# Colombo clip splinting



## London Pigeon (Apr 20, 2011)

Hi
I found a starving pigeon with no tail feathers and broken leg. No idea how long leg was broken for... He's rehydrated and alert, and was eating seeds today. So as to try and make him releasable in the future I put on a colombo clip I had, after trimming it down as it was too big. However, he won't sit in a donut shaped towel. If he is wearing the clip but with his bad leg underneath him, is that going to cause more damage? I thought it was worth trying but don't want to make him worse. Thanks a lot.


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi LP, welcome back.

I'm sorry I haven't any idea how you use a Columbo Clip but was wondering if you'd tried to hang pidgie in a harness so his leg hangs free underneath.
I have to be honest I have a plastic harness but only ever tried to secure a pigeon in it once and found it a bit complicated.
I have seen pictures of harnesses that people have rigged up themselves and the pigeon always seems quite comfortable.
It would be a case of securing it in such a way that it can reach a bowl of seeds and water placed in front of it and obviously it's clear at the 'other end' to poop without it getting soiled.
Maybe a case of trial and error but worth a try.
I'm not experienced enough with fractures so can't answer your question about the leg being under the bird.
Hopefully someone else might be able to comment on that front.
Do keep us posted and we'll try and advise more.

Janet


----------



## London Pigeon (Apr 20, 2011)

I guess it's a question on splinting in general, does it require the pigeon to be in a set and still position to work? If sat down with leg underneath and behind will it do more damage? This is a colombo clip: http://bit.ly/wLn2vh


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Do you happen to know where the actual break is in the leg?

If the break is in the lower section of the leg then I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem if it were tucked in a sitting position. However if the break is more like at the thigh then if set like that it might have a problem straightening the leg out when healed.
Let me send a PM to a more experienced re-habber and get their opinion.

Janet


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Are you sure the leg is broken? The leg really should be set by a vet. If it is set incorrectly, it will heal wrong.Hanging the bird is a better option. Some have actually used a banana tree, like you would hang a bunch of bananas on. Or he could even be suspended in a little hammock from the top of his cage. There are many ways of doing this in a way where your bird could be comfortable. Here are 2 examples.


----------



## London Pigeon (Apr 20, 2011)

No, not sure where the break is, just that it buckles if he tries to use it, so thought this clip might support the whole leg. No pigeon friendly vets listed nearby but may ring some tomorrow to see.


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi LP,
I can't remember which part of London you're in so sorry if I've mentioned this before. There is a good avian vet near Kingston as I know of a member here who takes lots of pigeons to him. Let me know if you're anywhere in that vicinity and I'll get the address.

Thanks for the pictures Jay3, they're brilliant. Love the look on those pigeons faces. 

Good luck LP and keep us posted

Janet


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I aren't my pics. I saved them from other members in case someone needed to see how it was done. They are cute though, aren't they?


----------



## London Pigeon (Apr 20, 2011)

Just to update you, last night he had somehow wriggled out of the Colombo clip! Now I'm worried it's caused more damage. However, he has tonight decided that a donut shaped fleece is comfortable and is happily sitting in it! I'm tempted to try the splint again now as I heard bones set in 36-48 hours and I do want him to be releasable again. But perhaps I'd better not. I'm in north London by the way - but he'll be going to pigeon recovery later in the week


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,
It's amazing how they manage to wriggle out of strappings etc.
If he's looking comfortable then it maybe worth just one more try with the clip.

I know of Pigeon Recovery, have you taken a pigeon there before?

Janet


----------



## London Pigeon (Apr 20, 2011)

Just looked again and lo and behold out of the donut ring, back on the box floor! 
Pigeon recovery took one with PMV from me last week and two fledglings last year. 
This one came from near work so I would have liked to have got him better and returned him to his mates. I don't want to do more damage though, and PR said they can splint it, was just worried about the timing, if it's true that they set so quickly? I shall miss this one a lot and he's only been here since Friday, he has put on weight though!


----------



## London Pigeon (Apr 20, 2011)

BTW, thanks Jay3 for the pictures. But looks a bit complicated for me


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It's really fairly easy to set up. A hammock sort of with cut outs for his legs. It's going to be too late for PR to set his leg. What do they do with a bird that they deem unreleasable? How well would the leg have to be for them to release him?


----------



## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Sometimes injured birds just wont do whats best for them.
They always seem to want to sit/stand in the corner of their box lol.
You could try a slightly smaller box so he has less room to move, or even put something in the box to limit his movement.
What Ive done in the past is used the plastic ring you get with large cheesecakes, wrapped it around with a soft towel then just covered with another towel pushed down in the middle to form the donut. This gives it a more rigid side and a soft bottom so it supports the bird a bit more but the bird usually finds it comfy. It also gives the bird the feeling of being slightly higher up than the floor, so when it needs to, it just stands up & poops over the side.
They really can be determined at times lol


----------



## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

First off...no tailfeathers and injured leg...possible predator attack. *Get and begin antibiotics IMMMEDIATELY.* Amoxycillin, Clavamox, Baytril/Cipro, Ceclor, Augmentin, Cephalexin, Trimeth Sulpha....human or pet grade...get some NOW. You need to begin in the next 12-24 hours.

I think that the best thing is a vet visit. Orthopedic injury, best determined by an Avian vet if it can be properly aligned again.

IF impossible, then I think the *colombo clip is OK, but you will need to wrap the leg INSIDE the clip (gauze) then tape the clip outside to keep it on.* This so there is no "play" on the inside where your pal can slide it off. And the outside tape minimizes any beak tampering.

If you can just *orient the leg into as 'normal' a position as you can, then splint*...even if the bones are misaligned, scar tissue will for around the area and 'bind' the limb together again. So it will have some structural integrity and may allow for a rehab and release.
(I had a sweetie once, a ginger bar Feral, who was found by a woman in the SF Tenderloin and had a break which was at least a couple of weeks old. The soft tissue had contracted such that the broken legbone, now in 2 pieces, had 'slipped' so as to become 2 pieces parallel and touching each other; with little hope of re-aligning the legbone. So my Avian vet just reoriented the toes forward, secured teh two bone struts together, then splinted and wrapped and medicated her. 
In fact, scar tissue grew in and stabilized the leg (now a tad shorter than the other). I kept her for 2-1/2 more weeks once the splint was removed to see how well she could use the leg. She did really, really well on it...slight limp but eventually could land and take off no problem, and she was released back to her old Feral pals).

Concurrently, *give the Pigeon antibiotic* Amoxycillin, Clavamox, or Augmentin (Baytril or Trimeth Sulpha would be second choices) to keep any bone or soft-tissue infection from developing. Then if you can get hold of any *painkiller/anti-inflammatory* such as Medacam/Meloxicam (distant second choice would be children's liquid Ibuprophen) just to ease any pain a bit for the first week.

A third med would be a supplement....Neocalglucon...also called Calcium Glubionate or Calciquid...which is a *calcium supplement* which speeds bone healing. Great stuff.

Keep it splinted for at least 15 days, keep the Pigeon medicated such. After 15 days or more, take it off (I usually do 18-21 days ~ the one time I did 16 days, I really regretted it ~ as the Pigeon developed another bone infection once released - fortunately, I was able to re-secure my friend). Keep your buddy for another 2 weeks to see how he/she progresses in using it.

To answer your above question, oftentimes the pigeon will sit or lie with the splinted leg pointing backwards towards the tail (so the "hip" joint is fully extended). This looks really uncomfortable, but apparently there are no ill effects from it. You can pick him/her up and just gently manipulate the leg into a 'normal' position and even try to get the Pigeon to 'stand' on it. Oftentimes after a few days they can actually start walking 'pegleg'. So the 'swing' isn't mandatory...they can deal with the splint on flat surfaces, even though it looks awkward and might make 'em tip.

Remember...this method (i.e. no vet exam) still runs risks. If for example there is a loose bone fragment, or the break or fracture is jagged, or there is significant soft tissue or nerve damage...even if the limb binds decently, using it may still cause pain and compromise the Pigeon enough where a release would be a death sentence. So you would need to place him/her in a loft or aviary, or keep as your companion bird.


----------

