Ginger- Uhoh

[gingerpoo]

So for as long as I've had Ginger she's occassionally had issues with balance, where her feet and wings stop working temporarily. I could normally fix the problem by holding her and helping her get upright and she'd be good to go.

This morning I woke up to her laying down- (which she doesn't do very often at all..) and trying to turn herself around with one of her wings.
Her legs seem to really not be working now. although she stood up for me only when I walked over to her, she didn't even attempt to move around before that.
She's eating less, drinking more (it seems), poops are a bit mucus-y.
and her tail seems down, when she was on the windowsill at least.. probably just to help her balance.

A couple pics of her in her current state.. I'm worried I am going to have to put her down today. I don't imagine theres much that can be done.
(She's molting atm- so her feathers are a bit askew)





Scheduled an apt with an actual avian vet, but they couldnt get me in until tomorrow. for now im going to a vet thats helped with the rescue birds near my area.

I have now moved her into the sunshine and doughnut-wrapped a towel around her until we leave. really worried.

[spirit wings]

has she ever laid any eggs before?...just thinking possible eggbinding????

[gingerpoo]

she has layed eggs before. A couple recently, a month and a half ago which she sat on for a while.
It is getting colder here, so i think she'd be done with that for the season.

Her tail does respond when I tip her forward and back.. but it seems 'loose'/'wiggly'

[Charis]

Please put the put down thought out of your head until you know what's going on with your bird.
As Spirit wings mentioned, this could be egg related if this is a hen. Often the first egg can be difficult. Do you give her calcium supplement? How many days has this been going on?

[Charis]

Originally Posted by gingerpoo

she has layed eggs before. A couple, a month and a half ago which she sat on for a while.
It is getting colder here, so i think she'd be done with that for the season.

If stimulated, a Pigeon will lay eggs all year long. Single Pigeons may be stimulated by petting their lower back.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by gingerpoo

she has layed eggs before. A couple recently, a month and a half ago which she sat on for a while.
It is getting colder here, so i think she'd be done with that for the season.

Mine are still laying here in va, and it is chilly, in Ca(warmer weather) I would think she would still lay, hope she will be ok, let us know what the vet says, glad you are getting her there soon! eggbinding can be very seriouse, that is even if thats what it is...

[Pidgey]

"Mucus-y" poops, huh? Picture? Seeing as how you're taking her to a vet, it'll be up to that person but I'd give her a Trimethoprim/Sulfa combo drug like Divet.

Pidgey

[maryjane]

Don't jump to putting her down! There's always hope. We know how much you love her. It could be a number of things, hopefully the vet will figure it out and you are able to treat her. My pigeons lay eggs all year round, cold weather or no, so that could definitely be the problem. I will be thinking of her!!

[gingerpoo]

Hello all, finally got back home, the vet was very nice and asked good questions.
He took an xray and is also getting a blood test done as well.

It did end up being an eggbound egg, wonder if thats why the poops were mucus-y? maybe some of the actual egg i was seeing?
She is on an oral Sulfatrim/Ditrim suspension now
Her liver looked large, but it may have been the egg pushing it up in the xray - hence why he still wants to go through with the blood panel.
She also has a heart murmur.

The vet wants me to try to feed just pellet food.

I have been mixing it in with pigeon mix, i've also been adding;
brown rice, wheat germ, cut oats, polenta, couscous, lentils, clean wild bird food (without the shells) , also a dove/quail mix with millet and niger.

I also add powder calcium, powdered vitamins, and brewers yeast/garlic and moisten it with Premium 9 Oil. I do this extra stuff every week or 2, although she doesnt eat all of the food at once.

She also has 2 (red and brown) picking stones
I've always been afraid to give her too much vitamin/calcium, but i guess i need to step it up on that.

Today I picked up some Petamine, some Roudy Bush bird pellets (looks different than the pigeon stuff.. figured i'd mix it in too) safflower (although she's never seemed very interested) and another type of Grit, which is fortified with calcium and vitamins, also some salt and charcoal. Also going to see if she'll eat some Chard or Spinach.

I'm very surprised she's laying now, normally she's done quite a bit earlier.
She's used to being inside, but 6 months or so ago my living arrangements changed and she's outside some and inside some, so if anything i'd think she'd be laying less in the cooler weather that she's not so used to.

Also since I've had her these 7 or so years, her cere has always been very pale, I was always under the impression this had to do with vitamin/calcium consumption.. but even with giving vitamin/calcium it doesnt seem any better.

Also none of this explains the history of lack of motor control of her legs and even wings sometimes- that comes and goes

I just bumped into this "Is your bird hypocalcemic?" on the RoudyBush site...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocalcemia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetany_(medical_sign)
Anyone else heard or think this could be it? She doesn't really have spasms so much as just stops working

[gingerpoo]

another symptom of Hypocalcemia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiac_arrhythmia

[Charis]

My hens just love Petamine.
My experience is that they eat what they need so there is no need on the human's part to with hold anything. They will stop when they have enough calcium or grit.

[gingerpoo]

Long Day


Sleeping in her food bowl on a heating pad

[maryjane]

Bless her heart! I had to check in here to make sure she's doing better. I'm so glad to hear that it was an egg. Darn eggs!

[Feefo]

I so am glad that you found out what was wrong with her so quickly! I gather the egg was removed?

Cynthia

[gingerpoo]

yes they gave her a hormone to make her have contractions and assisted with its removal. She is back to her grunty kissy self today, nice bright eyes and full crop.