# Woodpigeon cannot use his legs advice needed



## Peckles (Jul 21, 2016)

Hello 

I found a wood pigeon on the side of the road in May and he had lost the use of his legs. I took him to a vet thinking that he would need to be put down but after examination the vet said nothing was broken and it looked like he had trauma to his spine as there were a lot of feathers missing. He said to give it a week, see if there is any improvement and prescribed metacam and we went home. There have been small improvements since then, but also lots of issues and I am starting to question whether I am doing every thing I can for him and if this is right to put him through this.

To cut a very long story short we found an avian specialist in June and went to see her, at this stage 'May' the pigeon could move both of his legs up and down and could grip my finger with his left foot and move all of his toes on both legs. But could not stand. She said that he had neurological damage and appeared to have a problem with his right leg as it is not as mobile as the left and he keeps it tucked up all the time. She thinks he has pelvic damage or arthritis / damage from an accident in this leg and in her opinion with this level of damage could never be released to the wild but it was not unfeasible to hope that he would at some point be able to stand and perch which is the minimum recovery I am hoping for him. She advised to give him more space to move around in as at the time I was keeping him confined on a donut shaped towel and trying to restrict his movement to make sure he did not hurt himself.

He seemed to get on well with having more space and still kept himself propped up most of the time on his donut towel but when moving about would still drag himself along using his wings and make no attempt to use his legs. When I do gentle exercises with his legs he now seems to be able to put some weight on his left leg and really tries to press down on it and when I support him he appears to try to balance on it and try to put weight on it.

This morning I had to take him back to the avian vet as I found a swelling over his keel bone. There was a large opening which looked serious. The vet said he would need to be stitched and the cut had gone down to his pectoral muscle underneath. I suspect he has done that flying in to some thing as although he cannot walk he can and does fly. Also he must use these muscles when he is dragging himself along the floor on his wings. We had a long chat about his prognosis, how much he was going through and whether this is the right thing to do. She said it is a simple op and would usually heal in a couple of days with a bird that can stand and is not resting on his keel all the time. But it will be more difficult with this case. 

I have decided to do it as this bird to me seems to be fighting and really trying, but I need some advice from some one who has perhaps seen this type of nerve damage before and how long it would take for him to be able to stand and what I can do with his daily management and diet to help it. The cut is undoubtedly an injury as he cannot land properly and the last thing I want to do is cause this bird more damage, I want to support him with his recovery.

So far since 1 May he has had 2 courses of baytril, 1 8 day course of metacam, 10 days of pro biotics, Zolcal calcium and D3 supplement . His diet consists of pigeon corn, wild bird seed, peanuts, oyster shell, watercress.

Any help, advice much needed and appreciated, thank you


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Thank you for helping the little guy! Sounds like you are doing a wonderful job.Hopefully someone expert on nerve damage will answer soon.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

I personally can't advise you on that, but there is a UK group/network with rescuers here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PigeonProtection


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for helping this needy bird. I have moved your thread to appropriate forum.

Did the vet take any ex rays?

Make sure the bird is absorbing enough calcium as that is extremely important for bones and neurological issues.( Dragging himself along with wings and not using legs, is a symptom of calcium deficiency) They also use it up quickly when nerves are involved. Also, B complex vitamins would help.

Here is a wonderful UK link with info on wood pigeons and finding resources: http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/thewoodpigeon.htm

Wood pigeons have different temperament then feral pigeons and require special handling. They stress a lot easier and therefore drain themselves quicker of B vitamins and calcium/D3 & more. *


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Are you sure he didn't tear it open when trying to move about with his wings? Pic of him and how he holds his legs?


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## Peckles (Jul 21, 2016)

*Woodpigeon who can't use his legs thanks for the replies*

Thanks for the responses guys.

I picked him up from vets this morning and he has done well with the stress of the opp and being away for a night, he is not tame and not happy around people, just about tolerates me but has done very well in the stressful circumstances.

Jay3, no x rays have been done and I am not sure he has not done this moving along on his front but as a precaution I will be restricting this movement again after his recovery until I am happy he is supporting himself a little with his legs and not relying on his wings so much but I cannot do this for an indefinate amount of time as it would not be fair to expect him to live like this so I am taking every day as it comes. I will get some pics of him and post them at some point but the next week or so I will only be cleaning and feeding and watering him to try and ensure that wound heals with as little movement from him as possible.

Skyking, can you recommend a calcium and D3 and B3 vit supplement that would be the best. I am going to order some pro biotics and zolcal or calcivet but would love some recommendations. I had a youngster recover well with calcivet after landing badly and suddenly not being able to move his legs. After 6 weeks of rest, calcivet and a warm room he was up and about again I used zolcal for May but although he is not standing he is moving his legs again from having no movement and being totally limp. Also for how long can you safely use these supplements for as I am concerned that he had a huge hard white blockage in his tummy which took 4 days to clear after using this. Could have been caused by some thing else but was worried we had over done the calcium.

I am also looking at homeopathic remedies so if any one has any experience of this I would love to hear your recommendations.

We are now nearly 12 weeks on from his initial accident and I need to look at every thing possible that I can do to support his healing, get his legs recovering and give him a stress free happy environment. I do not want him to live a life paralysed in captivity as I do not think that he would like that. He is calm and tolerant of me (most of the time) but not of any one else and I am worried he will not adapt to a captive life very well. 

Thanks for your help


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Here is our link with some homeopathic/natural remedies, there are some homeopathics for neurological issues. : http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f107/natural-healing-10568.html?highlight=homeopathic+remedies 

Have you tried Gem calcium syrup with D3? *


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The Calcivet is wonderful. It's the same thing as CalciBoost here. I would go with that.
You can overdo with calcium though, so maybe go to a couple of times a week.


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## donkey (Apr 10, 2016)

I'm also in the U.K and i am using one called vetark ZOLCAL-D Liquid Calcium & Vitamin D3. Its £7.40 and it lasts a good while.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vetark-ZO...458977?hash=item2a6c87b321:g:QVUAAOSw-jhUH~HS



.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I use Calcivet and get it from northern parrots, fast delivery too. 

http://www.northernparrots.com/calcivet-liquid-calcium-and-vitamin-d3-parrot-supplement-prod6300a/


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## Peckles (Jul 21, 2016)

*Wood pigeon up date*

Thanks for the responses every one.

I have ordered some Brewers Yeast and pro biotics. Also have some Zolcal D calcium and D3 supplement which we will start on again.

He has finished his antio biotics now so have started the pro biotics but we have the problem of him not being able to clear his vent now. I wonder if this is to do with the metacam or anti biotics as this happened a day after he returned from his Op and we have had this issue previously and it took 4 days to clear before he started getting back to normal again. 

I thought it was to do with the calcium I was giving him but he was also on Baytril and metacam. Any suggestions on what this could be or experience of a reaction like this to a particular medicine ? I guess like people every one's bodies react differently, this poor little pigeon is such a brave little thing with all of this. His wound seems to be healing well which is good.

I will get some pictures organised and uploaded of how he holds his legs.

I do not seem to have found any one who has had much luck with this level of paralysis and would really like to to see if any one has had a bird live a good quality of life with issues like this ? Or how long this healing process can take for him to be able to stand or perch again ? The vet and I have decided to go to 6 months and see how he is then and she feels this would be an adequate time scale.

Thanks again and any help or advice much appreciated.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Would contact Elizabeth at Palomacy as they have a lot of experience with pigeons and doves who have handicaps.


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## Peckles (Jul 21, 2016)

Thank you I have just looked at the Palomacy website and got the email address will contact them, what an amazing place


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## Sheila1111 (Jan 6, 2018)

Peckles said:


> Hello
> 
> I found a wood pigeon on the side of the road in May and he had lost the use of his legs. I took him to a vet thinking that he would need to be put down but after examination the vet said nothing was broken and it looked like he had trauma to his spine as there were a lot of feathers missing. He said to give it a week, see if there is any improvement and prescribed metacam and we went home. There have been small improvements since then, but also lots of issues and I am starting to question whether I am doing every thing I can for him and if this is right to put him through this.
> 
> ...


Check for lead poisoning ...


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