Pigeon with canker showed no symptoms

Pigeons are very good at disguising their illnesses so as not to appear vulnerable to predators -- everyone here has heard that time and again... But occasionally even those of us who have memorised all the symptoms can be completely deceived.

Have a look at this pigeon. His name is Sweets, and he looks a picture of health, doesn't he?



This is what he looked like shortly before I caught him to remove a troublesome down feather from inside his beak. That's when I saw them: two yellow canker lesions, on the right hand side of his throat. He is being medicated with Flagyl (and so is his flock), and the lesions have started to shrink. He's in great spirits, and I'm just very glad that by coincidence (or was it?) the illness he was hiding was revealed.

Last year was horrible for severe canker. I hope and pray that this year will be better, and that no rescues will be beyond saving.

Sweets certainly does look like the picture of health.
Just by looking, one would never have known that canker was invading his mouth.
But for the feather caught in his beak and your intervention, Sweets probably would have missed his 'window of opportunity' to be treated early.

I'm thrilled to hear that he is doing so well.

'Window of opportunity' is a good way to put it. And of course it's much more difficult with typical ferals that don't trust humans and don't like to be handled. If he was like that I wouldn't have been able to catch him there and then. I hate it when I spot a sick bird and can't catch him for days...

Teresa wrote:

'Window of opportunity' is a good way to put it. And of course it's much more difficult with typical ferals that don't trust humans and don't like to be handled. If he was like that I wouldn't have been able to catch him there and then.

I hate it when I spot a sick bird and can't catch him for days...

It's heartbreaking.

Sweets is free, and he's back to his usual tricks, invading the kitchen to help himself!

He had 8 days of medication, my indoor pigeons got 7, and the flock got 5. I hope this will keep them in good health for now, but I'll continue to keep an eye on them.

Teresa wrote:

Sweets is free,

and he's back to his usual tricks, invading the kitchen to help himself!

He had 8 days of medication, my indoor pigeons got 7, and the flock got 5. I hope this will keep them in good health for now, but I'll continue to keep an eye on them.

Appreciate the update, Teresa.
I'm so glad to hear Sweets recovered and is now back with his flock.

I love it!!

Teresa - this is a very good story. Caught just in time - I love to hear this.
That's why I am so glad that I have "trained" my little flock to come inside one by one - this way it is much easier to catch them - just in case....