# Pigeon with Respiratory Illness



## enid (Aug 6, 2007)

Hi all, 

On Sunday, December 7, I found a feral pigeon drinking from a puddle of water in a bus lane. She didn't move out of the way of oncoming traffic and seemed weak so I picked her up and brought her home. She has very watery poop (clear water with green, wormy feces isolated in the water) and is severely underweight and weak. I thought maybe she had a gastrointestinal problem based on her feces. She is eating fine and she is drinking two or three times the amount a healthy pigeon would drink. No broken bones. She stands most of the time and she is in a very warm room (probably 80 degrees F). 

On Thursday night, I realized she was having trouble breathing. No tail bobbing, but something seemed wrong because her body was making hiccup-type movements and I could hear something that sounded like snoring from time to time.

So I brought her to get medical care from an avian specialist Saturday (yesterday). She was given Pigeon Respire tablets (an antibiotic) and dewormers. Her glottis is wide open and she is struggling to get air, but nothing was detectable in her respiratory system. 

Last night I noticed something alarming: After she drinks (and she drinks a lot), she immediately starts sputtering and gasping. I think this is new or if it's not new, it wasn't that noticeable before. The labored breathing lasts for an hour or more. And now her tail is bobbing and she is still making little hiccup-type movements. (On a scale of 1-10, I think her tail bobbing is at a five; I've seen worse.)

Do you think it's possible that she is breathing in water each time she drinks because her glottis is so wide open? Is there anything I can do to stop that from happening? 

Also, does anyone have experience with Respire? I'm supposed to give her one tablet a day for 10 days. How long does it take to kick in? 

Thank you for any advice you have.

Enid


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

I am sure someone will give you some input soon.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It's hard to say how long respiratory will take, and I'm not familiar with Respire. It would also depend on what is causing the respiratory problem, and whether or not it is being treated with the right drug. 
You could try giving her water with a tube or crop needle, and take the dish of water up for now. It is possible that the bird is aspirating some of the water when she drinks.


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## AndreiS (Jul 28, 2013)

I too think she aspirated water that may be because she has candida in crop. Does the crop feel puffy (is filled with water)? 

You may solve the problem by putting some raw apple vinegar (a bio product) in water, like a teaspoon / 250 ml (a cup) of water and then gently massage the crop at the lower part. See photo drawings with pigeon anatomy to get an idea where the proventriculus - the canal communicating with the gissard) is because there is the place where candida and food are blocked.



It would be very helpful if you post a photo of the droppings. Are the feces small or big? Is there any urates (white liquid matter)?


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## enid (Aug 6, 2007)

UPDATE: I took her in for x-rays, fecal test, blood test, and a throat swab. She definitely has yeast, and the x-ray indicates possible aspergillosis (having a radiologist confirm). She may also have lead poisoning. We switched her meds and she is no longer on Respire, because it looks like a fungal problem. She has a lot of problems, so fingers crossed she will pull through. She is beautiful and I've fallen in love with her already.


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## AndreiS (Jul 28, 2013)

For respiratory or oral candida (white formations in mouth), if she's not weak, you should give Fluconazol, usually a single administration of 1-2 mg / 300 gr bird is enough. If you see yellow droppings afterward, never give again Fluco or other antifungal, save for Nystatin) to that bird, as it means the bird has a weak liver. Nystatin doesn't help much, as it remains in digestive tract, not entering blood. It theoretically acts only on crop candida but I haven't seen it working yet. And when giving pretty toxic drugs like antibiotics, antifungals (very toxic) is very good to give also hepatoprotective supplements (you find them at veterinary pharmacy or pet shop). Don't try Itraconazole, is very toxic and doesn't help.

For aspergillus, this page by some vet specialized in this disease recommends a naturist treatment instead of drugs: 

http://www.m2birdsitters.com/aspergillosis.htm


I think giving crushed garlic mixed with bread for several days is pretty good, I noticed also birds like it, if is not very much (is burning their mouth and digestive mucosa). For the others, I doubt have any real effect on aspergillus. Also, give Echinacea for increasing the immune response of the bird, for 2-3 weeks. 

Very important: bird must have a well ventilated environment, without any source of mould or dust (like old books or furniture), ideally to stay in direct sun (not through glass), if is not cold outside. The most important is the bird to have enough space to fly, as movement make the blood circulate and may help washing the aspergillus formations (if is not in advanced state). The larger the space the bird has, the better she can fly. In a house room is not enough space, but is better than nothing.


Generally, the most confortable the bird is, the more chances she has and the more stressed is, the more is favored the advancement of the disease. I have a theory that was dismissed by the older members of the forum, but I noticed it works: birds need affection and at least when you manipulate her to give medicines or food, try to show her she is loved and protected, but not in an invasive manner.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Give her smaller more frequent drinks in the meantime, dont allow her to drink so much water that by the time she takes a breath, she is sucking some in. Follow vets instructions for meds.


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## enid (Aug 6, 2007)

Hi everyone, 

Thank you for your help. Hannah the pigeon passed away two weeks ago. We tried very hard to keep her alive, but I think that her respiratory illness was so advanced when I found her that we were doomed to fail. 

During the two months I had her, we tried garlic, apple cider vinegar, flucozanole, nystatin, baytril, and doxycycline. She was also on DMSA to treat her high lead levels. The last full day she was alive, I tried a nebulizer with clotramizole, but she was so stressed after 10 minutes I discontinued the treatment. 

Her necropsy showed a large white mass in one lung and smaller white masses in another lung. She had aspergillosis. 

Although she had a difficult time breathing, she did show a lot of joy and I'm glad that I had two months with her. She loved eating more than any pigeon I've met. When she came to me, she was slightly more than 150 grams and so bony. I don't know what her final weight was, but she felt a lot heavier. I'm so glad she didn't have to die in the cold. 

Thank you again.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Wow that is too bad, those fungi are so hard to get rid of. I think two of the meds u had were for fungus and unless used for a very long time it was inevitable that she would pass.
She had the BEST life with you for those two months and died in the warmth with care and love. Good way to go if you have to.


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## AndreiS (Jul 28, 2013)

Have you made some photos with those white formations? Aspergillus is gray / slighly green, like mould (in fact it is mould). White is candida, the name (candida) meaning white in Latin. 


If was aspergilloma ( fungus ball), they could been extracted through operation.


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