# Bumblefoot and other pigeon foot injuries



## TitanicWreck

Thanks to this wonderful pigeon site i learned I am not the only one who loves pigeons. 
One pigeon ailment i learned about is bumblefoot, a foot injury or infection that that afflicts feral pigeons. I have taken to looking at the feet of local pigeons , and am disturbed by the number of pigeons that are missing toes, have a deformed foot, or a permanant limp. Seeing how 
fast pigeons can walk, its no wonder they stub and injure thier toes...I suppose my question is what kind of foot injury would be life threatening to a pigeon? with so many pigeons in my city with foot injuries, they seem to adapt fairly well- i have even seen one legged pigeons....Can these foot injuries be repaired?
I think many of these foot injuries are the result of careless pigeon fanciers affixing a tight band around the pigeons's leg, and in time that cuts off circulation.
As I mentioned in another thread, my love for pigeons was sparked when as a 10 year old I carried home a pigeon with a horribly deformed foot- can pigeons live a happy life despite such an injury, or must such a foot be professionally amputated?
Though it was 22 years ago, and that pigeon is long dead, I never forgot him, and still wonder what i could have done to have eased his pain....
Would any kind of antiseptic help? Hydrogec peroxcide?His foot was huge and clearly deformed, and he walked with a limp--

ps- are pigeon feet deformities ever simple birth defects? I have seen mishapen pigeon feet that looked too gnarled to be the result of mere injury.
thanks

Tarn Stephanos
Boston MA


----------



## Pigeonpal2002

Hi Titanicwreck, 

For the most part, serious foot injuries in wild pigeons are caused by string injuries. The birds get their feet entangled in fishing lines, string, or some fine filaments and they progressively tighten and cut off the circulation in the toes and legs. Birds that have bands that were improperly sized when put on could also cause major problems. However, I haven't heard of many or actually any cases of this on this site that I recall.

If you can get the bird with a string injury in time, before the damage has been done, you can save it's feet so that the toes won't die, fall off or have to be amputated. Unfortunately, a lot of times the injuries are old, infected and the foot/toes have died. This is when amuptation is necessary or they will fall off on their own.

Many pigeons can live just fine with missing toes, or even their whole foot provided that an infection hasn't set in because this it what will kill them.


----------



## feralpigeon

Hi Tarn,

I used to think that the Bumblefoot could be treated w/antibiotics till I met Pidgey the Poo who set me straight by confusing me with the facts. He's emailed some info to me that showed me that this would not be so. 

The Wildcare group in San Rafael, will treat string foot injuries, and in some instances told me that they will amputate the whole foot so there is only a leg left. The pigeon will still be able to forage for food and they will release back to the area where the bird was picked up at. They are a resilient lot and will do well even with these losses, although it's hard to see so many with these injuries and not feel badly knowing that humans frequently improperly discard
string, fish line, or even clean their hair brushes and toss to the ground only later to become tangled around a bird's foot. Many times, even tho the bird's foot is injured, it is still quick to fly away and difficult to catch in an effort to help with the foot injury.

fp


----------



## TAWhatley

String injuries and bumblefoot are two different things .. bumblefoot can be treated with antibiotics but often also requires surgically lancing the "bumble" and removal of the pus and core of the "bumble". Bumblefoot is a staph infection and often wickedly difficult to get rid of. A rehabber friend in Virginia swears by Pipercillin for bumblefoot, and I have used it to great success when Baytril didn't even touch it. Now to go and find Pipercillin .. reptile vets have it and some regular vets, but it is very expensive and needs to be kept frozen between uses. My rehabber friend recommends injecting pipercillin directly into the bumble, and it does work .. just hard to get the drug for me and also expensive .. I once asked my vet to get it for me and twould have been right at $200 for the little vial ..

String injuries are another thing and kind of "regular" infections that do respond to the typical antibiotics.

JMO and my experience.

Terry

PS: If you =really= want to see bumblefoot in all it's glory, then you need to see it in a duck or a goose .. Yikes!

http://rims.net/bumble.htm


----------



## feralpigeon

Hi Terri,

What do you think the percentage of bumblefoot injuries in pigeons would be that would be treatable w/out lancing?? Just off the cuff ball-park??

fp


----------



## TAWhatley

feralpigeon said:


> Hi Terri,
> What do you think the percentage of bumblefoot injuries in pigeons would be that would be treatable w/out lancing?? Just off the cuff ball-park??
> fp


In my experience .. 100% .. pigeons that I've seen just don't get bumblefoot like the larger birds .. yes, they can and do get it, but I've never seen a pigeon with a case of bumblefoot that I could swear was bumblefoot .. it's always been string or a wound .. pigeons (unless they are missing a leg/foot and routinely have to put pressure on just one side don't get bumblefoot) .. those that might have true bumblefoot have a smaller than pea sized growth on the bottom of the foot, and they do tend to respond well to Baytril.
JMO ...

Terry


----------



## Skyeking

TitanicWreck said:


> I think many of these foot injuries are the result of careless pigeon fanciers affixing a tight band around the pigeons's leg, and in time that cuts off circulation.
> Tarn Stephanos
> Boston MA


Hello there,

Regarding banding pigeons, I have never heard to much about pigeons bands causing problems, I have never had any.

Pigeon bands can be bought specifically for the type of breed, and there shouldn't be a problem of them being too tight. Homing pigeons have a standard size band that fits well and the special show breeds also have bands that meet their requirements, especially those with the feathered legs. 

However, pigeon bands do become a problem if a leg becomes swollen, due to an injury, infection, or a break in the leg, and in those circumstances the band needs to be cut off a.s.a.p.


----------

