Pigeon with broken or dislocated wing !!!

I recieved her from a vet today who was about to put her down because they didnt know what to do with her she has had this for a few weeks now and is healthy and very fat. but im figuring its too late to help the wing at all and it needs to be cut off. she is gorgeous and pretty well mannered she preens eats and drinks fine but she trips over her wing alot. she needs a forever home and surgery i dont know what to do. I CANT KEEP HER. my parents dont even want me to have the 3 that i do. the poor little lady shes so sweet!

Hi AnnMarie,

Did the vets X-ray her wing while she was in their care? And if they didn't, did they examine/feel her wing when she arrived to ascertain if it was broken? And if the wing was broken, did they bind it? (If the answer is no to all three, I personally wouldn't go back there!)

First -- don't panic! She doesn't need major surgery, much less amputation!

-If the wing was broken, it will have set (badly) since then, and surgery can't help her now.

-If the wing was dislocated or badly injured, she will be able to lead a normal life but it's unlikely she will fly again (I have three like that). She may need the feathers trimmed on the bad wing so she doesn't trip up on them, but from the photo the wing doesn't seem nearly as bad as the cases I read about where amputation, even partial, was needed.

-Can you be sure it's not Salmonella in the elbow joint? Have a good look at that part of the wing where the feather is sticking out. If there is a hard, pink lump under that feather and again on the underside of the wing in the same direction, it's salmonella. That's treatable with a long course of antibiotics (Baytril is the best to start, but you may need to switch to Clindamycin after 20-21 days). Many birds recover well enough to be released.

Finally, put her up for adoption to find her a good forever home. You have already been a true angel saving her from being PTS, and I'm sure another angel will be able to take it from there.

I'm off to find some pics for you to compare .

the vets did apsolutely nothing for her since there was no money involved. also they dont work too much with birds let alone pigeons. i found her a home with one of my friends who loves my pigeons i will direct him on everything he needs to do for her and will supply him with what he needs. her wing is kind of worse than that i had positioned it so she would be more comfortable usually she is standing on it at a weird angle. i felt all of her wing there are no out of place lumps and she seems to be able to move where the wing atttaches to the body but not the "elbow" area. Lexxi is very interested in this new bird but im keeping them seperated incase she has something or Lexxi attacks her. BY THE WAY i know a very kind vet whos going to bring her in to be looked at for free (everywhere else costs 60$ just to be looked at!!) she doesnt know much about pigeons but she knows someone who does. from there we will find out what can be done.

It's wonderful that you have found a vet who will examine her for free, and also a foster parent!
You are a miracle worker, and this makes you a triple angel!



PS. I found the photos, I'm just going to upload them.

Many thanks for taking this little one and sparing him being PTS. You are such a sweetie, AnnMarie.

How wonderful of your friend to offer your rescue a home. We'd love for him to join the group.

That's great you've found a vet who will take a look at the pij, who by the way is a little beauty.

Please keep us posted on how things are coming along.

Right, I've tried to get pictures of wing injuries a month after they were sustained (to compare with yours) and others showing the outcome.

This is Piper,

1) a month after I found her with a broken wrist and deep puncture wounds (dog bite)
2) 2 years later.
She can fly up to 3m in a straight line, but not upwards.



This is Scarlet,

1) a month after the start of treatment for an infected wound resulting from predator attack
2) 2 months later.



This one is Abby,

1) a month after being found with a dislocated wing (her "lower arm" bone had come out of the elbow joint), and a week after the wing binding was removed.
2) 7 months later.
She can fly upwards only half a metre.



This is George,

1) 3 weeks after sustaining severe neurological damage to his wing (found in shock, trapped by the wing under a heavy venetian blind -- in his struggle to get free, he had torn muscles and tendons).
2) 4 months later.
He's been with me over a year and cannot fly at all.



After what you said following examination of the wing, salmonella is ruled out. (Also, a month into treatment, my patient's wing was less droopy and a lot more swollen).

It sounds very likely that she may have a healed fracture near the elbow joint. If that's the case it will show up on an X-ray.
Let us know what your vet says, and best wishes for your sweet little patient.

You know,looking at your photo again, the wrist joint looks swollen...

Those are great comparison photos, Teresa. for posting them.
They give us an idea of how some wing injuries heal and the 'positive' quality of life the pigeons have, despite any permanent challenges.

Teresa wrote:

You know,looking at your photo again, the wrist joint looks swollen...

It does look swollen. Either that or the angle of the photo.

okay well a lot changed... Charis said i shouldnt give her to my friend because she was a feral and will want to be around pigeons if she lived with him she would be very depressed. right now i am very stressed because she keeps getting her foot caught in her wing and her nails are tearing the skin up but no matter how many times i put her wing up she stumbles foward onto it and gets her nails stuck in it again. also i found an older looking wound on the edge of her wing.

AnnMarie,
I'm not a fan of clipping a pigeon's wing(s) but in this case, a clipping seems to be in order, IMO.
I'm sure the vet you will be going to can help you decide what is best.

There are many 'feral' pigeons that have been rescued and live 'alone' with a human and get on just fine.
To say the bird will become depressed if you hand it over to your friend to care for isn't even giving the bird a chance to adjust.
Sure it would like to be around other pigeons. Unfortunately, that isn't an option right now. Nor is it an option for you to keep her.

Sending positive thoughts to you both.

In one of the pictures i posted you can see the bone. What could have caused this kid of wound?


by the way how do you make it so you highlight someone elses post and put it in yours so that i can refer to their posts easier?

also today i am bringing Mr. Penguin to the vet who will bring her to a vet who knows more about pigeons on wednesday. (i know that she is a female but me and my friend really liked the name MR. Penguin)

zomg fishies wrote:

* In one of the pictures i posted you can see the bone. What could have caused this kid of wound?

** by the way how do you make it so you highlight someone elses post and put it in yours so that i can refer to their posts easier?

also today i am bringing Mr. Penguin to the vet who will bring her to a vet who knows more about pigeons on wednesday. (i know that she is a female but me and my friend really liked the name MR. Penguin)

* My guess would be a predator got a hold of it. Is this the 'old' injury you found?
If bone is ever exposed, my suggestion would be to get the bird on an antibiotic asap.
I'm glad you are taking her to another vet to be checked.

** In the upper right corner of the post you'd like to quote, there are two options: Multi Quote and Quote .
Select the quote option and it should appear in the area where you are going to write your post.

If you want to highlight something in the post you have quoted, hold down the left side of your mouse and drag it across whatever you want highlight, then select the bold 'B'option at the top of the area where you are posting.

ty and she said it actuallly doesnt look like bone but the shafts of her feathers and that in over preening she worked down what was there untill the skin showed. this vet mostly works with rehabbing song birds and isnt too educated on pigeons but the person who trained her will be the one working on Penguin (the birdies name) tomorrow. the vet i brought her to today ive known for a while she really loves animals which is why i entrusted penguin to her untill she (hopefully) gets free surgery. when she picked penguin up she gave her a little kiss on the head and called her beautiful.. sounds like a potential pigeon person to me


also i saw a pigeon flying with no tail today it was an akward sight. i know they lose their tail feathers when something grabs onto them but i still never seen it before today.

Appreciate the update, AnnMArie.
Please keep us posted on what the vet has to say.

This is only a guess, but the old injury looks very much like the new injury, and it's likely it happened the same way.

It's great that your vet has already seen her. I loved your description of her kissing Penguin on the head and calling her beautiful! Fingers crossed that she will have the best of care now.

Charis is right in that feral pigeons like to be with their own kind, but then again most people who gave a permanent home to two or more feral rescues started out with just one! To begin with she needs to get better in a caring, stress-free environment, and if your parents are, as you said, totally opposed to having another pigeon in the house, keeping her could lead to a major confrontation and a hasty parting...

Just saw this post. This little bird is very lucky that you found it. I hope the vet will be able to help her. I'll be anxious to hear.
Just because her wing drags and gets in her way, is not necessarily a good reason to remove it. We have a little hen with a wing like that. She had been predator caught, but by the time we received her, the wing had heal in that position. We could have had it removed, but even though she can't get much height, she can flutter up to tables and lower perches. And it does help her to flutter down from things. It keeps her from being totally grounded. What I do is to keep it trimmed, enough so that it does help her to get around, but not so long that she trips over it. You could have a vet show you how it is done. The only thing is that when she molts, there is an awkward stage for a while, as you can't trim the feathers until they are fully grown out, and no longer have blood in them. But then you trim, and she is all set til the next molt.

As far as a grown feral being happy in captivity, normally they are not, when they are caught as adults. They by then, already have that distrust of humans instilled in them, and they have known the free life. Being the only one does make it harder on her. It would be better if she had a companion. But if your friend is a kind person who would give her a good home, then maybe he would consider eventually finding her another maybe disabled friend. They show up all the time, God knows! Just be patient with her, and if she wants her space, then give it to her. Ferals, unless raised as babies are not all very people friendly. But this little one needs a chance, and while needing companionship, not all people with other birds are going to make allowances for a handicapped bird. They really can live an almost normal life, with just a little bit of help, and a few special things added for them.

Here's Cricket with one wing trimmed. She doesn't trip over it when you take the long flights off.

I just spoke with Charis, and her concerns about your giving the bird to your friend, was because he will be graduating high school soon, and will be off to college. What will happen to the bird then? Also, she did tell you that she would work on finding a placement with someone who has other birds, and accommodations for a handicapped pigeon. Another concern was the same as mine, in that your friend likes your birds, and will of course, be expecting a friendly pet in this bird. This bird as an adult feral is not going to be human friendly. If he likes your birds, then he would be disappointed. This bird would actually be far better off in the environment I described.

i know, i posted the thing about it going to my friend before i had talked to her. im going to keep her untill i figure out a better home for her. she enjoys hanging with Lexxi so they'll be okay toegether for a while. also, she has like no use with the wing she cant move it. she cant get more than 1 inch off the ground and thats just from hopping but when she tries to flap only one does so she flips onto her back.

i talked to one of my friends who graduated last year she has a job and an appartment and has a spare room with nothing in it, she was interested in having the pigeon she would let it have that whole room to itself, since she works quite a bit she's not looking for a cuddly animal that wants a lot of attention. maybe i would be able to bring muffins or lexxi over for them to hang out, they are all girls so they wouldnt get bonded. also maybe she could take in one more disabled pigeon if i find one? (i find pigeons quite a lot) what do you think about this? we havent made decisions yet we want to make sure we come up with the best arrangement for the bird.

Ann Marie, Hi. Do you think the bird would be better off in a room all by itself, with someone who works a lot? Or in a loft and aviary with other pigeons, some which are also disabled. Where it could move around and interact with others of its own kind?

yeah i have the thinking skills of a 17 year old.. dont really think things through as much as i should but GREAT NEWS!! the vet called me and said that the wing is not broken or fractured, its all wrapped up now and theres a chance it will fully heal and she can be released!! ill be picking her up tomorrow and she'll be in a large cage next to lexxi's so they can see each other and Penguin wont feel so lonely. ill let her walk around on my floor while the pigeons are out so they can interact if they want (ill be watching like a hawk incase of any pecking) ill keep her here untill either release or a new home with a loveing pigeon person (With pigeons and an avery) if she cannot heal.

What's wrong with her wing then, if not broken?

umm i couldnt really hear her and i had to park quickly so i could answer the phone so i couldnt get many details ill ask when i pick penguin up tomorrow. She said something about a deep tissue wound i think.. im not sure though