[TeresaL2]

Hi everyone,
It's been a very long time since I've posted here and I'm sorry for that. My old profile was apparently deactivated, so I'm registered under a new name.

Poopy was fine yesterday, but I came home today to find her paralyzed. She is about 5 years old. She stopped laying eggs for about 4 or 5 months, but she has laid one egg for two months in a row. She last laid an egg about 5 days ago. She used to lay two eggs at a time within about 2 days apart.

Her wings don't appear to be broken, but she is lying down with her wings spread. She is eating and drinking normally. I fed her cheese, since it is her favorite food.

I have an appointment with a bird vet tomorrow morning, but I'm worried that she might not make it through the night, since she became paralyzed so suddenly. Does anyone have any idea of what is causing her paralysis?

I gave her a warm bath, in case she has egg binding, but that didn't seem to help at all. I researched egg binding and I don't believe that is what is causing her paralysis.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[altgirl35]

sounds like egg paralysis, here's an article, and no more cheese, bird are lactose intolerant.
once in a while in small amounts is okay for parrots, but only hard cheese, not sure about pigeons
http://www.racingpigeondigest.com/archives/featured_articles/71

 

[Charis]

Yes...she likely is laking in calcium and vitamin D. She needs the vitamin D to help her absorb the calcium. Could be an egg is pressing on her sciatic nerve.
Go to the store and buy human grade calcium with vitamin D. The one I have is ...vit D3 200 I.U.,
Calcium 500 mg,
magnesium 250 mg,
Give her 1/8 of a pill tonight and 1/8 in the morning.
For tonight, put her on a heating pad set on low. On top the heating pad, a just barely damp wash cloth. It may help her pass the egg.

 

[TeresaL2]

Thank you, both. I just happened to have 500-d calcium supplements. It was very easy to get 1/8th of the tablet down her throat. I have her in some very shallow and warm water in the bathroom sink right now. She is very alert, but her legs are paralyzed. I've fed her cheese since she was a baby. I stopped feeding her cheese a couple of months ago, since she was getting fat. I gave her the cheese tonight, since I thought she might need the calcium. She ate a LOT of cheese. I hope that I didn't exacerbate her problem.

 

[Charis]

Do take her to the vet as planned.

 

[Feefo]

sounds like egg paralysis

My Poppy, who is an older hen, has been paralysed three times recently. According to what I have read the paralysis usually happens after the egg is laid, but in her case each time it has happened a few hours before the egg has come. Her paralysis lasts a few days.

As egg laying paralysis is caused by the egg pressing on the sciatic nerve I have treated her with Metacam (to reduce any inflammation) and have also given her Baytril and put her on a heat pad (this is because I like a heat pad when I suffer from sciatica)...sometimes she seems to appreciate it, other times she gets off.

I took her to an avian vet the first time she was paralysed and was told that it couldn't be egg laying paralysis because her feet were warm...but the coincidence of paralysis followed within 24 hours by an egg is too great.

At the moment I am working with Karyn to formulate a plan to protect her from the paralysis and to rescue her before she is brutalised by other pigeons if I can't pprevent the paralysis...she has plenty of calcium, so I don't think that is a factor in her case.

 

[TeresaL2]

Thanks again, everyone. I took her to the vet. The vet, who is a bird specialist, was convinced that she had a broken foot. I was convinced that it was an egg after research and receiving advice on this board. The x-ray revealed that it is in fact an egg. I left her with the vet. She is being given a calcium injection and a hormone injection to induce passing of the egg. If that doesn't work, the vet will have to surgically remove the egg. FYI, for anyone who has this problem, my costs so far are $250. If she has surgery, it will cost an additional $200. I live in Atlanta.

I always gave Poopy calcium until recently. Now I know how important is really is. Also, I haven't given her flax seed as often as I used to. I also stopped feeding her cheese. She loves swiss cheese. Since it is so high in calcium, I will probably resume feeding it to her. She doesn't seem to be lactose intolerant at all.

Thanks again for all the advice! I knew people here would know what is going on. If this happens again, I'm going to follow your plan of recovery, Feefo. Good luck. I hope you and Karyn are able to find a way to prevent Poppy's paralysis.

 

[Feefo]

Thanks Teresa. I hope that Poopy is able to pass the egg safely without the vet having to resort to surgery!

 

[jameswaller]

i have often wondered about this egg laying thing/great subject.//.i thought what if the egg didnot come out,,difficult labor.//.twinkie-a hand reared pigeon 14 months old,,only lays one egg-then nests,,but she looks like she is very concerned or some discomfort during this process.//.i have not allowed her to be a mom yet,,because the aviary is full,,and i do not want overcrowding/deaths/or release to the outdoors.,,so for now i just watch her during her cycles,,may get her fixed.??..sincerely james waller

 

[TeresaL2]

I was also wondering about spaying pigeons. Poopy is 5 years old. Does anyone know at what age pigeons usually stop laying eggs? The vet called me a short while ago and told me that Poopy finally passed the egg. Surgery won't be necessary. When I pick her up in the morning, I will ask about spaying and I will let you know what she says, James.

 

[Pawbla]

Is it possible to spay a pigeon?

 

[Charis]

I was also wondering about spaying pigeons. Poopy is 5 years old. Does anyone know at what age pigeons usually stop laying eggs? The vet called me a short while ago and told me that Poopy finally passed the egg. Surgery won't be necessary. When I pick her up in the morning, I will ask about spaying and I will let you know what she says, James.

They lay until they run out of eggs. I suspect she has many more eggs.

 

[altgirl35]

i know spaying can be done, but it's always very risky putting a bird under.
i'm so glad she passed the egg, how's her paralysis?

 

[c.hert]

When you spay a bird (female) the problem here is that bird will continue to pass eggs and it becomes more dangerous because there is no tube (don't know name right now) and the only recourse you have is to give that bird hormones by needle --first a larger quanity then gradually you taper it off to a certain amount of days and you have to do this for the rest of their life and it also can get very expensive and it is a nasty operation besides. If the bird passes even one egg it will go into the abdomial cavity and this is usually fatal for the bird...c.hert

 

[TeresaL2]

Thank you for asking, altgirl. She is much better. She's almost back to normal. I didn't realize that it would take a few days for her to get well.

Thanks for the info, c.hert. I wouldn't consider spaying Poopy now.

 

[altgirl35]

yay! i'm so happy she's getting better

 

[Feefo]

I am glad that she is so much better. I tried Poppy out in the aviary today, but she is still wing walking and fell over when investigated by another pigeon, so I had to bring her back inside again.

Cynthia