Pigeon with injured wing

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

Yes, that's EXACTLY what his wattles look like! So if he's a racer and a pet, that would explain why he's so tame, so used to being picked up and so big.
Thank you so much for the link!

My regular visitor Penca is definitely a racer (and banded) and he has huge wattles, but not bumpy like George's.

plamenh wrote:

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.

It's very likely he is a lost pet, or one that's been set free -- the traditional Portuguese way of dealing with oops babies and overcrowded lofts... :For Shame: But the wing is more than overworked: he was actually found pinned down under a venetian blind that had been drawn (or dropped, more likely) many hours before. The vet said his condition was consistent with being pinned down by his wing and damaging muscles and tendons fighting to free himself.

The vet said to complete the course of Baytril and give him one drop of Metacam a day. Can I start him on Arnica straight away or do it after the Baytril?

One thing's for sure, George is improving! There was a tentative wingslap this evening as I reached in the cage but as soon as I picked him up he was as good as gold!

jamy wrote:

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 haven't met him, but I expect he's been told the good news. What happened is that he told a lady who feeds the feral cats, and she was the one who brought George to me. I've been texting her the good news as I have them, so she must have told him.

Quote :

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.

That's wonderful, and very encouraging! I do hope so!

I'm sure glad to hear George continues to improve, Teresa.

Thank you, Cindy!
If I could speak pigeon, I'd love to tell him about all the wonderful who have been sending him good wishes!
Thank you all so much, from George and from me!

Teresa, I so very much love happy ends and I am sure little George will have a happy time to come for him. I am very relieved. You are a true

Teresa wrote:

Thank you, Cindy!
If I could speak pigeon, I'd love to tell him about all the wonderful who have been sending him good wishes!
Thank you all so much, from George and from me!

You both are very welcome. Good wishes continue.

Fancyfeathers wrote:

Teresa wrote:

Thank you, Cindy!
If I could speak pigeon, I'd love to tell him about all the wonderful who have been sending him good wishes!
Thank you all so much, from George and from me!

You both are very welcome. Good wishes continue.

From me, too
And I bet you do speak pigeon :Yes: Try telling him in your native language and see if he doesn't make the translation himself

Best wishes,
Carol

Not so good...

Thursday night George's poops had a lot of liquid, but I put that down to the stress of going to the vets. On Friday they improved a little, but during the night he produced this:



Surely, those are PMV poops...
I've been hand feeding him since, and stopped the Baytril after five days and started giving him a probiotic.

Here he is, just after his morning meal. Do his wattles look normal to you?



And this one shows him back in his cage. His bearing is better, more confident. I hope his recovery continues.

I can't say this strongly enough...while they may be PMV poops they may just as well be something entirely different. Poops that look like that mean that there is a renal problem.


The following is from avianweb.com...


The usual causes of renal failure in birds include:

• Gout: Since the diseased kidney cannot filter out uric acid, they become deposited in joints or the small tubules of the kidney. Click here to learn more about gout.
  
• Infections
  
  
  
  
  
  • Viral: Several viruses can cause either temporary or permanent kidney damage; for example, the Polyomavirus is the most common, especially in young, hand-fed psittacines. Adenovirus, Poxvirus, proventricular dilatation syndrome (PDD), and herpesvirus have also been associated with renal disease.
    
  • Bacterial: Usually occur as a result of the spread of an infection from another area of the body to the kidneys via the blood stream or the urinary tract.
    
  • Fungal: Aspergillus is the most common cause of fungal infections of the kidney in birds, though fungal renal disease is relatively uncommon.
    
  
  
• Toxins:
  
  
  
  • Excessive levels of vitamin D (hypervitaminosis D)
    
  • Reactions to antibiotics (i.e., gentamicin and streptomycin)
    
  • Heavy metals, including zinc, lead, cadmium and mercury. Patients should be tested for toxic levels of heavy metals known to be associated with renal failure in birds, such as lead and mercury. In addition, toxic or deficient levels of other heavy metals, including arsenic, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc should be considered and tested for.
    
  • One should also look for evidence of acute intoxication by organophosphate, carbamate, or organochlorine pesticides.
    
  • Less common cause of toxicity is overeating salt that can also damage the kidneys of birds
    
  • Ingestion of certain plants and some food items have been linked to renal failure.
    
  • Microscopic renal lesions could be tied to an acute toxic etiology.
    
  
  
• Nutritional deficiencies or excesses
  
  
  
  
  
  • Vitamin A deficiency – Birds with hypovitaminosis A (usually caused by diets low in vitamin A) may develop kidney disease. This most commonly occurs in birds receiving seed-only diets, unsupplemented with pellets, vegetables, and fruit.
    
  
  
• Cancer: Kidney tumors are particularly common in budgerigars. Tumors can often put pressure on other organs and nerves. If the tumor puts pressure on the nerves going to the legs, the bird may experience weakness, difficulty moving a leg or may not be able to stand. The abdomen may also become distended.
  
• An obstruction of the urinary tract by a urinary stone or an enlarged egg that can't pass.<LI class=style8>Metabolic diseases
  
  
• Blood Parasites: Microscopic and tape worms
  

I think the wattle looks fine, Teresa. Looks like the type of wattle I've seen on some racing pigeons.

Matilda wrote:

I can't say this strongly enough...while they may be PMV poops they may just as well be something entirely different. Poops that look like that mean that there is a renal problem.

Thanks, Charis. From the list in the article, it could be a great number of things; we can't even rule out an adverse reaction to the antibiotic, as his first poops looked close to normal. I'm just making sure he eats and drinks enough, and hoping his immune system will kick in.

At the moment, poops have improved due to the peas and corn, but they're still very soft and very pale, a kind of brownish pale green, but you can see the three separate components distinctly, and the urates are white.

He gets ready to wingslap when disturbed and he's been preening for the past two days, so that's a good sign. Fingers crossed.

Teresa wrote:

Matilda wrote:

I can't say this strongly enough...while they may be PMV poops they may just as well be something entirely different. Poops that look like that mean that there is a renal problem.

Thanks, Charis. From the list in the article, it could be a great number of things; we can't even rule out an adverse reaction to the antibiotic, as his first poops looked close to normal. I'm just making sure he eats and drinks enough, and hoping his immune system will kick in.

At the moment, poops have improved due to the peas and corn, but they're still very soft and very pale, a kind of brownish pale green, but you can see the three separate components distinctly, and the urates are white.

He gets ready to wingslap when disturbed and he's been preening for the past two days, so that's a good sign.

Fingers crossed.

Check.

Fancyfeathers wrote:

I think the wattle looks fine, Teresa. Looks like the type of wattle I've seen on some racing pigeons.

Thanks, Cindy!
That just goes to show how much I don't know about domestic pigeons! I'm very glad to hear his wattles are normal.
A pedigree rescue... how cool! I wonder how he came to be here. He was probably well looked after, as there is absolutely no sign of ectoparasites. If he didn't keep dragging his injured wing over unmentionables, he would be a model of cleanliness!

Teresa wrote:

Fancyfeathers wrote:

I think the wattle looks fine, Teresa. Looks like the type of wattle I've seen on some racing pigeons.

Thanks, Cindy!
That just goes to show how much I don't know about domestic pigeons! I'm very glad to hear his wattles are normal.
A pedigree rescue... how cool!

I wonder how he came to be here.

He was probably well looked after, as there is absolutely no sign of ectoparasites. If he didn't keep dragging his injured wing over unmentionables, he would be a model of cleanliness!

I don't know how he got there, but I do know he is one lucky pigeon having landed himself in your care.

Good news!

Even though George's poops haven't improved much, and he scatters ten times more food than he eats, he seems to be getting better: yesterday, when I was changing his water, he raised a wing to wingslap -- THE INJURED WING!!! And a moment ago he started cooing!
I've been hand feeding him once a day, except today, as I noticed that he managed to eat enough seed.

Super update, Teresa. Thanks.
I'm so glad George is improving.

Very very happy to hear that your little George is doing so well. Sending for a complete reovery!!!!

George continues to do well.
His poops are still not 100%, and he still can't fly more than a couple of feet off the ground, but he seems in good shape!

What a great picture. George is stunning.
I'm so glad he's doing well.

Chuck just walked by and saw George. He said he's a very good looking and proud pij. :Yes:

He is stunning. I love the red feathers on his breast. He looks like a completely different bird from that sad creature you showed us when he first arrived.

George looks really happy and healthy. He's lucky to have you caring for him.

Teresa - don't worry too much about this kind of poop - Alice and Winnie did exactly the same. I have given up entirely to tear my hair about these kind of things. For me main symptom is appetite, appetite and appetite. If a bird stops eating - then something is really wrong.

As you know I don't have experience from many birds but i have observed these things on all of the pijjies I have and had in my care. The most important thing is to have patience and not over-react. :Yes: