Tylosin (Tylan) Guide: How to Use It for Chickens, Pigs, Cattle & Dogs – Dosage, Mixing & Side Effects

What is Tylosin and Why Is It So Widely Used?

Tylosin (brand name Tylan) is one of the most versatile antibiotics in veterinary medicine. Originally developed for livestock, it’s now used across chickens, turkeys, pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, and even honey bees. If you’ve ever dealt with a sick chicken gasping for breath, a pig with bloody diarrhoea, or a dog with chronic loose stools, there’s a good chance tylosin was part of the solution.

This guide covers how tylosin works, what it treats in each species, correct dosing, and practical mixing instructions.

How Tylosin Works

Tylosin is a macrolide antibiotic produced naturally by the soil bacterium Streptomyces fradiae. It belongs to the same antibiotic class as erythromycin and azithromycin in human medicine.

Tylosin works by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit of bacteria, blocking their ability to synthesise proteins. Without proteins, bacteria cannot grow, reproduce, or maintain their cell structures. At standard doses, tylosin is bacteriostatic (stops growth) rather than bactericidal (kills directly), though the distinction matters less in practice as the animal’s immune system finishes the job.

What makes tylosin particularly valuable is its excellent activity against Mycoplasma — a group of bacteria that lack cell walls and are therefore naturally resistant to many common antibiotics like penicillins and cephalosporins. This makes tylosin irreplaceable for treating Mycoplasma-driven respiratory diseases in poultry.

Tylosin for Chickens and Poultry

This is tylosin’s most important application. Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum is one of the most common and economically devastating diseases in poultry worldwide.

Signs of CRD in Chickens

• Sneezing, nasal discharge, and watery eyes
• Gurgling or rattling breathing sounds
• Swollen sinuses (puffy face)
• Reduced egg production
• Poor weight gain in broilers
• Secondary bacterial infections if untreated

How to Treat with Tylosin Powder

Tylosin 50% soluble powder is administered via drinking water:

1. Calculate the dose: 0.5g of Tylosin 50% powder per litre of drinking water (providing 250mg tylosin per litre)
2. Pre-dissolve: Add a small amount of slightly warm water to the measured powder (water to powder, not the other way round)
3. Mix: Stir until completely dissolved, then add to the full volume of drinking water
4. Duration: 3–5 days, using medicated water as the sole water source
5. Fresh daily: Prepare new medicated water every day

Quick Reference: How Much Tylosin Powder Per Water Volume

Tylosin also helps control necrotic enteritis (Clostridium perfringens) and reduces infection severity after vaccination stress.

You can buy Tylosin 100g powder or Tylosin 1kg bulk powder at PetShopBoss.com.

Tylosin for Pigs

In swine production, tylosin is primarily used for:

• Swine dysentery — caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, characterised by bloody diarrhoea
• Porcine proliferative enteropathy (ileitis) — caused by Lawsonia intracellularis
• Necrotic enteritis and gastroenterocolitis
• Enzootic pneumonia — Mycoplasma-associated respiratory disease

Tylosin can be given via drinking water (soluble powder) or by intramuscular injection (Tylovet B-200) for individual treatment of acutely ill pigs.

Tylosin for Cattle, Sheep & Goats

The injectable form (Tylosin 200mg/ml) is used in ruminants for:

• Respiratory infections: pneumonia, bronchitis, rhinitis
• Mastitis and endometritis in dairy cattle
• Foot rot (panaritium)
• Infectious conjunctivitis (pinkeye)
• Contagious agalactia in sheep and goats
• Mycoplasmal arthritis
• Leptospirosis

Administer intramuscularly at 4–12 mg/kg body weight once daily for 3–5 days. See our Tylovet B-200 product page for the full dosage chart.

Tylosin for Dogs

Although not FDA-approved for companion animals, tylosin is widely prescribed off-label by veterinarians for dogs with:

• Chronic diarrhoea that doesn’t respond to other treatments
• Tylosin-responsive diarrhoea — a recognised clinical entity where dogs respond specifically to tylosin
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Colitis and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)

The typical dose for dogs is 10–40mg tylosin per kg body weight per day, usually mixed into food (the powder has a bitter taste). Treatment duration varies and should be determined by your veterinarian.

For dogs, the Tylosin 100g powder is the most practical size, as it lasts a long time when dosing individual dogs.

Tylosin vs Metronidazole for Dogs

Both tylosin and metronidazole are commonly used for chronic diarrhoea in dogs. Here’s how they compare:

Many veterinarians now prefer tylosin over metronidazole for long-term management of chronic diarrhoea in dogs due to its better safety profile for extended use.

Important Safety Information

• Never give tylosin to rabbits, guinea pigs, or hamsters — it can cause fatal gastrointestinal disruption
• Do not combine tylosin with penicillins, cephalosporins, or lincomycin (these reduce tylosin’s effectiveness)
• Observe withdrawal periods before consuming meat, milk, or eggs from treated animals
• Some people develop a skin rash from handling tylosin — wear gloves when mixing
• Not for use in horses

Powder vs Injectable – Which Do You Need?

Use the powder when you need to treat a group of animals via water medication. Use the injectable when you need to treat specific sick individuals with precise dosing.

Where to Buy Tylosin Online

Purchase genuine tylosin products from PetShopBoss.com with worldwide delivery:

• Tylosin 50% Soluble Powder – 100g
• Tylosin 50% Soluble Powder – 1kg (Bulk)
• Tylovet B-200 Injectable – Tylosin 200mg/ml (100ml)

Always consult a veterinarian before starting antibiotic treatment.