Urgent - Need help with very sick pigeon

Hello,

Is there anybody in Ontario who would be able to care for a very sick pigeon? His symptoms are similar to PMV symptoms. Since Thursday he's been lying on his side with his neck all twisted. I started hand feeding him Friday and I've just realized I wasn't feeding him enough. I give him corn and peas. I also give him water with vitamins, calcium and vitamin B complex. I will only be able to care for the little one until September 13th. I called a wildlife rehabilitation centre but they want to put him down. If he has PMV how long would it take till he is able to stand on his feet and not twist his neck? He is very much alert and very strong even though he is so skinny. He is really hard to feed! He fights a lot!!
Please let me know if anybody knows of a no-kill shelter for pigeons around Toronto.

Thank you.

Hi, thank you for trying to do everything you can for that pigeon.
Are you the lady who is friends with Myriam from LaPalomaTriste? She mentioned someone in your circumstances on our Facebook page this morning, and I've been reposting and trying to find people in the Toronto area.
My first attempted contact was to Brad Gibson in eastern Canada, owner of fellow association  Pigeon and Pet Chat, but that group is closed and he doesn't appear to have replied to messages for ages. Apparently he knew of a lady in Toronto who had to relocate because of her pigeons, but who may be rescuing again.
I reposted the message in another group, Pigeon and Dove Rescue. Most of their members are in the UK, but one of them used to be in Pigeon and Pet Rescue too.

I would suggest posting in Pigeon Talk, the biggest pigeon group of all. Or I can do it for you, if you like, if you give me a contact where members can contact you directly.

This is the forum link:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/

And this is the direct link to the 'Adoption Forum for Pigeons' in Pigeon Talk:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f10/

Good luck! I'll keep you posted if I hear anything else!  

Dear Teresa,

Thank you so much for your response! Yes, I am the lady that posted on your Facebook yesterday and Myriam did say she would help too. I contacted her because I had no idea how to care for a PMV pigeon. And this one seemed to have severe symptoms.
I posted a few days ago in Pigeon Talk under 'Found Pigeon and Dove' but I will post again in 'Adoption'.
I think there is some improvement with this little guy. He hasn't had a fit in a few days and he is easier to feed. I found him twice standing on his feet for a few minutes yesterday. And it seems he is less scared of me. He closes his eyes when I pet him and doesn't fight when he is on my lap. I'm getting very attached to him so I only want the best for him.

Thank you for all your help Teresa!

Hi again, and thank you for the update!  

One of the people that I contacted has got back to me and said she has Brad's email address, so fingers crossed.
Your rescue sounds adorable! Six of my pigeons are PMV survivors that never regained the ability to fly, and the two 'unmarried' ones are very affectionate. The ones that recovered completely have rejoined their flock and come back every day for tea!  
If six weeks haven't passed yet since your pigeon started showing PMV symptoms, then he is still contagious to other pigeons, and that must be taken into consideration in terms of adopting him out. The adopter should, ideally, have some experience dealing with PMV survivors, and be able to keep him in a different room from other birds in the house until the virus becomes inactive.
I do hope someone will step up and offer him a good forever home!

I went to Pigeon Talk to find your thread but it was basically about advice for his condition, so you would need another post, preferably in the 'adoptions' section, to find someone who would adopt him.
I take it you've had help from Myriam with respect to feeding him. Basically, he needs at least 100 peas/corn a day, divided by the number of meals he's having. If he's only eating morning and evening, 50 each time; if he can't eat that much, 33 three times a day, etc. If they are frozen peas and corn thawed in hot water, they will hold part of the moisture he needs, otherwise he needs to be given water too. Please don't leave water near him when he's unsupervised, as there is a risk he might drown if a seizure causes him to plunge his head in and be unable to get it back out.To be honest I'm shocked that nobody replied to your last post with this information, especially after you said he was your first rescue!  

Please keep us posted, and very best wishes to you both!

Thank you Teresa for all your advice! The first three days I had him I only fed him 20 peas a day. It's only on Sunday that I realized it wasn't enough. I read that pigeons should eat 30 grams of seeds a day so I weighed a few peas and I realized I needed at least 80 to make 30 grams. Fortunately they were quite big peas and I was giving corn too. I sprinkle a little bit of vitamin B complex on his food and I put a drop of calcium on it as well. I am not sure about the quantity though. I don't want to give him too much. I don't know if an overdose of vitamins/calcium can have an effect on him.

Thanks for letting me know about not leaving a bowl of water near him. The first day I did (last Thursday) and when I got home I found him lying near the bowl. That's when I realized it was a real hazard! So I don't leave water near him any more. I give him lots of fluid even though I feed him frozen peas. The last few days he's been drinking more than usual. Which is good I hope as I put multivitamins in his water.

I will post in the 'adoptions' section. I may have someone who could come and look after him (and my three rats) when I am away in September. Hope the person will say yes. If it's a no then I will post in the forum.

If nobody wants to adopt him maybe I'll keep him...

Thanks again for everything Teresa!

I just heard from my friend that the two contacts I was hoping to get hold of won't be able to help. Brad has serious health issues, so he had to have his own pigeons adopted, and he's out of touch with his former contacts, including the lady in Toronto. I'm so sorry, I wish I had better news to give you!
If you still want to have him adopted, then please do post in the adoption forum, and put the word TORONTO in block capitals in the title. It's possible that lady is a member there, and that way she should see it.
But if it's possible for him to stay with you, I'm sure he wouldn't be in better hands. I have several PMV survivors, and with a few modifications that I will gladly share with you, it is possible to house them safely and allow them to lead a normal life.

This is the only contact we have here in the forum for Toronto, but I guess You must have spoken to them already:

Southern region, Toronto
416-631-0662
Nathalie Karvonen (Executive Director), Toronto Wildlife Centre
Wildlife Species: Over 200 species have been treated at TWC
Specialties/Knowledge:
Toronto Wildlife Centre's Wildlife Hotline (416-631-0662) handles approximately 30,000
calls per year from members of the public with various concerns about wildlife.
Comments:
Toronto Wildlife Centre is a registered charity,
and is one of the largest wildlife rehabilitation centres
in Canada with veterinarians on staff.

Dear Teresa,

Thank you for your message! Yes, I did contact Toronto Wildlife Centre. They don't rehabilitate PMV pigeons. The girl I talked to on the phone told me that PMV pigeons don't recover and therefore must to be put down. That's the most humane thing to do according to her. So of course I didn't take the pigeon there!
After 10 days of care he is able to stand on his feet! I found him in my kitchen when I got back from work last Friday! I was so glad to see him walking around like that. He is still a little wobbly and can't fly but he is doing so much better. He is also able to eat on his own.
Do you think he would be happy in an apartment without the company of other pigeons? I'm just so worried he gets bored and depressed. Besides I work all day so he would be alone during the week. I posted on Pigeon Talk in the adoption forum. But if I don't find a good home for him I guess I'll keep him.

Thank you for helping me with this pigeon!

I'm still trying to find someone who may help. The discussion has moved largely to Facebook, but just to let you know I'm in touch with members from Brad's ex-group, in case they know somebody else I don't.
So, so sad to see that there was no reply whatsoever in PT...