# I found a pigeon in Troy, Michigan on 4/25



## Debra (Apr 29, 2008)

Hello. This is my first post. I found an injured pigeon on the shoulder of an entrance to an expressway. He was sitting by the side of the road. I threw a blanket on him and took him home. His beak was caked with blood and he has a large gash on his body under his wing. I cleaned his beak off and he drank water. It is a beautiful bird. White with beige wings. I keep him in a cage in the kitchen. Pigeons are messy!! My cats keep an eye on him. He now drinks by himself and eats cracked corn. I have rescued exhausted pigeons and notifed owners by the band, but never had an injured bird. This one only has a white band with the number '78' on it. The sore on his side looks bad. Not bleeding, but it looks like the bones are showing. I wonder if there is a way to find the owner and if I should have him on meds. He is limping a little, but preens himself daily and seems comfortable. Any suggestions would be helpful. Do pigeons sleep in anything special/do they need a perch? This one sits in his food dish at night. Thank you


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and thank you for rescuing this injured bird. He needs to be looked at either by an avian vet or rehabber.

Pigeons like to sit up high on a flat perch, out of drafts of air. They like sitting inside nest boxes too. I usually put a old towel over a cage-against a wall with front open, for privacy as well as keeping them draft free.

You should feed him some wild bird seed and whole corn, cracked corn is not good for a pigeon.


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

Hi DEbra,
I am in your area and can get help for this bird through a rehabber and kindly vet. We need to get him up there ASAP though, as it sounds like he needs medical attention immediately. My email is [email protected] or you can PM me here. my daytime phone # is 989-288-2656. I will leave work ~ 4 pm today.


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## tms1950 (Aug 23, 2005)

*injured pigeon*

Hi Debra- I am the rehabber that she-geek is speaking of. The bird definitely needs medical attention and should be brought to me or a vet for antibiotic treatment. It may be too late already to suture the wound and it may have to healed from the inside out.At any rate,it is in the best interest of the bird to seek medical help without further delay.If you like,you may contact me at 810-639-2714.Not all rehabbers will take pigeons,so you may need to drive him here or find transportation for him to Montrose.If I can`t fix him,I have an avian that that helps me.
Teresa Smelser
For The Birds Wildlife Rehab
Montrose,Mi.


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## Debra (Apr 29, 2008)

I can get him to Montrose tomorrow after work. I work until 5pm though and I don't know if the rehabber in Montrose is open that late.


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

Plan A is for Debra and I to meet this evening, I will transfer birdie to Teresa for care first thing Wed. morning. Meantime I'll get it on baytril so it gets some antibiotic going. Wings & fingers X'd!!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You gals ROCK! Great team work.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Great teamwork! Let us know how this pigeon does.


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## tms1950 (Aug 23, 2005)

*found bird in Troy*

LOL-Debra!! You weren`t sure if I`d be "open" after 5? This rehab is open 24/7,365 days a year!
Anyway,either me or she-geek will keep you all posted on the outcome of this pigeon.I`ll do my best. 
Teresa


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

tms1950 said:


> LOL-Debra!! You weren`t sure if I`d be "open" after 5? This rehab is open 24/7,365 days a year!
> Anyway,either me or she-geek will keep you all posted on the outcome of this pigeon.I`ll do my best.
> Teresa


she-geek=TheSnipes...just so you know.


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## Snowbird Sue (Dec 31, 2007)

*You gals do ROCK!*

Hi all, just wanted to say what a great team you gals make! I hope the Piggie does well. Great job Snipes! You are really on the ball!  Will be keeping fingers X'ed!


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

Well here is an update on this guy's condition. Debra did bring him out on Tuesday night, and he is a gorgeous fellow with quite a calm disposition. I had a chance that night to trim away feathers from around his wound, which is the outside of his right leg. It appeared the flesh had been completely removed and the muscle tendons and possibly bones were visible. The surface had hardened up, darkened, and congealed and it was a very nasty looking wound, although there was no sign of infection, luckily. Thinking about it through the evening I decided the wound should be evaluated by a vet so made plans to take him straight to our preferred pidgie vet first thing Wed. morning. Unfortunately when I arrived I learned she was away at a conference! They referred me to another clinic quite a long distance away where they are known to treat wild birds and so have experience beyond the usual hookbill varieties. The vet at that clinic did a nice thorough exam, and did clean & debride the hardened wound. He told me that he'd found the 'missing' flesh had been peeled away but was still attached, it had become bunched and crusted up in the blood and feathers. When he cleaned away the scabby surface the tissue still appeared pink and healthy, so to his (and my) surprise he felt it might be possible to close the wound after all this time and have some successful healing. Well, I hadn't taken the bird to a vet just to say something like "no leave it like it is!" so I felt it best to let _him _do as _he _felt best. It looked like there was enough tissue to close maybe 75% of the wound. In the end, he found there was more there than he thought and he ended up fully closing it over. 

So now, we have to hope that no infection sets in again, as now the wound was rubbed raw - I know that is proper wound treatment technique but I tell you I have mixed feelings and doubts about having done it. Maybe it would have healed fine, with significant scarring, if left alone. I sure hate not having a crystal ball. I just wish I knew for sure that we've done the right thing.

He is taking baytril twice daily by mouth, and the Dr. wants me to get him trimethoprim sulfa as well, which I don't have  He also is taking metacam twice daily and I have a tube of analgesic/anti-fungal/anti-biotic ointment to apply to the wound. The bill came to over $100 (yikes) but he was nice about pricing some services lower for me. And Debra contributed some cash when she dropped him off so I only ended up with about $75 of it.

I'm sorry I don't' have a picture yet to share, I intended to take one before tending to him this morning but my camera was out in the car and I didn't bother going after it. I will take a pic this afternoon so you can see it. I must say that last night, the wound looked clean and the flesh nice and pink and I held my breath thinking it would heal fine. This morning it looked rather angry and red, but maybe that is to be expected after the 'abuse' it received yesterday!?

He is also limping badly on it, not surprising I suppose, and seems in discomfort which is a step back as he'd been acting like he felt no pain at all prior to his vet visit. But bless his little heart, he was picking at some seeds when I left for work this morning. Everybody, wings and spare digits X'd for little "Finnegan" as he might like to be called.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I know this little Finnegan was one you picked up out of the kindness of your heart and you weren't expecting or needing any extra expenses. 
How about we try to raise the $75. as you have contributed your time and the gas for your car.
Here's a challenge to members to help out. It wouldn't take very many of us to make up that $75. with $5- $10. contributions.
If you can help out send me a private message and I'll let you know where to send Snips your support.
I'll send $10. so only $65. to go.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Thank you for the wonderful update. I'm encouraged the vet was able to close the wound and I hope he'll heal well. I thought the price was pretty reasonable, considering. Would be happy to help out with that. 

-Cathy


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

Why, thank you, ladies...I admit I was holding my breath and miserable waiting to hear the damages there. The doctor did try to mediate the cost and I am grateful, I was afraid it would be over $200..could have easily gone that high. I find it immensely frustrating that a dirtly little thing like money prevents me from giving the best possible care to all my friends with complete abandon


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## Debra (Apr 29, 2008)

I am so glad to hear that Finnegan made it home ok and got the attention he needed. This is surely something I could not have done myself. I did miss him the next morning, but am glad he is in good hands. She-geek, you are a blessing and an inspiration. This has restored my faith in mankind. Thank you so much.


In the end, we will conserve only what we love.
We will love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we are taught.
-Baba Dioum (Senegalese Ecologist)


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

Hi Debra,
I put a different thread up with the same info, but it has pics. Here it is:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=26911

ps i like your signature quote


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Cute little guy--looks like a roller. So glad he's doing better and thank you so much for helping him!


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