# PIGEON HELP neck twist, blind from one eye,



## pigeon rescue (Oct 31, 2012)

I used to have many pigeons when I was young, but I've never seen something like this. After reading some cases, I feel familiar with mine. I rescued a pigeon that was acting like if it was going to die. I found it at a parking lot and his head was twisted up side down, touching his breast. It's been 3 weeks since that moment. At first, I had to hand feed him with corn, I literally had to open the peak. I approached the pigeon to the faucet and he looked like he was drinking water, not sure if that was enough or not. Because the pigeon had that weird neck twist, I used the cardboard center of a towel paper roll to make a cast. It kept the neck in an up right position. However, I took it off a few times. I felt bad for him. It was working, because I saw him that he was improving in mood and keeping the head up. The problem with the food was still on going. I was still hand feeding the pigeon. 
Two days ago, the pigeon came back to the first point. It is twisting the head, walking in circles, i tried to keep the head up, and I felt bad because the cardboard cylinder is not working anymore. I also found it laying on his back and it has this neck twisting movement like a robot. I also want to say that my pigeon is blind from one eye. when it was improving at first, I forced him to fly, but the fact that he can only see with one eye, makes it more difficult to land. It has no sense of deepness, can't fly straight. I don't know what else I can do. If someone can give me an advise, I will really appreciate. And if the pigeon is going throu a stressful situation, what type of medication and which dosage can I get for it. Thank you


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

This sounds like PMV to me. Assuming I am right, it's a virus, and there isn't really any medication that will cure it ... but it is rarely fatal. With supportive care, most birds with this do recover. 

Keep the bird warm -- on a heating pad, set on low, covered with a towel -- and keep handfeeding it, and giving it water (put a small bowl up to its beak so it can drink -- don't leave water in the cage or it could drown) 

Allow the bird to rest as much as it needs to rest -- recovery can take a few weeks, and the less stress on the bird, the better. You can roll a little towel up in a donut shape and place the bird inside, to help support the head, but I would stop using the cardboard, which will only stress the bird more. 

It may not be blind in the eye -- once the worst of the symptoms are over, you may find that the bird can see fine -- PMV really messes up depth perception.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Here's a post with good information about PMV

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f107/pigeon-paramyxovirus-aka-pmv-ppmv-pmv1-pigeon-12250.html


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Extra calcium and B complex vitamins will help with nerve issues.*


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## pigeon rescue (Oct 31, 2012)

*Following instructions*

thank you guys, but how much calcium and vit B? At first when I rescued my pigeon, It smelled bad and I gave him a quick shower. That was 2 weeks ago. Because his condition, the pigeon's droppings stick to its plumage, how often should i give it a shower? how much corn pellets and water milliliters should I give him? I don't have a heating pad, but I can move it close to the window, so he can get some sun light. I don't have much time to spend with the pigeon because I work 7 days a week, but I try to hand feed him at least three times and stroke his head, they like that.

Thanks


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Vitamin D3 is helpful with nerve problems, too.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Just saw your post -- when you say it smelled bad, was it from the droppings? Or does the mouth/nose smell bad? Does it still have an odor?

Bathing can be stressful for a sick bird -- so I would limit it -- clean off the droppings with a wet washcloth, rather than getting the whole bird wet. 

If you can find oyster shell calcium with vitamin D added at the drugstore, it is okay to use that for birds. I found pills with 600 mgs of calcium, and 125 IU of vitamin D -- I cut those pills up into 4 pieces and give one piece a day when a bird is sick. I've also given one or two days of higher doses of vitamin D (400 IU capsules) -- that seemed to help a lot with one of my hens, recently. 

If you can find a good multivitamin for birds (generally it is added into the water) that can be a big help. 

As for feeding and watering, it depends on the bird. Will it drink on its own? If so, then let it determine how much it needs.... birds with PMV often need extra water, more than most pigeons. When feeding, feel the area in the front of the chest (the crop) -- you should be able to feel the food in there -- you'll feel it fill up as you feed it more. You want the crop to feel a little firm, but still squishy, when you stop feeding -- a bit like the texture of a marshmallow.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You said the pigeon smelled bad...do the droppings smell bad now ? The pigeon may have a bacterial infection which could also explain the symptoms.

D3 = 1000 IU/ kg or 1 IU for every gram of weight.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Thanks for the D3 dosing info!


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## pigeon rescue (Oct 31, 2012)

*hi guys!*

@ minimonkey, it is the droppings, but that was at first. It is kinda dirty, so I was thinking about giving it a shower. The droppings are not watery, they are more dry than normal, I try to give it 6 mililiters of water a day, but I think that it needs more. It can't drink by itself. When I hand feed it, I check its chest and try not to give it too much, last time its bed was wet. It threw up all the water I gave it. 
@Charis, I have pills of Ca as calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, and calcium malate 600 mg and D3 as cholecalciferol 350 IU combined. Are those pills ok? How much a normal pigeon weights? should cut the pills in 4 or 8?
Thank you guys.
By the way It is better like 10%, and I talk to it all the time to see if I can hel it with the stress, maybe it works too.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Do the droppings still have a smell? Charis is right that bacterial infections can cause similar symptoms to PMV, and that smelly droppings can indicate a bacterial infection. 

It needs quite a bit more than 6 ml of water a day, if it is getting solid food (not formula, which is watery.) I think an average pigeon of 400 grams drinks about 45 mls of water a day, on average ... yours probably weighs a bit less -- but birds who are ill often need more water than normal (particularly if this is PMV)

Are you sure that the bird threw up the water, or could it have passed through the body? I ask, because PMV birds often pass droppings that are a small amount of fecal matter and a LOT of clear fluid (urine). That's one of the symptoms of PMV.

Most adult ferals weigh about 300 to 400 grams, on average. If your bird is very thin, it may weigh less.


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## pigeon rescue (Oct 31, 2012)

*Some Change*

I haven't written anything cause There hasn't been any news. However, I already gave it some water mixed with Calcium and Vit D. The droppings don't smell bad, I think that it was the plumage. When the bed got wet, it was the day I gave it so much water, never happened again. I will keep you all posted if something new happens. Thank you all for your interest.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Good luck with this bird -- PMV birds often do recover fully, or at least most of the way, and tend to make wonderful pets -- many of us have recovered PMV pigeons.

Keep us posted, please -- we like to know how these things turn out!


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## pigeon rescue (Oct 31, 2012)

*Don't know what to do!*

Hi guys, It's been a few week since i found the pigeon. I have to say that its health is not getting better. It eats some corn pellets but I still have to give it water. It look like if it were hibernating. doesn't stay in an up right position, it is always on the floor. Looks like if its head had extra weight, can't hold it. every time I hold it, its body starts to shake and it is loosing weight. At first, I gave it some Calcium and Vit D, but the droppings started to smell bad. So, I stopped giving it that. It also has those long, brown insects that live on the plumage. I feel like it is dying slowly. Any advise?
Thank you.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

You'll need to hand feed this bird, since it is losing weight. It might die of starvation otherwise -- it isn't eating enough by itself. You can feed the bird defrosted corn and peas, one at a time, by gently opening the beak and placing the food inside. If the bird is swallowing on its own, it should swallow them easily. It needs multiple feedings a day ... generally about 40 peas per feeding. Defrosted peas and corn have a lot of moisture, which will help keep it hydrated, too. 

What do the droppings look like now??? The bird may not have PMV -- it may have a bacterial infection that has gone into the central nervous system, since you have mentioned smelly droppings a couple of times. I've seen this happen, and it can look a lot like PMV, but it requires antibiotics. 

Please, give us as many details as you can about droppings, breathing, how the bird smells, etc, and post a picture of the bird and the droppings, if you can. 

I do think this bird can recover, but it is going to need a lot of help to get there. 

Are you keeping the bird warm? It really needs to be on a heating pad, set on low -- cover the heating pad with a towel or soft cloth, and put the bird on that. 

The long, brown insects are probably pigeon flies -- do they look a bit like wiggly house files, but uglier? Whatever the insects are, you can get rid of them by using a pyrethrin based spray for birds... I use one called Scalex, and it is quite effective. Ultra care for birds is also good. 

Cover the bird's head when you spray it, so it doesn't get in the eyes or near the nose/mouth. Pigeon flies are nasty, and they carry diseases (to birds, not humans) so you need to get rid of those asap -- in addition to spraying, you can pick the flies off by hand and crush them thoroughly with a hard object -- they have a hard exoskeleton, so they are actually pretty hard to crush.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

pigeon rescue said:


> Hi guys, It's been a few week since i found the pigeon. I have to say that its health is not getting better. It eats some corn pellets but I still have to give it water. It look like if it were hibernating. doesn't stay in an up right position, it is always on the floor. Looks like if its head had extra weight, can't hold it. every time I hold it, its body starts to shake and it is loosing weight. At first, I gave it some Calcium and Vit D, but the droppings started to smell bad. So, I stopped giving it that. It also has those long, brown insects that live on the plumage. I feel like it is dying slowly. Any advise?
> Thank you.


One of the characteristics of PMV tends to be that the bird is active and attempts 'normal' pigeon behavior. If this bird is pretty much immobile, it is quite possible that it has Paratyphoid.

The brown insects can be eliminated by dusting or spraying with an appropriate insecticide. I believe some folks in the US use Sevin Dust, though I expect the online pigeon supply stores have a range of purpose-made powders or sprays.

As regards the illness, at this stage antibiotics could be given. Baytril (enrofloxacin) is recommended, though a trim/sulfa drug could be used.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

John, I was thinking paratyphoid, too -- it's really sounding that way. This sounds very, very much like a paratyphoid rescue I have, who responded quite well to Baytril. 
(He's the one I posted about a few weeks ago .) He has residual CNS symptoms, but he recovered amazingly well.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Almost any US pet store will have lice/mite spray for birds, if they carry bird products at all.

I prefer sprays to dust, myself.


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