cat got one of my pigeons

[zoo keeper]

OK yesterday when my birds were coming in after flying, one was caught by a cat. It does not appear to have puncture wounds, but it does however have a large flap of skin under the wing that was torn. I would say the size of a 50 cent piece. I cleaned it with peroxide. Put it in the house in a cage with clean towel. I put jedds 5 in 1 in its water. I have not seen him today as I am at work until tomorrow morning. My daughter called and said it is up walking and eating today. What is the chances of it continuing to do OK and survive? Yesterday it just sat for the day, but it sounds promising that it is eating and drinking today.

[cyro51]

90% of cats carry pasteurella in their saliva which can cause septicemia and death in pigeons before any symptoms show. Rather than take the risk I would treat with Clavamox.

Cynthia

[zoo keeper]

I wonder if that is in that 5 in 1 I got from jedds, If not where do you get that. Gosh it being sunday and tomorrow a holiday and then having to order on tuesday and then over night to arrive on Wednesday. Will the bird be dead by then?

[cyro51]

Sorry, I am in the UK where it is a prescription only drug so I can't tell you where to get it from other than a vet. It is an antibiotic so unlikely to be in a 5 in one drug.

Where are you? maybe another member has some thay can share????

Cynthia

[zoo keeper]

I am in the US. I have left a message for the lady that has been helping me learn about my ladies and gentlemen. She is not home I guess today. Sadly I am stuck at work. I called the feed store and they are open. They sell all kinds of antibiotics for animals, you know stuff for chickens horses. All kinds of powder stuff. I was hoping there would be something there I could give them, but I dont know what all pigeons can have that would be sold there. I guess I am stuck for the time being. I guess I can only hope the peroxide killed any pasteurella that may have gotten in the wound.

[zoo keeper]

My question is this..... Does anyone know what kind of antibiotics would be sold at the feed stores that a pigeon can have.

They have all kinds of powered stuff that can be given to birds, rabbits, chickens. Etc. I just need to know what kind to get.

Any help here would be great. Thanks

[ZigZagMarquis]

5 in 1 from VitaKing says this :

Vita King 5 IN 1 POWDER

A powerful combination treatment for coccidiosis, canker, respiratory, worms plus Vita-Pro Combo added. Amprolium for coccidiosis, Ridzol-S for canker, tylosine (tylan) for respiratory infections, Levamisol for worms and Vita-Pro Combo; a combination of probiotics (helpful bacteria builder), electrolytes, amino acids and vitamins.

--------------------------

I have this on hand... its basically Amoxycillin...


AVIVET 100 g (Medpet)


A broad spectrum water-soluble antibiotic for the treatment of a wide range of bacterial diseases in pigeons and birds.

High concentrations of the Amoxycillin antibiotic makes it unique in treating life-threatening infections of amongst others, the lungs and gut, e.g. E.coli and Salmonella. Fortified with vitamins to speed up recovery. Very safe with minimal side effects. Not effective against Chlamydia psittaci (Psittacosis) - in these cases Doxybiotic must be used.

Composition (each 100g contains):
. Amoxycillin 40 g
. Vit A 2000 I.U
. Vit B1 2 mg
. Vit B2 10 mg
. Vit B6 2 mg
. Vit B12 4.8 mg
. Vit C 20 mg
. Vit E 20 mg
. Vit K3 2 mg
. Niacin 20 mg

[Reti]

This is good, it is what you need. The amoxicillin is broad spectrum.
Can you get that?

Reti

[John_D]

Amoxycillin is one part of the compound we would use here for cat-caught pigeons. This is Synulox, which Cynthia has been using for the cat caught Woodpigeon.

In the US I understand the antibiotic is called Clavamox. May be wrong, but this would likely be a prescription med, as the UK version is.

John

[cyro51]

Amoxycillin would pressumably be better than nothing.

The second ingredient in Clavamox is Clauvanic Acid which protects the penicillin structure from destruction by Staphylococci. Helen considers this important/essential for cat bites.

Cynthia

[ZigZagMarquis]

ZK... haven't heard from you... how's your hurt baby doing??

[zoo keeper]

Well, I wanted to up date you guys on my pijjie that was caught by a cat and had the huge injury from Oct 8.

The initial injury was an open hole the size of a 50 cent piece / 2 cm.

It has now been 20 days since the pijjie was injured. The wound is about half the size now. I would say 1 cm across is open with no skin, but a scab.

She never got infected with such a large area with no skin and did not catch germs from the cat as well. I am not sure if this is due to luck, the antibiotic in the water, or cleaning it 3 times daily with peroxide.

She is now back in the loft and is so much happier with all her friends. I still check the wound, but don't mess with her as much now. I am letting nature do the rest since it is clean, scabbed over, and not draining.

Each day when I let the pijjies out to fly she looks out but has not flown yet. Twice she went to the roof and looked around then trapped right back in.

I am very happy that she survived. Will she fly again, I just don't know. I think she may remember her attack and be to scared to really leave again. I guess time will tell.

[cyro51]

I am so glad that she is well, but I would remove the scab (gently) every time it forms because it is better for pigeons to heal from the inside. without the scab the tissue builds up from the inside out.

The one time that I let a shallow would scab over the pigeon developed a tracking abscess, when I pulled out the plug of necrotic tissue it left a hole half the size of my thumb! That took a lot of nursing to get better!

Cynthia

[zoo keeper]

Thanks for that insight Cynthia. I really and so amazed she lived or did not get infected. My post here did really not even begin to explain the size of the wound. Pigeons are truly amazing little creatures.

If she never flies again, I am fine with that. She can just be my local resident pijjie that hangs out with me.

[zoo keeper]

I just have to let you all know, my lady pijjie that was injured by the cat one month ago is now flying. I just cant believe it. 3 days ago when I opened the exit door for the birds to exercise, she flew out and up in the air with the kit of birds. She flew just like she had never been out due to the injury.