# URGENT! HELP! wild pigeon with broken wing



## palalila (May 8, 2012)

I found a wild pigeon with a broken wing, took him to the vet, the vet wasn't specialized in birds, but he took care of it anyway. The pigeon had an open bone fracture of the humerus, close to the radius and ulna joint. The vet put a metal rod through the inside of the humerus bone, to stabilize it, and then some stitches. He didn't even want to put a bandage on the wound because he said he'll be fine, but i insisted he put one. My problem is that i've done some research on how to care for a broken wing, and apparently the wing has to be bounded by bandage to the body or the tail to keep it in the right position. But this vet just put bandage on the wing, and now it just kind of hangs. Is it ok? or should i bound the wing to the body myself? ( i also gave it oxacillin yesterday after the vet, and this morning he started eating, so apparently he's fine... i just want to know if the wing is bandaged in the right position because i want him to fly again )..... I also have a picture attached.


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## ETphonehome (Jan 3, 2012)

What a shame This is another example of vet ignorance.

Please read the next pages and take a look on the video, what must be done must be done as soon as possible otherwise probably he will be not able to fly propperly and survive in the wild

I good bandage should look like this










http://www.parrotchronicles.com/features/firstaid/firstaid.htm

[yt]XS8LcqE1Yos&feature[/yt]


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

palalila said:


> I found a wild pigeon with a broken wing, took him to the vet, the vet wasn't specialized in birds, but he took care of it anyway. The pigeon had an open bone fracture of the humerus, close to the radius and ulna joint. The vet put a metal rod through the inside of the humerus bone, to stabilize it, and then some stitches. He didn't even want to put a bandage on the wound because he said he'll be fine, but i insisted he put one. My problem is that i've done some research on how to care for a broken wing, and apparently the wing has to be bounded by bandage to the body or the tail to keep it in the right position. But this vet just put bandage on the wing, and now it just kind of hangs. Is it ok? or should i bound the wing to the body myself? ( i also gave it oxacillin yesterday after the vet, and this morning he started eating, so apparently he's fine... i just want to know if the wing is bandaged in the right position because i want him to fly again )..... I also have a picture attached.


Hi and welcome to PT......and thank you for taking this little one in 
The vet putting a metal rod thru the bone IS stabilizing the wing. It's not usually a good idea to wrap and 'open' wound. It depends on the circumstances.....sometimes wrapping a wound can cause infection, so its a little more tricky with a fractured wing WITH and open wound. It's not necessary to tape the wing to the body IF there's a rod in place.


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## palalila (May 8, 2012)

ok, so is mandatory to bond the wing to the body then? This technique is not just for small birds like canaries, is for all birds big and small?


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

palalila said:


> ok, so is mandatory to bond the wing to the body then? This technique is not just for small birds like canaries, is for all birds big and small?


We posted at the same time.....read my previous post.


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## palalila (May 8, 2012)

yes there is a rod in the humerus. I thought the wing is supposed to be bonded in place by the body for both joints to stay still. Isn't it supposed to be still at both joints? I'm asking because he sometimes lifts his wings like he wants to fly, and while the broken end of the humerus is stuck in place by the bondage and rod, the other end of the humerus is obviously moving when he lifts it.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

With a rod inserted, I'm assuming the break is in the middle. So the rod would keep the humerus stable. A rod would not do any good if the fracture/break is up at the joint.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

If he's trying to flap his wings, you could lightly wrap the wing too the body. But the rod should keep the 'bone' in place.


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## palalila (May 8, 2012)

yes the break is in the middle of the humerus bone, a little towards the radius and ulna joint, not RIGHT in the middle-middle, but yeah. I'm not sure from where was the rod inserted though.


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## palalila (May 8, 2012)

and if i want to wrap the wing to the body, i should wrap it in it's normal position, right? it wont mess the rod since i'll do it gently?


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

palalila said:


> and if i want to wrap the wing to the body, i should wrap it in it's normal position, right? it wont mess the rod since i'll do it gently?


Right...


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

oh poor babe, i would warp to the body too, unwrapping and checking every few days for infection and i would defiantly give baytril to help him fight infection with a compound/open fracture


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## palalila (May 8, 2012)

i feel so sorry for him, and if he turns out he can't fly anymore, i'll keep him as a pet anyway, even though i'm not sure he'll like his flightless life.... Yesterday i gave him oxacillin, but i could continue with baytril i guess.


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

Well done for taking care of him. I believe he'll be fine, but if he ends up unable to fly after all, he'll be great as a pet, because he's a young pigeon.

Good luck.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

palalila said:


> i feel so sorry for him, and if he turns out he can't fly anymore, i'll keep him as a pet anyway, even though i'm not sure he'll like his flightless life.... Yesterday i gave him oxacillin, but i could continue with baytril i guess.


A flightless life is still better than no life at all. Especially if it's given the loving home it sounds like it has. Obviously we all hope for the best outcome, but I think the bird is in good hands, either way.


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## palalila (May 8, 2012)

thank you so much, i'll keep you posted


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

There is a lot of bulk to the bandage and it might not be so comfortable, for the pigeon, to secure the wrap to the body. It's got to be very painful. I would suggest calling back to ask for a pain medication.


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