[sabina]

Aias was on the roof with the cats about an hour ago, when he noticed that they noticed something. There was a pigeon flopping around (once he saw the cats) in the pitch dark, trying to fly away, but totally unable to.
Aias brought the pigeon in, and right away, I noticed the pigeon's posture was very strange. he holds his head and neck strangely, in a downward position. We looked in the mouth, didn't see canker. No obvious injuries. The feet have some growths/lesions. LOTS of pigeon flies. Young adult pigeon, very light weight, orange eyes, white ceres. Mostly alert, though gets a little sleepy. Really doesn't lift his head at all. No poops yet.
I spent the last 45 minutes giving drops of rehydration solution on the side of his beak, until I saw that the water seemed to be dribbling out at times. But he was obviously swallowing whenever I put any drops.
Aias is currently uploading some pics, will update with those in the next few minutes.
So i thought of Phil's pigeons since those were the only ones I ever heard of with their heads drooping down. If this pigeon makes it until then, we can take it to Animal General on Friday. But in the meantime, we have Spartrix, Baytril, Ivermectin...maybe a couple other things, I'll have to check.
Will be back with pics in a few...

 

[sabina]

ok aias still working on pics but a little update...1 forest green starvation poop. and the water seems to be bubbling out of the slits in the beak. even if it's been a minute or so since i gave any water (i'm doing it much more slowly now), all of a sudden, it'll come back out. i haven't given more than 10 cc--i mean, a lot of it just drips onto the newspaper.
also, no respiratory difficulty. when i first saw the position the bird was in, i thought maybe it was a breathing problem. but there's no labored breathing.
no twirling or stargazing. he can flap his wings and he can walk. though he mostly just stands there with his head down.

 

[Aias]

finally the photos

notice the boils or whatever they are on the feet.

and another one:

 

[sabina]

I have to go to sleep soon, Aias will be up for a couple hours. So I'm afraid to give the pigeon any medicine or food, since he seems to have trouble holding down the water and has his head/neck in that weird position. Any advice much appreciated!

 

[Charis]

Sabina, is that pox on his feet?

 

[sabina]

i don't know, we've never had a pigeon with pox before...does pox usually come on the feet?

 

[Charis]

It can be on the feet.

 

[feralpigeon]

Any odors when you open the mouth?

Please isolate his dishes from any other pij there and make a solution of 1/2
cup bleach to a gallon of water for cleaning cage/utensils with.

fp

 

[sabina]

Oh I just pm'd you fp. The bird is in the bathroom, and we haven't given water in a dish cause I'm afraid he'd drown. No odors from the mouth.
Any advice on feeding/medicating tonight? Do you think it's pox on the feet?
Thanks to both you and Charis for responding!
Sabina

 

[sabina]

Couple other things...any thoughts on why the water is leaking out/being regurgitated??

Both poops have been formed dark green in the middle of a puddle of water.

 

[feralpigeon]

Three different kinds of pox, and they can get more than one form at any given
time. They can also get canker at the same time even if you can't see it.

Here's a good link on the different kinds of pox:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=15&cat=1829&articleid=2743

I would suggest keeping the bird on rehydrating solution for tonight and giving
a very watey and small amount of formula tomorrow and see how s/he handles
the first addition of watered formula.

Poor baby is very sick. You might also try some CS internally to aid in drying
and possible infection.

fp

 

[sabina]

What's CS?

 

[Charis]

Have aias check private messages.

 

[feralpigeon]

Sorry, CS would be Colloidal Silver. The problem w/Diptheritic and Septicemic
types of Pox is that the virus will colonize in the organs and there isn't alot
that you can do other than providing supportive care.

fp

 

[TAWhatley]

That's definitely pox on the feet. That was a very good rescue of this young one Sabina and Aias .. it is definitely in need of some assistance!

Terry

 

[sabina]

Ok thanks. Well we're about to go to sleep, just wanted to find out if we should give any meds or food tonight...the bird drank a bunch on his own, seems more alert, able to walk around, so I think I'll leave some of the solution in the cat carrier with him tonight. Then Aias will have to buy some formula in the morning and try to feed a bit.
Thanks again for the help!
Sabina

 

[feralpigeon]

From this link:

http://www.chevita.com/tauben/behandlung-englisch/specificinfections_pox.htm

This quote:

Symptoms of the disease:
There are two forms of pigeon pox:

* In the skin form, birds develop scabby proliferations (pocks), especially where the outer skin meets the mucosa of the eye and beak region, and additionally on the legs. The virus penetrates the skin through minute lesions (scratches, peck lesions and insect bites). The pocks are clearly differentiated from the unchanged skin, but firmly attached to it. (NB: Do not remove them, due to risk of bleeding.)
* In the mucosal form, firmly attached deposits are formed on the mucosa of the crop and pharyngeal cavity. These can impede feed and water uptake and breathing.

The infection usually takes a benign course, providing the skin and mucosal changes - which can also manifest simultaneously - remain confined to the local infection sites. The general condition is impaired if the virus enters the bloodstream and colonises the internal organs. Pox disease lasts for around 3-4 weeks, or even several weeks or months in undernourished pigeons. Secondary bacterial infections may complicate the disease processes.

Quotes in bold are mine.

fp

 

[sabina]

Hi Terry, just saw your post. It is an interesting rescue...I'm kind of incredulous as to how this bird made it to the roof of a 6 floor building. We've never had any sick rescues from the pigeons Aias feeds on the roof since if they're well enough to fly up there...well they're in pretty good shape. So it's very mysterious, could he really have gone that downhill so fast??

 

[sabina]

Hmm I read the other link you posted about pox as well, fp. It sounds like we should start on Spartrix and Baytril tomorrow, to cover possible canker plus secondary infection? It also sounds like he may have pharyngeal/crop lesions, though no problems with the breathing. And definitely this bird is very undernourished!
Ok really going to sleep this time!

 

[TAWhatley]

Well, pox isn't a death sentence and many birds survive it on their own .. likewise, many don't. Tis best that this little one found its way to the two of you. It probably can eat and drink quite well on its own. Pox isn't as debilitating as PMV, but it definitely takes a toll on the bird that is trying to stave off the viral disease.

Terry