# Tylvalosin: veterinary dose and monograph

> Tylvalosin is a veterinary antibiotic. A third-generation macrolide (a tylosin derivative) used mainly in SWINE and POULTRY via drinking water or feed — for swine enzootic pneumonia (Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae), ileitis (Lawsonia intracellularis), porcine proliferative… Indications include swine enzootic pneumonia (Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae); porcine proliferative enteropathy / ileitis (Lawsonia intracellularis); swine dysentery (Brachyspira) — control. This monograph lists 2 reference doses for pigs and poultry, each with route, frequency and source, plus meat and milk withdrawal periods for food animals.

Source: https://vetmasterji.com/drugs/tylvalosin · Last reviewed: 2026-10-01

## At a glance

- **Drug class:** Antibiotic
- **Also known as:** Aivlosin, Acetylisovaleryltylosin
- **Species with doses:** Pigs and Poultry
- **General dose range:** 5–20 mg/kg PO q24h (in water/feed) — check the species tables for the indication
- **Routes:** PO
- **Last reviewed:** 1 October 2026

## Indications

- Swine enzootic pneumonia (Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae)
- Porcine proliferative enteropathy / ileitis (Lawsonia intracellularis)
- Swine dysentery (Brachyspira) — control
- Poultry respiratory/Mycoplasma (M. gallisepticum) disease

## Tylvalosin dose by species

Doses are per administration unless stated. mg/kg doses scale with body weight; per-animal, per-quarter and infusion-rate doses are shown as the reference writes them.

### Pigs

*Tylvalosin doses for pigs*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Enzootic pneumonia / ileitis (water/feed) | Medicated water or feed at the label inclusion rate for the indication | PO | daily per label | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |

- Enzootic pneumonia / ileitis (water/feed): Label-sourced — neither Papich 5e nor Plumb’s has a tylvalosin monograph. Dose, duration and withdrawal differ by formulation (granules for water vs premix) and indication; follow the local product label.

### Poultry

*Tylvalosin doses for poultry*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Respiratory / Mycoplasma (water) | Medicated drinking water at the label rate (prepare fresh daily) | PO | daily per label | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |

- Respiratory / Mycoplasma (water): Label-sourced — no Papich 5e or Plumb’s monograph. Follow the local label for dose, duration, meat withdrawal and egg restrictions.

## Contraindications

Adult horses / hindgut fermenters (fatal colitis — macrolide class). Macrolide hypersensitivity. Lactating animals producing milk for human consumption (per label). Observe food-animal withdrawal. Known hypersensitivity.

## Species-specific warnings

> **Caution:** Horses: Macrolide — fatal colitis in adult horses; strictly a pig/poultry product.

## Adverse effects

- Generally well tolerated in target species
- Reduced water/feed intake if palatability poor
- Fatal colitis in horses/rabbits (class effect)

## Drug interactions

- Other macrolides/lincosamides: cross-resistance
- Ionophores (monensin): caution as with some macrolide-ionophore interactions
- No major small-molecule interactions at label use

## Pregnancy and lactation

Considered safe in pregnant pigs/poultry at label doses.

## Monitoring

- Herd/flock clinical and production response
- Water/feed intake (palatability)
- Withdrawal compliance
- Macrolide stewardship

## Toxicity and overdose

Wide margin in target species; overdose may reduce intake or cause GI signs. The catastrophic toxicity is species-specific — fatal colitis if it reaches horses or rabbits.

Management: Supportive; no specific antidote. Treat colitis aggressively if accidentally given to a hindgut fermenter. Manage GI signs symptomatically.

## Clinical pearls

- A swine/poultry water- or feed-medication macrolide — strong against Mycoplasma, Lawsonia (ileitis) and Brachyspira with high intracellular/tissue levels
- Prepare medicated water fresh daily and ensure it is the only water source for reliable intake
- Never let it reach horses/rabbits (fatal colitis); observe food-animal withdrawal
- A useful option for proliferative enteropathy (ileitis) control in grow-finish pigs

## Mechanism of action

A macrolide that binds the 50S ribosomal subunit (23S rRNA), blocking translocation in bacterial protein synthesis — bacteriostatic against Mycoplasma, Lawsonia, Brachyspira and many Gram-positives. It accumulates in tissues and phagocytes (high intracellular levels suit the intracellular pathogens it targets) and has some anti-inflammatory/immunomodulatory effects on the respiratory mucosa.

## Formulations and products

- Water-soluble granules (Aivlosin)
- Feed premix
- Aivlosin (ECO Animal Health) — Water-soluble granules / premix, Soluble granules / premix

## Storage

Granules/premix: 15–30 °C, dry, protect from light/moisture. Medicated water: prepare fresh daily.

## Before you use this dose

> **Caution:** Reference doses for veterinary professionals. Confirm the dose against the product label, the patient’s condition, current guidance and local regulations before use; the attending veterinarian remains responsible for every clinical decision.

## Other antibiotics

- [Tinidazole](https://vetmasterji.com/drugs/tinidazole)
- [Tobramycin](https://vetmasterji.com/drugs/tobramycin)
- [Trimethoprim / Sulfadiazine (TMP-Sulfa)](https://vetmasterji.com/drugs/tmp-sulfa)
- [Tulathromycin](https://vetmasterji.com/drugs/tulathromycin)
- [Vancomycin](https://vetmasterji.com/drugs/vancomycin)

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the dose of Tylvalosin for pigs?

Reference doses for Tylvalosin in pigs: Medicated water or feed at the label inclusion rate for the indication PO daily per label (Enzootic pneumonia / ileitis (water/feed)). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the dose of Tylvalosin for poultry?

Reference doses for Tylvalosin in poultry: Medicated drinking water at the label rate (prepare fresh daily) PO daily per label (Respiratory / Mycoplasma (water)). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the withdrawal period for Tylvalosin?

Pigs, PO (Enzootic pneumonia / ileitis (water/feed)): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Poultry, PO (Respiratory / Mycoplasma (water)): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label. Follow the product label and national regulations where they differ.

### When should Tylvalosin not be used?

Adult horses / hindgut fermenters (fatal colitis — macrolide class). Macrolide hypersensitivity. Lactating animals producing milk for human consumption (per label). Observe food-animal withdrawal. Known hypersensitivity.

### What are the side effects of Tylvalosin in animals?

Generally well tolerated in target species; Reduced water/feed intake if palatability poor; Fatal colitis in horses/rabbits (class effect).

## Sources

- Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
- Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th edition
- Papich, Papich Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th edition

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VetMasterJi is a clinical decision-support and education platform for veterinary professionals and students. It does not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment for specific animals. All drug doses, calculators and differentials are references that must be independently verified before clinical use; the attending registered veterinarian remains solely responsible for every clinical decision.