Another Victim of Canker?

[Lady Tarheel]

Originally Posted by ante bozanich

BTW, what is exactly scissored beak?

Ante, a beak is usually called scissored when the top and bottom beaks do not align - each of them usually going in a different direction. There are some pictures on this link: http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/557307521dmqjCP

We have a little pigeon with scissored beak where the beak is actually crossed, even more than the one shown in the other link but she can eat and drink as well as the rest of the flock and periodically it straightens out somewhat only to go back to being scissored. I couldn't locate a good picture of her showing it.

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by ante bozanich

That's a good idea. Do you mean a garlic oil capsule from a human vitamin shop? Would this be, maybe, too large of a dosage for a very thin pigeon?

Yes, a human grade capsule, you can put a few drops in the formula or on the seed.

http://store.thecatalog.com/1790.html

[ante bozanich]

I have some deodorized garlic capsules at home, but I don't think deodorized is good, so I got some Whole Fresh Bulb Liquid Extract from Herb Pharm, and have been putting few drops into her food. As for moisturizing her tongue, I think I am going to stay with the water and the sesame cooking oil.

I am worried about a lot of slimy mucus in her throat. She makes sounds as she breathes and I'm afraid the mucus might choke her. I have been trying to remove it with a cotton swab as much as I can. On a positive note, the smell has almost all gone, and I think the nodule on the bottom of her throat is getting smaller. I have given her 5 spartrix pills so far. I was told to pause for 2 days and then continue with the 5 more pills.

One more question I am concerned about is whether to keep her in a dark and a quiet place, such as my bedroom, during the day, or by the window, with the door of the cage looking outside where other birds are doing their thing?

[jazaroo]

Hi Ante,

You may want to consider dissolving a small piece of the Spartrix in about 1cc of water and painting your birds mouth with this and allow some to dribble down the throat, I think it will help a great deal with the slimy mucus. I have a bird in that had a very bad case of canker and it helped a great deal applying some topically to clear up the slimy mucus in the throat/mouth area you are speaking of.

Also, it is always my inclination to have a convalescing bird not sit in a dark box/cage, or even in a place where they can not view the outside world for long if possible. I find myself it helps with their general spirit to see other birds, squirrels, the trees and life in general still going on to increase their will to live.

I hope this helps a bit,

Ron

[ante bozanich]

Tomorrow the month of May is over but May is still alive. It has been a struggle for both of us. I have been dedicating all my time and undivided attention to her or him. It's been 17 days now since I took her in. We went through 10 pills of Spartrix with 2 days of pause in between and 0.08 ml of Panacur for parasites for the following three days, while tube feeding 4X per day all along. I had also tried several times applying Spartrix directly, topically as Jazaroo has suggested in the post above. All the same, yesterday, when I took May back to the rehabber for a follow check up, canker was still there, and a large white lump embedded right in the breathing hole down May's throat was still there.

Rehabber suggested trying a different medication so she gave me three pills of Trichocure (ronidozol) by Oropharma, and told me to give her a pill per day for the next three days.

Miraculously, within several hours after putting the first Trichocure pill down May's throat, I could see a real improvement, and by this morning things looked unbelievably good. I could not see any white matter in her throat and could not feel any lump in there. She did a lot of flying in my bedroom by the window, took a bath and picked on water, but still I have not seen her eat yet on her own.

Now, I am left with the dilemma whether to continue with the treatment or wait. I have seen different dosage schedules for the Trichocure Online? Also I don't know if I should stop feeding her with a tube? She is still very thin. She has a curved beak, which I was told is abnormality with pigeons, and I had to file it down, but there is still a small gap between her upper and lower beak. Her tongue is much better and she keeps it inside of her mouth now. There is only a very small part of the tip of it which it seems has been dried out and died for good.

[littlestar]

The poor little guy, I hope he makes it.

Here's a scissor beak

[Reti]

I think it is best to continue the treatment, all three pills.
The cancker might not be gone completely and will come back if you discontinue now.
I was reading recently that there has been increasingly more reports of canker resistant to usual treatments. I hope we won't have problems in the near future.

Is she is skinny continue feeding her, gradulally you can delay the morning feedings and see if she starts pecking on her seeds.

Reti

[feralpigeon]

Definitely do all three pills.

fp

[ante bozanich]

Here is an update on May.

I have completed the dosage of the three Trichocure pills couple of days ago. As far as I can tell, canker is gone and there is no visible damage to her throat or her beak. Yesterday I had only fed her with the tube once about 15 ml at the end of the day. She has started picking on seeds but I can't tell how much she is swallowing. Today as I was trying to feed her again, I did see a seed inside of her throat which went down eventually by itself. So I am assuming she can eat ... how effectively, I don't know yet.

The issue now is her beak which, rehabber has told me, is not normal and will have to be filed on an ongoing bases. I am assuming that perhaps the reason she got ill in the first place is because of her beak, and therefore inability to eat properly. I don't think her beak is scissored but the top grows curved and there is a gap between the upper and lower part. I have filed it so now gap is not as wide but it is still slightly there. I have made an illustration to demonstrate this but for some reason I've not been able to post that image.

[ante bozanich]

All right... I finally got it. Here is the illustration of May's beak before and after the filing:

[Reti]

I guess you will need to file the beak periodically. My Tiny has a bit of an overgrowth but the tip does break of by itself. Then I have a dove where the overgrowth get really bad, I need to clip her beak often otherwise she has trouble eating.
You've done a great job with this bird.

Reti

[Lady Tarheel]

Ante, that looks lots better. Love your drawings.

[mr squeaks]

WELL DONE, Ante!

May has come a long way toward becoming a happy healthy pij! You did one terrific job and never gave up! Looks like you are able to keep her beak under control too.

Please keep us updated!

Wishing you and May the BEST

With LOVE, HUGS and SCRITCHES

Shi
& Mr. Squeaks