystals, coffee enemas, rescue remedy, rasberry cordial etc. etc. etc. prior to arrival only to make it sicker by not treating the real problem rather than carry out appropriate diagnostics in the first place and start appropriate treatment , I wouldn't need to go to work.
The latest is "diatomaceous earth" - what a load of twaddle. This is what its supposedly capable of.- http://www.earthworksde.com/page/page/4831805.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Half of these "quackery" products anecdotally have "results" because they are mixed with water and the birds are being rehydrated. The water alone will keep a dehydrated bird alive for another 24 hours most of the time "when all else has failed".

[Tiaris]

Is that the stuff the Macaws, conures etc. pick at in the wild?

[VR1Ton]

Don't know about health benifits, but the diatomaceous make a good secondary filter for fish tanks due to the high surface area for bacteria, polishes the waer up nicely.

[Danny]

Is that the stuff the Macaws, conures etc. pick at in the wild?

No, thats just clay

[Tiaris]

The rehydration point makes very good sense when you consider that a bird which has been very sick for a while hasn't been able to get to water.