Found Sick Pigeon

[svanni]

Found in front yard 2 days ago. Doesn't move much. Just stands there. Have kept him in a warm box w/ food & H2O hoping he'd get better. He only seems to be active when I set him on the lawn and encourage him to move.

His eyes are VERY dilated and when he walks/flys, he runs into everything. I'm thinking he's blind. Maybe has been poisened ???

I'm in the Phoenix area, what should I do ???

[bklowe]

Hi, Savanni
Sounds like possible head trama, i.e., flew into window or ?. Has s/he been eating well and drinking water ? What do s/he's droppings look like ?
I would keep him in a quiet dimly lit warm place and assess s/he eating and drinking habits. Keep a soft towel on the floor of the box and posssibly a small box or some other platform to roost on. Let us know what you are feeding also. Is there a leg band? If so what is printed on it.

[svanni]

From what I can tell, s/he hasn't touched the food or water. Food is wild bird seed mix and water has some salt & sugar in it. Droppings are mostly white/offwhite with some dark green and clear liquid. There is no leg band. Any advice is helpful. Thanks in advance.

[TAWhatley]

Hi Svanni .. welcome to pigeons.com and thank you for helping this bird. As Bruce has posted the symptoms could be due to trauma, possibly poisoning, possibly PMV or some bacterial infection.

Please continue to keep the bird in where it is warm (very warm) and as quiet and stress free as possible.

We do have a couple of experienced members here at pigeons.com who are in the greater Phoenix area. I'm sure one of them will be along shortly and can perhaps assist you in caring for the bird.

Terry

[Birdmom4ever]

Thank you for keeping the pigeon safe and warm. But if it isn't drinking or eating, it needs to get to a rehabber or vet asap. I'm hoping that, as Terry said, one of our AZ members will be along soon.

You mentioned the pigeon's eyes are dilated and it is listless. Has it had any seizures, uncontrolled shaking? Is it able to stand on its own? Poisoning seems a possibility.

If you haven't done so already, click on Resources on the Pigeons.com home page for basic pigeon care. It sounds as though this little one needs to be rehydrated, at the least. Here are Cindy's rehydration instructions:

GETTING STARTED
FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW AND UNDERSTAND
Absolutely the most important basic factors to save a bird's life

HEAT:
* The bird must gradually be warmed to normal body temperature & be responsive (able to swallow). It is not unusual for a baby bird presented for rehabilitation to be very cold.
* Unless there is a critical situation (e.g., severe bleeding), all birds should be covered & placed on a heat source (e.g. heating pad set on low or low wattage lamp) for at least 20-30 minutes to bring the body temperature back to normal & allow the bird to stabilize in a quite, dark & warm area.
* Give the bird a quick cursory examination & then while the bird is warming, take the opportunity to warm the Lactated Ringers (Please see note below regarding the International Rehydration Solution) & prepare any other items you may need to care for the bird.

A COLD BIRD SHOULD NEVER BE GIVEN FLUIDS OR FOOD, PERIOD!

HYDRATION:
* Fluids should be given after, & ONLY AFTER, the bird has been warmed, examined for any injuries & a determination has been made as to the severity of his dehydration.

Degrees of dehydration:
* A well hydrated bird will be very alert, have elastic skin, moist, plump membrane inside the mouth & well formed, moist feces.

* A moderately dehydrated bird will be less than fully alert, have dry, flakey skin, dull eyes, non-formed feces, & sticky membrane in the mouth.

* A severely dehydrated bird will be lethargic (slow to respond) or unconscious,, the skin will 'tent' when slightly pinched, have sunken eyes, dry or absent feces & dry membrane in the mouth.

* Depending on the cause & percentage of dehydration, reversing this condition can take up to 24 hours.

* If the bird is alert, he may be re-hydrated orally (by mouth) by either using an eye dropper & putting drops along his beak every few minutes, or be may be gavaged (tubed). (These are the two safest & easiest methods for beginning rehabbers.) Please see ** below.

* If the bird is not swallowing on his own or fully alert, then he must be given fluids under the skin (sub-q method). Do not use the International Rehydration Solution for sub-q administration.
Be certain you learn how to do this before you try it for the first time as all birds have extensive air sacs throughout their body that should not be punctured. Also, a needle placed incorrectly may paralyze the legs. Please see *** below.

"These two comments are of my own opinion":
** For the 'real' beginner, I think the eyedropper is by far the safest method of hydrating a bird.
*** If a bird is at the point of needing fluids via sub-q, it's best to seek out a qualified rehabber or vet immediately.

FLUIDS
* All fluids should be warmed, or, at room temperature.
* If the bird is older & able to drink on his own, let him do so.
* Do not use plain water for hydration unless nothing else is available.
* An electrolyte solution is recommended such as Lactated Ringers (Please see note below regarding the International Rehydration Solution).
* Do not use Gatorade or other sport drinks which may contain sucrose or a sugar substitute.

Note: International Rehydration Solution may be used for oral (by mouth) administration only as a substitute for Lactacted Ringers.
Ingredients: Half liter (a little over a quart) of water (preferably filtered), half tsp. of salt & a half TBSP. sugar. Stir all ingredients until dissolved. Administer lukewarm.

* Don't over hydrate. You can 'drown' the bird if you get carried away. This usually happens when using the 'sub-q' method or tube feeding fluids.

The bird should start to respond to fluids as the body gets back to normal. Observation of the bird is VERY important. He should be more alert, moving around, eyes shiny & have a moist, healthy dropping. Be sure to always check the vent & surrounding area to be certain elimination is in no way being obstructed. If the vent becomes impacted or otherwise obstructed, the bird can die.

The above steps MUST be followed. The cells of the body simply do not work properly when dehydrated. Absolutely no digestive processes can take place if the gut CAN"T work. Absorption will not take place, food sits in the gut, undigested, & will eventually kill the bird.

I'm hoping this post will help those who are not familiar with these life saving steps.

Cindy

[TAWhatley]

Hi again Svanni,

Here is a link to some wildlife rehabilitators in Arizona. You might want to start calling those that are close to you to see if you can get some assistance for the bird. Without knowing for sure what is wrong, it's difficult to suggest a treatment aside from warm, dark, quiet, and keep it hydrated.

http://www.wildlifecare.org/listarizona.html

Terry

[AZWhitefeather]

I'm one of the members who lives in the Phoenix area, Dobson Ranch in Mesa.
Dobson & Baseline to be exact. I have been out all day & just walked in the door.

Where are you located in the Phoenix area? We have a licensed rehabber that lives in Chandler, Nancy Eilertson, who is extremely experienced with Pigeons & knows of rehabbers throughout the Phoenix area. She may be able to get you in touch with one near you.
Her email address is: EVWildlife@aol.com
You can also email me @ AZWhitefeather@aol.com or Kim at Berly002@aol.com. Kim suggested I post her phone number *82 (480) 838-3823 as well.

A couple suggestions: Could you check his keel (breast) bone. It should have some 'meat' around it & shouldn't be sharp. Also, could you gently open his beak & check his mouth/throat area. They should be pink & free of any obstruction. Please post your findings.

Cindy

[svanni]

Kim from AZWhiteFeather's post just came by and picked him up. She looked in his mouth and didn't see any signs of cankor (sp?). She was taking him to a rehabber.

Thanks to all for your advice.

Steve

[bklowe]

Thanks svanni for your care and concern for the pigeon, you did a great job of finding the right resources.

[TAWhatley]

Well done Steve, Kim, and Cindy! Thanks everyone and let's hope for a good outcome for this bird.

Terry

[AZWhitefeather]

First & foremost, thank you Steve for taking in this sweet pij. And thank you Kim for picking him up & bringing him over.

Kim did a quick assessment & found his mouth to be clear.

My findings:
Mouth - clear
Physical appearance - Not fluffed
Injuries - None visible
Keel bone - extremely sharp
Eyes - He seems to have a 'blank stare' about him.

I administered some ringers by mouth. I circled my finger around his head, no reaction. When I placed him in the cage he didn't move, however began to stretch out his neck while moving his head, as if trying to locate where he was, just as Ray Charles did & still does.

I'm guessing, he's possibly blind. In a few days, I may discover I was completely wrong but for now, along with a general observation, I'm going to introduce him to his seed/water as I did with Ray Charles.
I will give him some chicken baby food as he is so thin & needs a boost. I suspect he hasn't eaten for a few days.

Any suggestions on further treatment are most welcome.
Right now he is nestled down on the heating pad & seems quite content.
Here is a picture of our little patient.

Cindy

[AZWhitefeather]

Thank you for the well wishes.

Just wanted to post a short update on our little patient.
He is up & walking around a bit this morning.
I failed to post about his droppings last evening which were milk colored & watery. This morning they are dark, enhanced with a true white, however formed.

I will begin working on introducing him to his seed/water cups as well as feeding him chicken baby food & ringers lactate as a supplement.

Will update again later.
Anyone having further advice on a treatment plan, please do post it.
Thanks.

Cindy

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Cindy,


My only suggestions are probiotics, yeast tablet coupled with a dose of garlic. Old stand bys, I know...but they seem to do wonders with a down and out pigeon

[Lin Hansen]

Hi Cindy,

Of course we all hope the new patient is not permanently blind....but isn't it such a coincidence that Ray Charles just had to say goodbye to his buddies and we were all just discussing how great it would be for him to have a companion....that maybe another blind pigeon would be a good match. Maybe some things are meant to be.

Good luck and hope everything works out for the best.

Linda

[AZWhitefeather]

Hi folks,
This update is unfortunately a very sad one. Our sweet little patient passed away. When I checked all the guys at midnight I had some real concerns about him. I checked on him about 5 this morning & found him close to his demise.
Since I was unsuccessful in keeping him alive, I thought the least I could do would be to hold him until he passed away. It was only a matter of minutes after I took him out of the cage that he expired. He went very peacefully.

I'm so sorry I was unable to do more for this little guy.

I would like to mention though, I observed him intently yesterday & he was obviously sight impaired as he would walk in circles, bump into his water dish & once he found the top he dipped his beak into the water but didn't open it. He repeated the same process when he found his seed. It seemed as though he didn't realize he was supposed to open his beak.
My only conclusion is that he possibly sustained a head injury, which caused his blindness as well as his inability to know how to use his beak. I have no idea if that makes any sense but just thought I would pass it along.

Steve,
I want to thank again for being so kind to this little sweetie.

It doesn't seem to matter how long these precious birds are with us, we instantly fall in love with them & to lose one is hertbreaking.

Cindy