No rest for the wicked

Teresa, I've recently started a new job, with crazy hours, and I haven't been keeping up with threads.

I am so very, very sorry for the loss of little Ana

FLY FREE AND HIGH LITTLE ONE


I have lost many in recent months. Some to advanced canker, but many to unknown causes. The majority of these were young birds. All of these rescues were treated for the usual suspects, canker, cocci, candida, worms, and all were put on a secondary series of a broad spectrum antibotic (cipro or baytril). Nothing worked. The one thing they all had in common was vomiting in the late stages of their illness. Some have passed in a few days, others have lingered for 7/10 days.

I think we are missing an obvious illness here. "Young bird disease" It is prevelant now world-wide and is almost always fatal. I have done some research, and found that the only limited successful medications for this disease is Albon and Adenosan. I have never tried nor administered either of these drugs. I do remember Dr. Hauck mentioning Albon as a drug of last resort, but the bird passed before it could be treated.

I'm wondering what the rest of you think? Do you all think that maybe we sound get our hands on these drugs and try them?

Louise

Louise...I use albon all the time....the oral suspension is the form that works the best and is only available with a prescription. The concentrate formfor flock treament and is added to the water, is readily available from many supply companies and even farm stores.

I agree with you about the young bird sickness concept.

Charis, I'm going to get some Albon from Dr. Hauck at next visit. I'm going to treat the rescues without any visable signs of canker with it from here on. The last three I lost had no signs of canker whatsoever and nothing helped them.

Louise

Jackie's Mom wrote:

I think we are missing an obvious illness here. "Young bird disease"

Louise

I agree, Louise.
Too many young ones are dying. Some, without obvious cause.

As I understand it, young bird sickness is a combination of things with maybe a virus or two thrown it as well. They most often can survive the virus, if the treatable conditions can be treated. the frustrating part is that often one is identified and cleared up, only to have another do a reveal and so it goes. Because young birds haven't developed a strong immune system, often they just can't survive all the treatment and diagnostics. That is why so many rehabbers treat for a multitude of things at the same time.
Very frustrating...very heart breaking.

Jackie's Mom wrote:

Teresa, I've recently started a new job, with crazy hours, and I haven't been keeping up with threads.

I am so very, very sorry for the loss of little Ana

FLY FREE AND HIGH LITTLE ONE


I have lost many in recent months. Some to advanced canker, but many to unknown causes. The majority of these were young birds. All of these rescues were treated for the usual suspects, canker, cocci, candida, worms, and all were put on a secondary series of a broad spectrum antibotic (cipro or baytril). Nothing worked. The one thing they all had in common was vomiting in the late stages of their illness. Some have passed in a few days, others have lingered for 7/10 days.

I think we are missing an obvious illness here. "Young bird disease" It is prevelant now world-wide and is almost always fatal. I have done some research, and found that the only limited successful medications for this disease is Albon and Adenosan. I have never tried nor administered either of these drugs. I do remember Dr. Hauck mentioning Albon as a drug of last resort, but the bird passed before it could be treated.

I'm wondering what the rest of you think? Do you all think that maybe we sound get our hands on these drugs and try them?

Louise

Thank you, Louise!

I bought one of those meds (different brand, though) and the squeaker on which I tried it didn't survive either, so I've been worried about using it again, worrying that a very emaciated and very young bird might not be able to cope with the med. Good to know about Albon, definitely one to have on hand.

New rescue -- again!

Over a year ago I'd removed the string from the feet of a pigeon (Paul) who'd already lost two toes, and I posted about him in the very first page of this thread:
http://www.pigeonangels.com/pigeon-and-dove-illness-and-injury-discussion-forum-f21/no-rest-for-the-wicked-t506.htm
Well, he's back here!

Crossing the park earlier on I saw a lonesome pigeon who was reluctant to move, so I went to take a closer look. His crop looked puffy. When he got up, I saw a yellow band (one of mine). I went to buy some corn, went back, and managed to catch him after a while. The writing on the band had disappeared, but the engraved letters were still visible -- it was Paul!

He's hating being indoors (as before) so I've covered his cage to calm him down. He weighs 275 g, not enough, but not on the danger level for such a small pigeon. His beak and throat look normal, and the crop didn't have air or liquid -- it must have been him being puffed up that made the crop look puffy. The poops are on the soft side, lightish green.
I've put him on Baytril+Flagyl+Nystatin, and mean to worm him in a week. Let's see if this works.

I'm so glad you found him. Sounds like a winning medication combination.

I'm sorry to hear that Paul isn't feeling well, Teresa.
It's great that you were able to identify him by the band.

I hope it doesn't turn out to be anything too serious and he's back with his flock soon.

Please keep us posted.

Teresa - I am glad that you caught him.
I just looked up the beginning of this thread again where you showed pics. Rudi's feet looked similar after removing all the stuff. Did the gap on Paul's toes - where the strings were - close in the meanwhile or are these gaps still to be seen?

Yesterday I could clean off the last dead skin from Rudi's feet after I bathed his feet again in warm water. He is completely free of dried pus and dead skin now. So I am wondering now whether new tissue will completely cover the bones of his toes again...

Sending healing thoughts for Paul

And here are some photos from our Paulchen - the one who lost one toe but I could save at least the second one - he is doing very well and appears each day on our balcony, then comes in to get his breakfast.

Paulchen looks great, Petra.

Paul is doing well. In fact, he escaped from the cage today when I was changing his food and water and was really hard to catch,flying round and round the room!
Petra, his toes have healed considerably but not all the string cuts developed new flesh, probably because the injury was sustained ages before he was caught. I've been having problems uploading photos, as my hard disk is almost full, but I'll take some photos for future reference.

The weather is still warmer than it should be, and we're having an absolute plague of pigeon flies, so it was Ivermectin drops on the back of the neck for everyone. They've all been banded, too, colour-coded, yellow for the releasable ones (when it's safe to do so) and white for the ones that can never be released, but all the bands have my phone number. White bands also have a € sign, which I hope will make people understand that there will be a reward for their return, should they escape for any reason.

Strophe has been introduced to the big outdoors -- every other day, at least, she gets a couple of hour's free flying time with Charlie and the rest of the feral flock, but she nearly always stays within sight of the window. She's a bit nervous round the others, and a few days ago was scared of a butterfly that flew towards her!

Thank you Teresa - this would be of big help for me to see what I could expect.

Teresa wrote:

Strophe has been introduced to the big outdoors -- every other day, at least, she gets a couple of hour's free flying time with Charlie and the rest of the feral flock, but she nearly always stays within sight of the window. She's a bit nervous round the others, and a few days ago was scared of a butterfly that flew towards her!

Teresa, I think that Strophe will get used to the others. I can remember the times when I put Pina - while she was still sick - in her box on the balcony to give her some sunlight. At the beginning she totally panicked when she saw other pijjies and I had to take her in again but with time she slowly got used to it. Each day just a bit longer. Same happened when I let her out for the first time - she was awfully trembling and nearly lay flat on her belly as soon as another pijjie approached. Also this subsided with time and she got more confidence...

Teresa wrote:

Paul is doing well. In fact, he escaped from the cage today when I was changing his food and water and was really hard to catch,flying round and round the room!
Petra, his toes have healed considerably but not all the string cuts developed new flesh, probably because the injury was sustained ages before he was caught. I've been having problems uploading photos, as my hard disk is almost full, but I'll take some photos for future reference.

The weather is still warmer than it should be, and we're having an absolute plague of pigeon flies, so it was Ivermectin drops on the back of the neck for everyone.

* They've all been banded, too, colour-coded, yellow for the releasable ones (when it's safe to do so) and white for the ones that can never be released, but all the bands have my phone number. White bands also have a € sign, which I hope will make people understand that there will be a reward for their return, should they escape for any reason.

Strophe has been introduced to the big outdoors -- every other day, at least, she gets a couple of hour's free flying time with Charlie and the rest of the feral flock, but she nearly always stays within sight of the window.
** She's a bit nervous round the others, and a few days ago was scared of a butterfly that flew towards her!

* That's a great idea using two different colored bands for releases and non-releases.
And the reward insignia is a great idea as well.

** Oh my goodness! Bless her heart.

Strophe didn't want to go out today, but she invited all her pals in, cause when I came into the room there were five of them in here! Strophe was watching them cautiously from the top of the bookshelf!

Sammy and Pippin have new fittings, including a longer seed container instead of 2 individual ones (so they can both eat together at the same time), a gravity water container instead of one of the small ones, and a four-poster nest big enough for two! They seem to like the changes! I'll upload new photos as soon as I've emptied my hard disk a bit -- it's full to bursting and I risk losing data if I don't play safe...

Teresa wrote:

* Strophe didn't want to go out today, but she invited all her pals in, cause when I came into the room there were five of them in here! Strophe was watching them cautiously from the top of the bookshelf!

Sammy and Pippin have new fittings, including a longer seed container instead of 2 individual ones (so they can both eat together at the same time), a gravity water container instead of one of the small ones, and a four-poster nest big enough for two! They seem to like the changes! I'll upload new photos as soon as I've emptied my hard disk a bit -- it's full to bursting and I risk losing data if I don't play safe...

I love it!!
Can hardly wait to see Sammy and Pippin's new digs, especially that 4 poster nest, big enough for two.

It's been a crazy weekend...

As if it wasn't enough to be working non-stop, I got an emergency too -- Lawrence and Kali, sick again, had to be rushed to the vet's. Thankfully my daughter was able to take a class for me. Their temperature was normal, but as they kept being sick and had terrible diarrhoea, they got injectable antiemetic and antibiotic, a special diet and a probiotic.
They're doing much better now. The vet said that if they didn't improve a lot, they would have to be kept in for blood tests and observation, but I hope that won't be needed, because they freak out when they're not in their familiar surroundings. Lawrence behaved reasonably well at the vet's, but Kali was a fright, all claws and eyes blazing and howling like a demon -- she had to be put in a restraining cage to get the injections!

Strophe didn't come back from her flying time this evening -- typical teenager! And I'm being the typical mother worrying about her the first time she stays out all night...
At sunset she was on top of a nearby building with Manx, but when Manx came in for the night she chose to stay there, though I've kept the window open for her all the time. It's a safe place, where the horrid black-and-white cat who attacks Patch and pigeons cannot get to. I hope she'll come back early in the morning to eat.

When I took the dog out I saw a pigeon with a terrible half-healed string injury in the park, but he was a very good flier and wouldn't be caught. I didn't have any food on me, and on a Sunday there was nowhere to buy corn nearby. I hope to see him again, and hopefully have better luck.

I am so sorry to hear that Lawrence and Kali have been sick again, Teresa.
Sure glad to hear they are feeling better.

Kali sounds like Reese when it comes to going to the vet. He is unbearable.
And this is exactly how he looks when anyone in the office comes near him.

I also hope Strophe comes home for breakfast. That little stinker.

I hope the string injured park pij will let you catch him so you can at least observe the situation and do what needs to be done to get him better.

Please keep us posted.

Teresa, sorry to hear about these downsides again. It never seems to end? I very much hope that this is only a harmless incident. I know how nervewracking this can be. Poor kitties.
I also hope that you can catch the pijjie with the injury. He should know that he would be in wonderful hands with you...Keeping my thumbs pressed

And I hope that Strophe comes back for breakfast. Apparently she is enjoying her freedom - the little bugger!

Thank you both for the encouragement!

The cats are much better -- in fact they're acting perfectly normal!

Strophe didn't come in for breakfast -- she was out all day, jumping every time another pigeon took flight, and didn't eat or drink a thing all day! All the while I found it difficult to concentrate on anything else, and as the sky started to darken I was thinking about talking to my neighbour and asking to go on her roof when classes finished, when she suddenly came in through the window!
I whispered to the students, 'Don't move! Don't move and don't say anything!' and I sneaked up to the window and closed it behind her. She went on top of the bookcase, pecked a few seeds, drank a bit, then perched there. As soon as the class was over, she landed on my head, then my shoulder, making a sound like a cat purring, rubbing her face on mine! For a little while, she went round the house on my shoulder as I went about my chores, then I put her back in her basket, where she ate the biggest meal you can imagine and then went to sleep.
I'm wondering if I should keep her in for a few days, if she's so panicky out there that she won't come when I call her and flies away when anything moves...

Paul has been released after treatment, to his great relief -- he never liked being indoors!

I didn't see the string injury today. I think he hangs around for leftovers after most of the others have gone to roost, but during the week I'm always working at that time.

I'm so glad Lawrence and Kali are back to normal.

And a BIG on Strophe's return.
You know, Teresa, if it were me, I would keep her in for a while.

Sending my best wishes to Paul on his release.

Positive thoughts continue for the little string injured park pij.

Thank you, Cindy!

Strophe stayed in today, just in case... And Kali and Lawrence are doing fine.

However, we had another cat emergency today: this time it was Dido, with swollen, infected anal glands. She had to be anaesthetised to be treated, and she also had blood tests to check kidney and liver function, and a scan, but everything else was ok. She's back home now, a bit groggy, but greatly relieved. (I hope there will be no more vet bills till the end of the year, ouch!)

I've also got a new rescue, Jet. Nasty, nasty case of canker in the mouth and throat, and extremely thin. The prognostic isn't good, but I'll do my best. He's a lovely pidge, pitch black with white markings, and at the moment he's sleeping in his cosy nest next to the heater.

I didn't remember you having another cat.
I'm glad Dido is doing better.

Jet sounds beautiful.
Sending special thoughts your way and keeping my fingers crossed that you are able to get a handle on this and he makes a full recovery.

Please keep us posted.

This is Dido. She's the oldest cat (8) and doesn't get on with the other pets. Since I got Lawrence, she shuns me completely and established her territory in my daughter's part of the house...



Thank you for your wishes for Jet, Cindy!