pij in Oakland w/bleeding wing

[feralpigeon]

Hi folks,
Was driving when I saw two construction workers crossing street w/a pigeon in hand. I looped around and stopped to ask what was happening. They had it wrapped in papertowels & it was bleeding. Said it walked into the building they were working in.

Does anyone know of a place in area that won't euthanize?
fp

[bklowe]

You say the wing is bleeding ? Do you see any bone exposed ? Has the bleeding stopped ?

[AZWhitefeather]

"They had it wrapped in papertowels & it was bleeding"

Hi fp,
Is the pij now in your possession?
Can you do a quick evaluation for any additional injuries & post your findings? Could be he was grounded due to illness & was nabbed by a cat, etc. I would also check his mouth for possible canker.

Then. . .
I would suggest placing him on a towel lined heating pad, set on low. This will help to maintain his normal body temperature in the event he is in shock, etc.

Cindy ;)

[feralpigeon]

Hi Bruce,
I put hydrogen peroxide on the wing, and underneath where the wing is affected, there appears to be another wound which I also treated as well. The bleeding is not profuse but I'm concerned that there maybe internal injuries.
fp

[feralpigeon]

Hi Bruce,
I put hydrogen peroxide on the wing, and underneath where the wing is affected, there appears to be another wound which I also treated as well. The bleeding is not profuse but I'm concerned that there maybe internal injuries.
Now that it is washed I can see some bone.

[Birdmom4ever]

Here's a link to vets and rehabbers: http://www.pigeons.com/prd.htm
I see there is a Dr. Harris in Oakland listed. I don't know him, but I do know that my two avian vets here in San Jose will take a pigeon and treat it if you relinquish your rights to it. If you can't find anyone else, let me know and I'll give you their info.

The Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley also takes pigeons, but again, that's quite a drive for you.

[bklowe]

Hi fp,
Do the wounds appear to be puncture like ? Does the injured wing " droop "? If you have cardboard box you can put a towel [ no strings ] in the bottom and cover the top with another towel or oven rack. Offer seed and water, watch the color and consistency of any droppings for signs of blood. If you can open it's mouth and check for blood or any type of growth inside. Mouth should be pink and unobstructed.
Someone should be along shortley to advise of recue people near you. Keep the bird warm [ on a heating pad wrapprd in a towel and placed under the box] or a 40/60 watt light above.
Thanks for your concern and rescue of this guy.

[bklowe]

Does the pigeon have a leg band[s] ?

[feralpigeon]

.

I would suggest placing him on a towel lined heating pad, set on low. This will help to maintain his normal body temperature in the event he is in shock, etc.

Cindy ;)[/QUOTE]

Pij is on towel lined heating pad on low. Wound @ outermost and top part of wing with steady drip.Hate to bring to Wildcare because of the wing injury in case the bird doesn't fully recover. I can call around for vet w/Assoc.ofAvian Vets but I need to get off-line.

[bklowe]

Can you tell if the bone is fractured or just exposed ?

[bklowe]

Use a piece of gauze or clean cloth and apply pressure to the bleeding to get it stopped.

[feralpigeon]

[QUOTE=bklowe]Hi fp,
Do the wounds appear to be puncture like ? Does the injured wing " droop "?

Injured wing slightly drooped, looks like a grazing on wing, and a round spot on chest underneath.
If you have cardboard box you can put a towel [ no strings ] in the bottom and cover the top with another towel or oven rack. Offer seed and water, watch the color and consistency of any droppings for signs of blood.

No blood in droppings.

If you can open it's mouth and check for blood or any type of growth inside. Mouth should be pink and unobstructed.

No growth, pink and unobstructed.

[bklowe]

It sounds as if this bird may have been attacked by a hawk or falcon .... if you can get the bleeding stopped and s/he is eating and drinking, warm and in a quiet spot I am sure help will be on hand shortly.

[feralpigeon]

Here's the update!!

Thanks to all who jumped right in with helpful advice and information.
I printed out the listing that Birdmom4ever posted the link to and called around. The Boulevard Hospital in Castro Valley did rehab and said it was rare that they euthanized unless the quality of life would be so poor that there was no other reasonable choice. God knows I don't want it on a ventilator!!!

They said they placed them for adoption if they couldn't return to the wild.

When I got there an elderly gentleman came over to the car and offered to help w/the carrier. Turns out he's the vet. The gals at the front desk told me when they can'tmake it in the wild he normally takes them home and has a group of such pigeons at home.

He looked at the pij immediately and came back out to say wing was fractured. Said he'd take xrays, I should call back tomorrow.

He also told me that I could adopt it if pij were unable to return to wild--and I guess you could term Oakland as wild!
He said he'd check to see if it had been shot.

I'm starting to wonder now. Second fractured wing in the space of two weeks. Went there a few days back & there was hardly a pij in site. Someone had dumped a good 25lbs of seed and birds weren't touching it. I went home and got broom, dust pan and garbage bag--returned and started sweeping into piles for collection. At which point the pigeons started coming out to watch with occasional arial acrobatic stunts of approval. When I picked up the last pile and dragged it to my car, they all came down from their watching spots and seemed ecstatic.
My mouth was burning but I couldn't smell anything on the seeds.
Next day, someone dumped tons of litter there. I picked that up too, so noone could complain to the City of Oakland that pigeons were roosting and it was an eyesore. Now this.
I'll post the vets findings tomorrow.

Thanks again to one and all.

[Reti]

Thank you so much for the update. I am so glad the poor guy is getting professional help.
I hope and pray he will be alright.

Thank you for keeping an eye on these beautiful birds.

Reti

[Yong]

Well you can always add him with your new friends=) Yong

[Birdmom4ever]

I'm so glad it worked out. I'd say Oakland is pretty wild, given it's reputation around the Bay Area...LOL! Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to help that poor pigeon. They are tough and he probably has a good chance of recovery, thanks to you. :)

[feralpigeon]

Hi all,
The vets office says the wing was set and in a sling! OK....Said to call back on Thurs--will post on Friday. Pij is eating and feeling better. Front desk thought I might be able to pick up Thurs or Fri.
As for the rest of the flock--the two injured birds from it which I have brought for rescue were both injured on weekdays. Never on weekends. Not conclusive findings. But I feel pretty certain it is not an accident as the same day I picked up this last one, there was another pij who had fresh blood on his feathers and was having problems bearing weight on one of his legs--it was freshly injured. I've only seen one hawk-pigeon attack, but the hawks are awesome indeed. So was it the disgruntled employee from the top floor of the furniture warehouse building or the construction worker on "the grassy knoll?" To be continued...
fp

[Birdmom4ever]

That's great news that the pij is doing better. Please let us know tomorrow if you're able to pick him up today. Are you adopting him? Be careful, pigeons are very addictive. ;)

[feralpigeon]

That's great news that the pij is doing better. Please let us know tomorrow if you're able to pick him up today. Are you adopting him? Be careful, pigeons are very addictive. ;)

Thanks Birdmom,
You betcha, addictive. The vet said I could, and I have asked his staff to inquire about a fee for his services as he has been outstanding
in his "bedside manner". I feel good about bringing a sick pij to him again for help and not worrying that
he/she will be put down for not having a perfect body when the healing process is complete. They told me today that there is still bleeding, I don't know if it is the chest wound or wing.
But everyone was very busy who might know and I don't want to be a nuisance for them. She said I could call back tomorrow and it wouldn't be ready until at least Saturday.
Will be sure to keep ya posted!!
Thanks again to everyone for their help!
fp

[Birdmom4ever]

It's a blessing that you found this vet because you've established a relationship with him and now you know where to take your bird in the future, should you need to. Your dedication to the pigeon is admirable and I'm sure you and pij will enjoy each other's company once he comes home. Isn't it amazing how pigeons make their way to people who will help them?

[feralpigeon]

Yes, they are a trip, truly.
I was feeding some in SF a few days ago and an official city car drove by (white w/city emblem),
and those pij's took off to a roof.
As soon as the city vehicle was gone, back they came. They have a way of knowing who they can trust.
fp

[feralpigeon]

Hi all,
The vets office says the wing was set and in a sling! OK....Said to call back on Thurs--will post on Friday. Pij is eating and feeling better. Front desk thought I might be able to pick up Thurs or Fri.
As for the rest of the flock--the two injured birds from it which I have brought for rescue were both injured on weekdays. Never on weekends. Not conclusive findings. But I feel pretty certain it is not an accident as the same day I picked up this last one, there was another pij who had fresh blood on his feathers and was having problems bearing weight on one of his legs--it was freshly injured. I've only seen one hawk-pigeon attack, but the hawks are awesome indeed. So was it the disgruntled employee from the top floor of the furniture warehouse building or the construction worker on "the grassy knoll?" To be continued...
fp

OK, so a few days ago, I pull up where I normally do, to feed this flock, and as I'm walking to the curbside of the vehicle I see this little ball tucked up to the side of the curb on the street. When I picked it up and wiped it off, it was slightly smaller than a marble, weighted, and resembling a nickle finish; metallic.
I think someone is shooting at these birds with some kind of (?!?) don't know cause its not my forte.
fp

[Reti]

This is very sad.
Hope some day you can see who is doing this, and if you do, I'd suggest you call 911. At least in Miami, it is illegal to shoot any kind of gun within city limits. Don't mention they are shooting at pigeons, just tell them someone is shooting.
I had to deal with this myself, very sad.

Reti

[feralpigeon]

Just an update,
Pijie is still @ rehab. They said bleeding stopped, and to check in next Tues. I can't imagine what a long stay like this will cost, and I may not be able to afford bringing pij home, but as long as pij has a good home that is what I'm most interested in.
As for who is messing w/the flock there.......my suspicion is the construction crew that is there remodeling for Val Strough ( car dealership on "Auto Row".
They've moved to another building accross the street and the flock is much more relaxed now. Pigeons sure have alot to contend with!
fp