Phoenix has avian pox. - Pigeon-Talk

philodice · #1 29th August 2008, 03:53 PM

Well it seems my trials are never to be over with little baby Phoenix. Mosquitos have gotten into the house, and must have transmitted Pox to the little amputee.
Already down on his weight from the injury, forced early weaning by an inexperienced hand feeder (me), dogged early in life by a bad hatch, dehydration, and inattentive parents, now he has the pox. Growing lumps on the side of his beak starting to push it out of alignment. Pictures later.

What do I do now? I think at this point I'm sort of frozen in dispair, tired of running to my books every new crisis this dove finds himself in.

Glacier, by the way, is great. Bravely attacked and killed a large bunch of brocolli yesterday, and then ate it. He's a big Pidge.
I need vacinations for the others, too.

Margarret · #2 29th August 2008, 03:58 PM

OH Philodice,

I'm so sorry to hear this. That poor baby doesn't need any more problems.
As far as I know, supportive treatment is all you can do. I haven't had to deal with pox, so don't know the particulars.
I'm sure someone will be along to give some good treatment advice.

Hugs to you and little Phoenix.

Margaret

TAWhatley · #3 29th August 2008, 09:10 PM

Hi Philodice,

I'm sure sorry that you and Phoenix have yet another situation to deal with. The good news is that with your good supportive care, all should be well. It's going to be very important to assure that Phoenix is eating and drinking sufficiently. If not .. it's hand/tube/syringe/nipple .. whatever .. feeding time. It's also important to be watching very carefully for any sign of an opportunistic bacterial infection setting in due to the weakened state of little Phoenix's immune system from staving off the pox virus. He's already probably just about worn his little system out recovering from his injuries, and there may not be a lot of reserves left.

You do want to be topically applying a drying agent such as diluted Betadine to the pox lesions.

There isn't much else that you can do.

I'll be pulling for you and Phoenix .. please do keep us posted and holler for help if you need it. I'm not sure any of us has all of the magic answers, but all of us together make a pretty darned good team when it comes to helping.

Terry

Southwing · #4 29th August 2008, 09:18 PM

Hello, Phoenix I feel bad for the bird and you. I had all my Ybs get the Pox around 50 of them at once. It has gone from the Ybs and they are looking healty and strong you would never knew they had pox. But the pox has gotton to some very small babies about 2 and 3 weeks old they seem to get over it quiker than the Ybs. Southwing

philodice · #5 29th August 2008, 09:19 PM

He's pecking around and drinking...it's early in the game. Just a few flesh colored bumps around the beak, some hiding under the little feathers.
Is it a heating pad/no drafts/ garlic pills sort of illness, or a Quarantine, no drafts, lots of food kind of illness?

TAWhatley · #6 29th August 2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodice

He's pecking around and drinking...it's early in the game. Just a few flesh colored bumps around the beak, some hiding under the little feathers.
Is it a heating pad/no drafts/ garlic pills sort of illness, or a Quarantine, no drafts, lots of food kind of illness?

It's very contagious to other birds if they are sharing food/water sources .. so in that regard .. quarantine is important to keep any other birds safe. I'm not saying you need to "coddle" Phoenix with a heating pad and such .. just isolate him from any other birds for now.

Truly, if Phoenix is eating, drinking, and doing OK .. just topically treat the lesions with a drying agent and keep a close eye on him.

Terry

philodice · #7 30th August 2008, 06:46 AM

Poor thing, got the quarantine cased. He's had his own seed and water and apartment for some time now, didn't want bigger birds to bully him so everything was separate, I just moved his apartment to the far side of the house. He's such a small bird, and I was expecting now that he is healed to put some weight on him.

rainbows · #8 30th August 2008, 07:44 AM

If you can "control" the pox by keeping it as dry as possible so it doesn't spread, it should NOT deter the bird's appetite so it is still possible to put weight on the recovered bird. Just imagine him with "contagious acne".

Jay3 · #9 30th August 2008, 08:04 AM

Poor little thing. You two have been through so much already. Maybe his name should have been Job. Hopefully once this has passed, you two won't have any more hurdles. Have you heard the saying "That which doesn't break us, makes us strong." He will probably grow to be a very strong little bird.

Birdmom4ever · #10 30th August 2008, 11:52 AM

I'm so sorry to hear about this setback. I wish Phoenix the best and a speedy recovery.

lwerden · #11 30th August 2008, 12:50 PM

Philodice......I am sorry sorry for little Phoenix. Poor thing has been through so much and didn't need another complication.

I hope and will pray for a speedy recovery.

God bless you both.

Regards,
Louise

philodice · #12 2nd September 2008, 07:49 AM

The small, flesh colored bumps don't seem to be getting any bigger. In fact, they already seem smaller. I've got him on neem oil, which is what killed the viral outbreak on my lip in less than 3 days and brags to be a great way to clear up infections on the face. Well, for humans. Apparently there IS a cure for pox, and it is located in my kitchen. And he is still eating like a little piggy, and still gaining weight. I have lots of hope for my little Phoenix. However, I don't expect he is very smart. he seems to think that practice makes perfect and keeps trying to fly. I can't have him out of his cage and up on a desk or couch, he'll try to fly off. And I had to put him in a cage with a lower roof, so he would stop trying to fly up. He can still flap all he wants but at least he stopped knocking himself over.