My new pigeon sadly with a broken leg

Found this beautiful pigeon the other week. It was evening and it was getting dark when i found this little guy sitting on the floor in a corner of a shops door in a busy area, i went and picked him up and he had no fight in him and there was blood under him couldnt see what was wrong at the time as it was to dark to see so when i got home i had a good look and his leg was bleeding a little from a cut and found his leg was broken also he had no feathers on his back missing so i believe he was probably hit by a car. He seems fine though when i got him home i left him in a dark stress free zone and after a few hours i got him to drink and eat. I was debating weather to splint his leg or not the break is from the knee joint to the ankle and seems quiet a bad break it feels very crunchie so possibly has several breaks also he has a few broken toes too. I decided not to splint the leg as it was swollen i worried it would swell more and cut the blood supply off. I contacted a local vet hoping they would help look at its leg but they basically said they would take a look but what ever the vet decides would be final so i didnt take him as i had a feeling they would put him down.

He is doing really great any way his foot seems to have no feeling but he is starting to walk on it alittle his leg is still very swollen and hot so have him on medication. I have got him confind so he is unable to move to much. Obviously it is going to take along time to heal im not sure if he is able to fly, when i get him out to check his leg or clean his cage he never attempts to fly or he never seems to strech his wings When i checked them out one wing has a hard lump on the bone so weather he is able to fly or not i am unsure. He seems like a young bird probably just under a year. I would love to keep him but as he hasnt been brought up in captivity as a baby if he seems to stressed once he is fixed i will let him go but if he seems happy to stay then he is more than welcome also if he cant be properly fixed then he will have to stay. But he seems happy he doesnt stress out at all even though he is in a small cage and isnt to scared of people.

Will put a pic on here soon he is so pretty.

Oh rats, just lost my entire post... Let's try again...

You didn't say what meds you got him on, Cammypigeon, but I hope Baytril (20mg per kilo of body weight per day) is involved. For 3 reasons:
1) That sounds like an infected fracture. The swelling is bad (but could just be because the bones are setting with an overlap) but the heat is worse -- infected for sure!
2) The lump on the wing could well be Salmonella. Is it on the elbow, can you take a pic?
3) I don't think he's been hit by a car. I think it was predator attack, and you know their saliva can carry all sorts of bacteria.

With the information you gave, I would suspect he was grounded by Salmonella and then attacked. Best check for any other injuries.

The lack of feeling on the leg is disheartening. Given the number of days that have passed, the bones will have started knitting (or trying to), but lack of feeling points towards a non-union, which means the lower half of the leg may end up 'hanging loose' and need to be amputated.

It's really easy fixing a broken lower leg, if caught early. First give him a drop of Metacam (takes about 20 mins for it to start working) while you do the other preparations.
I use the handle of a plastic spoon or fork, the kind that's hollow and rounded, cut a piece the right length to go from just below the 'knee' to the 'ankle', scald it in boiling water to smooth the ends, then wrap it inside and out in soft gauze. Have some more gauze ready to gently wrap round the leg, and a bit of adhesive.
Feel for the fracture, GENTLY pull the bones away from each other, then line them up, put the half tube round the BACK of the leg with the opening to the front, wrap some gauze, not too tight around the leg and splint, secure with adhesive, and Bob's your uncle!
In 21 days the splint can come off, and after a week of gradual exercise and use the leg is as good as new.

Would you like someone closer to hand to talk with? Our member Abdul van Alawi has started a pigeon rescue service in London, and his friend Maciej (also in London) is a very experienced rehabber and a wonderful person. Here's Abdul's contact: 07508581758 , 07909795064 General Question or worried : 07939384753 Email Address: PigeonRescueTeam@hotmail.com

Good luck! Please keep us posted!

Yes it is baytril.

He is able to walk on his leg now he put presure on it the bones feel a bit crunchy but do feel and look like they are sitting in line. He is able to pull his leg up but you can touch his toes and no reaction when you touch his goo foot he clenches his food where as on the other foot he doesnt and doesnt seem to be able to. His wing dosnt have an obvious lump but when you feel it it just feels slightly bigger lump than on the other side.

thanks for the contact

Cammypigeon wrote:

Yes it is baytril.

He is able to walk on his leg now he put presure on it the bones feel a bit crunchy but do feel and look like they are sitting in line. He is able to pull his leg up but you can touch his toes and no reaction when you touch his goo foot he clenches his food where as on the other foot he doesnt and doesnt seem to be able to. His wing dosnt have an obvious lump but when you feel it it just feels slightly bigger lump than on the other side.

thanks for the contact

It seems like the leg is healing but the fracture may have damaged the nerves/tendons going into the foot. But if he wlks on it there must be some residual feeling.
A wider, spread out lump on the wing sounds like swelling caused by bruising, infection or injury. Can you moisten the feathers in the area and 'comb' them away to see the skin? Bruised skin is dark, as in humans, and if there is any cut or abrasion you'll be able to see it.
On the other hand, if the swelling is ON AND UNDER the wing, on the same spot, over an articulation, it could well be salmonella -- if it is, the skin will look bright pink and the whole joint feels warm.
A photo would be really helpful, if you are able to take one.