# Wood Pigeon unable to feed



## Birchie (Sep 2, 2008)

A friend of mine has a wood pigeon in her garden which in her words can only be described as "scruffy looking" or "unwell". She has noticed that it has a swelling on its neck and when it tries to feed is unable to swallow seed, shakes its head and the seed all comes out. There is a juvenile bird with it but it is able to feed itself.

Is there anything she can do to help it? 

Thanks


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

The bird could have canker or another issue which needs medication. It will need some intervention.

I will get one of our UK members to take a look at this thread.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Birchie,

I just moved your post to the Wood Pigeons forum where it will be more quickly seen by our UK members.

It's possible this pigeon has a bad case of canker. If the bird can be caught and safely confined, that would be the place to start. Once caught a close examination of the mouth/throat and the swollen area should tell if this is canker or something else.

Where is the bird located? There may be help available nearby.

Terry


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Birchie,

We have a coupl of members near you, I will ask them to have a look at this thread.

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,

I've just answered a PM from Birchie. (She had the baby Woodie that she hand reared recently). As she lives in Sutton Coldfield I have offered to get the bird if she can catch it. I thought canker and I have plenty of Spartrix.

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Well done Janet!!!!! 

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Just crossed my mind that if it has a juvenile with it, that could do with treating aswell.

Birchie, if there's any chance of getting the youngster aswell, please do. It might not be possible if it's lively, they are virtually impossible to catch, but worth a try.

Janet


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## Birchie (Sep 2, 2008)

*Thanks*

Thank you all. I will tell my friend your advice and see what she can do about catching it.

Rachel


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## Birchie (Sep 2, 2008)

*Thanks*

Thank you all. I will tell my friend your advice and see what she can do about catching it.

Rachel


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Just an update.

Rachel phoned me today to say her friend's husband had set up a box trap and managed to catch the youngster. It had also been showing signs of being sick. 
I went over and picked it up from her and poor little soul has got canker as we thought.
Well before I even got him home to have a look in his mouth, it was obvious from the smell.

I have him on heat and have given him a crushed Spartrix. He was so lively in the car, banging away in his carrier, so I do hope he has got a chance.

Unfortunately her friend hasn't seen the adult for the last two days. I expect she might find more yet as there was another youngster sitting watching in the tree above. Hope that one is ok.

Janet


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for helping, Janet, and for the update. I hope all will be well! Please keep us posted.

Terry


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Sad about the adult, but I am glad you thought of catching and treating the juvenile! I hope they can catch the other one too.

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Some advice please with giving little one water.

He has had two Spartrix now and I can't see much improvement but he's sitting quietly on heat and very alert when I get him out.

I put him a bowl of water by him but he just knocked it over and soaked his box so to make sure he's staying hydrated I've been dribbling a bit of water along his beak, which he sips at.

The only trouble is a few seconds after he swallows it, he starts to sneeze, and then for a short while I can hear his breathing through his nose. Does this mean it's getting in his airway? If so how can I give him fluids.

I'm worried as this is how the Stock Dove sounded when he tried to drink, and unfortunately I lost him.

I can see a very small gap down the side of his throat that hopefully means he can get water down, otherwise it is pretty much solid with canker, also on and under his tongue.

Another query is how often shall I give him the Spartrix? 

Thanks Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Janet,

Can you mix up some rehydrating solution and see if he can drink on his own? That might find its was through any remaining opening to the crop. When I have had pigeons with bad canker I have usually managed to slip a tube in.

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi Cynthia,

I tried to see if he would do it himself today but he didn't try. I am using rehydrating fluid.

I've just been to see him again and this time I stretched his neck and really carefully placed the small syringe by the gap and gave him a few mls. I'm glad to say he didn't sneeze or react badly.
Then I dribbled some by his beak and he did a little sneeze, but not as bad as earlier so maybe I need to get it to the back of his throat for the time being. I've put him back on heat and he's lying down quietly.

Shall I just give one Spartrix a day? 

Also should I try to get some Polyaid down tomorrow as he hasn't eaten since I got him either.

I have got some Kaytee aswell if you think that would be better.

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Janet,

Poly Aid is best, a little goes a lot further. Mix it as per instructions and then add as little water as possible to dilute it enough to go down.

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Thanks for your help.

Can you just confirm it's ok to give the Spartrix daily until it hopefully clears the canker?

Sorry about all the questions, desperately want to get this one through this.

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Janet,

Give one a day for 5 days...if it hasn't worked by then you will need to try something else. I will send you a sachet of Chevi col tomorrow...once again that is something that is designed for flock treatment so we will have to work out dilution and dosage.

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,
At last, tonight is the first time I've seen a slight break through with the canker. There is still a large amount in the throat but a couple of small pieces came away when I was giving him some Polyaid. the one under his tongue came out.

I never thought to ask, and I can't find any info on the net, but what does actually happen to the canker?
I know I mustn't dislodge it as it might cause a bleed. Do I wait for it to come away or should I be doing anything to help it along now it's loosening up?
I was worried in case he swallowed it.

The Polyaid is going down him and he is looking brighter. He's beginning to nuzzle my hand and nibble the syringe, and if I hold a piece of paper towel, soaked in water at the end of his beak, he's taking water from that.

Rachel texted me on Saturday to say her friend had seen another sick bird. I haven't heard back from her, so I hope they are able to catch that one too.

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Janet,

After a three or four days treatment the nodules localise and detach themselves. They can be eased off at that stage with a cotton bud, but I prefer to let them go in their own time...just in case!

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Ok, I'll see what tomorrow brings.
I'll give him another Spartrix in the morning.

Janet


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,

Some more canker came away this morning but unfortunately the largest chunk is right down in his neck so I can't really help get it out. I've given him another Spartrix and hope this will dislodge on it's own.
I suppose the only way is down.
I haven't seen him attempt to eat by himself yet so am keeping the Polyaid going.
His poops are tarry dark green and very yellow urates but he seems very perky.

Should I leave off the Spartrix now?

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Janet,

Yes, he should be OK now. Green slimy poops and yellow urates can be a sign of liver disease, there is always the worry that the canker could have got into the liver. But we have to hope for the best, and I have had worse symptoms imrove with TLC and probiotics. If he has been on Poly Aid then that us a low residue food, so perhaps the poops are being coloured with bile.

My Little Angel came to me with profuse green slimy poops , as poisoning was a possibility I gave her activated caharcoal and she regurgitated a rotten peanut and some other unrecognisable debris. Jayne has also been giving a pigeon with green slimy poops and a rock hard crop some activated charcoal and spartrix and that has also regurgitated a cropful of old seed and is looking better for it.

What I am thinking is that the canker could have prevented some food going from the crop to the proventriculus and through the digestive system and tthe food could have soured in the crop , leading to a build up of bacteria and maybe the activated charcoal helped get rid of this. At the moment that is just a theory, but we have a little bottle of Old Hand's Sour Crop remedy and the contents look very much like activated charcoal...

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,

Just wanted to check if I should be medicating still as he has got a very stubborn piece of canker right down in his throat.

I managed to tease out a large lump, about the size of a twenty pence piece yesterday, and this looks about the same size. If I massage his throat I can get it slightly higher so that I can get at it with a cotton bud, but it is quite firmly stuck, so I've left it well alone.

He was drinking by himself a lot yesterday but when I picked him up to clean his cage, he threw up a whole load of water. So I don't quite know how much is still further down his throat. He seems very bright though and keen to get out of the cage now.

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Janet,

I have had pigeons that took 10 days for the final nodule to disappear. 

Cynthia


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