# Advice Needed Please - Pigeon Tail Injury



## Blue_Eyed_Squirrel (Oct 26, 2013)

Hello all,

EDIT: Sorry for the long post and I think I may have put this in the wrong place!

I've been looking after injured feral pigeons most of my life on and off, as and when I find them. Some have recovered and others too far gone but they had a warm home and safety to pass away in.

I am based in Essex, UK and we often find pigeons injured under a particular motorway bridge. It would seem this is a large flocks home.

On Sunday whilst driving past, I saw what I thought was a feral pigeon on the pavement so I went back round the roundabout and made my way over to it.

Initially on walking towards it, the pigeon looked dead and its wing was flapping in the wind.

On closer inspection it was alive, very weak and was on its back, legs in the air and barely conscious.

I picked it up and took it home and slowly started to warm it up for a few hours. 

Initially I checked to see if I could see any bleeds or obvious breaks, there were none.

The first 30 mins it was swaddled in a towel and held against me, then it was placed in a cage with a pet hot water bottle under the cage and a fleece blanket covering it. 

I warmed some water up and I placed some of my sisters fresh honey from her beehive in it and some pigeon vitamin drops. 
(The honey has been processed and jarred, so its not directly out of the beehive but it is very fresh)

I then syringed a little into its beak to see if it would swallow, it did but very very slowly. I did this every hour for the evening until about 2300 hours and covered it up to sleep.

I wasn't banking on this little feral making it through the night, I think it is a baby as it has a softish beak.

In the morning the little feral (Now called typhoon) was alive, a little bit stronger and a little more alert.

What I have noticed since Sunday is that it droops its wings on to the floor and its tail seems very floppy bending downwards, although it can fan its feathers and move the tail left to right.

Typhoon spends much of its time sleeping although it does eat 'Dove Mix' and drinks the water with pigeon vitamins.

Any ideas what damage this could be to the tail end, as I said it droops as do the wings but Typhoon does stand upright, is preening and cleaning itself.

Any help or advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks!

PS, the bridge where the flock perch is quite a height 20 - 25 ft, it is entirely feasible that Typhoon fell from there.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am not certain about what injuries the tail can suffer, I found this link with a photo of the tail bone and an explanation of its function http://www.hsu.edu/pictures.aspx?id=1287 but wonder whether he might just be bruised and recover with rest and tlc?


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## Blue_Eyed_Squirrel (Oct 26, 2013)

Hi Feefo,

Thank you for your response and the site you sent me too.

Perhaps Typhoon has simply bruised it, but he seems more comfy leaning it on the edge of the cage base . I will attempt to get a photo and post it so people can see.

Also Typhoons poops are dark green and worm like with clear water, any ideas?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The wormlike droppings in a pool of water are a symptom of kidney damage, usually associated with pigeon paramyxovirus. Extreme sleepiness (zonking out) is also a symptom, so keep him isolated from other pigeons for the time being, just in case.


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## Blue_Eyed_Squirrel (Oct 26, 2013)

Hi Feefo,

Thanks again.

Typhoon does not have the head twisting, lack of co-ordination or walking backwards symptoms of PMV.

I have ordered some Baytril, but can you think of anything else that s/he may need?

Typhoon is eating and drinking well, but really sleeps a lot and sits on the floor of the cage in the main.

Today the poops had a little more white in them, although still dark green worm like and lots of water.

I am very grateful for all your advice so far.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would have the droppings tested if possible. if just guessing salmonella can have an affect on wing joints which shows a drooped wing/s. IMO I think any feral acting sick should be treated for canker as well as any bacterial disease it may have, also treating for overgrowth of yeast if using baytril is good as well as this antibiotic can unbalance the yeast in the crop and probios in the gut. probios are given after anitbiotic.


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## Blue_Eyed_Squirrel (Oct 26, 2013)

Hi Spirit Wings

Thank you for the reply, what Probios can I get and from where?
For Salmonella Treatment what would you suggest…sorry to bombard with questions, but the wealth of experience here is fantastic.

Great site by the way!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Blue_Eyed_Squirrel said:


> Hi Spirit Wings
> 
> Thank you for the reply, what Probios can I get and from where?
> For Salmonella Treatment what would you suggest…sorry to bombard with questions, but the wealth of experience here is fantastic.
> ...


a probio for birds, from any petstore with a good rep. as for the medication there are several that are used..the reason they use different ones is because they depend usually on a culture to see what strain of sallmonella it is and use the right medications. drooping wings is only one symptom, and this bird could or could not have salmonella, I will post a symptom checker that may help narrow things down if you can not use a lab or vet's lab. 

http://www.chevita.com/en/pigeons/symptoms/index.php


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The best way of determining what is wrong and what antibiotics to use if it is bacterial is through a postal testing service (even vets tend to guess wrong). It takes a few days, so I take a sample to send to Reford Poultry then start "best guess treatment". If Retford suggest an antibiotic they will sell you what you need.

http://www.retfordpoultry.com/links/pigeontestingform.pdf


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## Blue_Eyed_Squirrel (Oct 26, 2013)

*R. I. P. - Typhoon*

Feefo & Spirit wings

Thank you for all your advice. I sent off samples and carried out everything I was advised to. 

Last night I could see Typhoon was weakening, he sat on my lap and could barely stand. 

This morning I could see he was losing his battle. 
He drank a little water and I placed the heat pack on my lap and he sat with me for a while. 

I knew he wanted quiet so I placed him back in his heated cage and he laid himself down. 15 mins later he had passed away. 

I am very sad, I tried everything I could do to help him but he was too far gone. 

Thank you for all your advice, I'm just sorry I couldn't do more.


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