Serious Condition

[superflyer]

On the way home tonight I stopped to feed on a freeway bridge and
found a sick or injured youngish pigeon. Two weeks ago I found a dead
one in the same spot on top the ice that covered where we normally put
the food. This guy cannot stand. One leg and foot seem to work a
little bit but the other is pretty limp and still, yet on quick exam it
does not appear to be broken. His wings seem to both work ok but he
cannot get off the ground. He is resting in a cage with food and
water. Elsa and Thor are flying free in the same room. They cannot
access his food or water. So far he didn't eat or drink. Any Ideas?
Please don't say take him to an avian vet unless you know
a good one in Chicagoland that treats street pigeons.

[AZWhitefeather]

Many thank for rescuing this little one.

Until further assistance is available, I would suggest offering supplement heat to him. Either place a towel lined heating pad, set on low, under him or place him under a low wattage lamp.

Their body temperature needs to be maintained. Supplement heat will achieve this.

Also, if you haven't already done so, please click on the following link and follow the steps.
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/ba...dove-8822.html

Any chance of posting a picture?

Please keep us posted.

Cindy

[Pegasus]

Originally Posted by superflyer

Please don't say take him to an avian vet unless you know
a good one in Chicagoland that treats street pigeons.

I really like your straight to the point comment...

That's what I am saying, members need to be 100% sure giving advice to see the vet and if possible to follow up on the bird that was rehabilitated by so called rehabber...

My answer: I don't know any vet in mafialand but maybe some other members will give you some info...Practice to let him fly...Eventually he will flap his wings and try to exercise,once you see him do that, make him do more and more it is good for him not just his wings...He will eat once he feel hungry, you can't do anything for now but to wait...

[Jaye]

You are probably aware of the danger signs to look for : if he seems lethargic, fluffed up, if his eyes are often closed and he doesn't seem alert. Also, if he seems very underweight (i.e. keelbone protruding) you have to start handfeeding some formula.

Keelbone significantly protruding, you don't have the luxury of waiting several days to see if he starts picking at food again, IMHO, better safe than sorry.

If he's an adolescent or fledgling...he may have just been overcome by the struggle of it all and is exhausted. If young, he may not yet have completely caught on to foraging.....add that to freezing weather and that's a lot for a young one to deal with.

But if he generally appears robust and not showing any of those signs, just keep doing what you are doing; keep him nice and warm. But if he really doesn't start to eat or drink in 24 hrs, then you may have to help him/her with that as far as handfeeding some Kaytee formula.

You wanna keep her/him hydrated and maintaining weight.

I take it you don't have any bird meds ? In a situation like this I always give a few doses of painkiller/anti-inflammatory...if for no other reason than to take the edge off and let the bird relax a bit....but you need to know the med and dosages.

[Grimaldy]

Bite your tongue there Pegasus,

Al Capone was born in New York, in case you have forgotten, then went west to seek his fortune.

I have connected with superflyer, he is doing a first rate job of looking after the bird. It appears that it got hit by a car and may have a broken leg. Superflyer is going to check and if need be splint it up.

It turns out he has been quietly running his own little pigeon rescue group here in Chicago for a little while now.

[Pegasus]

Grim, I only say mafialand because he got his named skyrocketed in Chicago...But I don't really know much about Capone...Now if we have a member from Alcatraz then I will say I don't know any vet from the "Rock"...

[Grimaldy]

Yes it is awful; when you say you are from Chicago, everybody says "Al Capone". Nobody mentions Michael Jordan or Barack Obama.