Pigeon with injured wing

I've just been brought an adult pigeon that's badly injured.
One look at the wattles and there's no doubt he's got skin pox, but he's also got a broken left wing and possibly other serious fractures, because he was found upside down, unable to turn or move.
The legs are fine, though he can't stand, and the eyes are clear. Poop is scarce but normal enough. His reactions except to visual stimulus are almost non-existant. After stabilising his temperature I gave him a drop of Metacam and offered food and drink but he ignored both. He's filthy, caked in mud, but I'm too scared to bathe him or even handle him much. The look in his eyes tells me he's given up the fight, and yet his weight seems okay. It's heartbreaking.

He was found in an old man's balcony, where pigeons often land. He reckons the pigeon may have been injured this morning when the venitian blinds were pulled down -- he reckons the pigeon was hit and trapped by them. I find it hard to believe that could account for the bird's injuries, but whatever happened it was certainly an accident, as the old man was beside himself with worry and guilt.

I fear the pigeon's back may be broken. Don't know whether to try to tube feed him or just give him electrolytes drop by drop, keep him warm and safe and see what happens by morning.

Heartbreaking....personally, I would keep him warm and as comfortable as possible and leave him until morning.

Thank you, Charis, I will.

He's still hanging on in there. While there's life, there's hope.

I am so sorry to hear about your little rescue, Teresa.
I've been out most of the day and just now getting to the posts I've missed all day.
Realizing this is after the fact, I agree with your suggestion of slowly starting to hydrate the little one once he was warmed. They can do without food for a bit, but hydration is vital.

Teresa wrote:

* He's still hanging on in there.

** While there's life, there's hope.

*

** That's right! :Yes:

I hope he makes it, once warm and hydrated, survival instinct usually kicks on again.

How is he acting after getting some rest?

He's fighting!
I was really worried that I wouldn't find him alive this morning, but thankfully I was wrong!
He's eating and drinking by himself, and standing too!
More news later!

That is the best news ever!

Teresa, just found this heartbreaking thread - have not been on the computer much these days. Now I keep praying for your little new rescue and hope so very much that he will make it.

With your help, he'll come right now.

We so appreciate the update, Teresa.
Continued positive thought that the recovery of this little one steadily grows.

Please do keep us posted.

Meet George:

Here's our boy, who appears to be going from strength to strength.

The first photo was taken just after I weighed him (370g, he's a biggun!) and just before I cleaned the mud off him and examined him properly. He was a bit freaked out, as you can imagine, so the photo was taken without flash (hence the poor focus). I don't know much about domestic pigeon breeds, but... isn't he a homer? I've never seen such a wide, short beak on a feral, and the wattles are huge. He's quite at home with people and animals, even fell asleep on my lap today.




Here he is after getting cleaned up, showing his injured left wing. Some feathers over the elbow are broken, but there is no flesh wound:




While I was waiting for him to dry up before trying to bandage his wing, he started walking around a bit. He was more relaxed by now, and curious about his surroundings:




He didn't like the bandage! :That\\\'s so f But I had no choice... This is the only photo that shows the wattles more clearly. They look to me like they have pox lesions, What do you think?




George today. That was bandage no. 4!! I've been finding it really difficult to keep the bandage on, as he eventually manages to get a nail in it and starts snagging and pulling it.
I've been using those stretchy bandages that stick to themselves, but they stick to EVERYTHING too well, and a few hours later they're off again! :eek: That seems to be a 2-person job, and there's only one of me... Any suggestions?



He's on 8 mg Baytril a day, and I'm supplementing his meals with pellets made according to Petra's recipe (thanks for the tips Petra!) so as not to abruptly change his diet from corn+bread to seeds+legumes.

Hi Teresa,
Thanks for the update and photos.
George is a beauty.

It doesn't look to me like he has pox. At least not from what I've seen on other photos of birds with pox.
He does have a very large wattle.

He looks pretty alert and I can't see anything pox-like on him. I’m so relieved that he is recovering.
Maybe if you use bit narrower bandages he won’t trip on them these look to wide.

Teresa, I am so glad that little George seems to be so much better than at the beginning where you thought he would die. From the photos he looks so much better, alert and not so sick at all. I really hope that you can manage his problems and if nothing unexpectedly happens he will fully recover with your love again!!!

Btw - I am adding millet in the meanwhile to the recipe of the pellets - those are containing the lighest level of minerals of all grains and I think that can only be of advantage for sick birds.
For easier feeding I also dry the pellets in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes at a heat of no more than 50 - 75°C. So they can be easily stocked in a bowl also. I need 200 pellets each day - so this is a job for sitting at the TV -

GREAT news! - Wing isn't broken!



I took him to the vet this morning for a check-up. The vet checked the wing and was puzzled -- she couldn't feel a break, but the way the wing hung lifeless, in such a way that he even stepped on it, was worrying. Sooooooo... X-ray!
There are no broken bones at all, not in the wing, the clavicle, or anywhere else -- that is one thorough vet, bless her! There is inflamation, though, and apparently a lot of soft-tissue damage. She said he might recover completely, but there's no guarantee, and it might take several months. The wing doesn't need to be bound, I just put a rolled-up towel along the length of the cage so he can lean on it and the wing is supported.
She doesn't think he's got pox, but said she hasn't had a pox patient before, so not 100% sure. Cindy and Plamen didn't think so either, so I wonder why his wattles look like the surface of the moon...

He's a different pigeon today, so bright and alert! I am SO happy with the developments! If you had seen him Sunday night, listless, paralysed, with a blank look... (Note to Self: Hello, dumbwit, learn to recognise the symptoms of shock in a bird!) But I'm a happy dumbwit!

I do believe he is a domestic pigeon. He is incredibly tame, even more than Piper (something else that had worried me, as tame=sick in ferals). He is also accustomed to being picked up 'properly', with legs extended to the back. He's a darling!

This is turning out so well.

Have you told the gentleman how well he's doing? it was nice that he was so worried and managed to find you to help him.

I have a bird that when I found him had an extremely bad droopy wing. It just hung to the floor so I thought it had to be broken aswell. Luckily it was just very badly bruised, (when the skin turns that very dark green in colour).
It might have been from a high impact.
I gave him a course of Arnica aswell as anti-biotics to help with the bruising. It took a while but today it's completely back to normal and he has gained full flight again.

I hope this handsome chap is as lucky.

Janet

WOW...this has turned out so much better that I thought it was going to.

His cere looks fine to me from the pictures but if it is really bumpy, he could have burrowing mites.

It was great reading the update on George, Teresa.
I'm so glad the wing isn't broken. Will keep the positive thoughts flowing that he recovers without any problems.

Some pigeons actually do have large, bulky type wattles. I believe there are some racers that develope the large wattle.

Please keep us updated on how George is coming along.

Hi Teresa, what a pretty lucky pigeon and thanks to you... he seems like he has been through a lot... Good Luck and my thoughts are with you both... get beter and better.

Maybe he is lost pet bird? Starved + not used to fly may produce the effect of exhaustion and overworked wing. I would use Arnica for the wing and give him a good rest.

Fancyfeathers wrote:

Some pigeons actually do have large, bulky type wattles. I believe there are some racers that develope the large wattle

yes...check out this pij i met at the local loft; and the chap's much-loved prize cock - now retired - had one even bigger, he looked very dignified

I used to have a few with huge wattles, only on the cocks though for some reason.

rattyfied wrote:

Fancyfeathers wrote:

Some pigeons actually do have large, bulky type wattles. I believe there are some racers that develope the large wattle

yes...check out this pij i met at the local loft; and the chap's much-loved prize cock - now retired - had one even bigger, he looked very dignified

A grizzle. Very beautiful and one of my favorites.