# Pigeon with pmv



## Thepigeonboy (Aug 29, 2011)

Hello guys, 
Recently I encounter myself with a white pigeon or dove that wasn't flying and took her home since I knew she would be easy prey and I'm not a a person who would ignore a animal in need.. I'm assuming shes a her.. I lay her down in a box with a towel.. I also did research and it looks like she has pmv because her neck is twisted and walking backwards with her head in the ground and she poops a really dark green color in the middle with a pool of water around it.. How can I help her?? What to feed her?? And other helpful suggestions.. Your advice is really appreciated..
Please help..


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

What you say does fit PMV, specially if she is still active even with her neack twisted. Birds with Paratyphoid may sometimes have twisted neck but are usually not active. A small dropping in a pool of water is also consistent.

First, check here for quite a bit on PMV, including further symptoms

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f95/pigeon-paramyxovirus-aka-pmv-ppmv-pmv1-pigeon-12250.html

(Not only symptoms, but care of PMV pigeons also)


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I would also actually start the Pigeon on antibiotic in case it is Paratyphoid. If it is, you will see some improvement after about a week or so. If it isn't, and it's pmv, the antibiotic will not hurt then Pigeon.

The third possibility is trauma from an impact injury (collision)..which can cause such neurological symptoms as well; but which may clear up given time.

Big question is...can the Pigeon eat by herself/himself ? If not, you will need to handfeed or she may starve and dehydrate to death.

Thank you for saving your pal. Pigeons can pull through either of these, you just need to take care of them properly for several weeks.


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## Thepigeonboy (Aug 29, 2011)

First of all I what to say thank you to jaye and john your replies they have been very helpful. The pigeon seems to slightly be doing better now. Hopefully in the end I save this beautiful pigeon or doves life.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

If there really is a difference in behaviour, then it may well have been an impact injury.

Thanks for the thanks...but keep coming back.

Is he eating on his own ? You need to be certain of this because oftentimes a neurologically compromised bird will just fling food, and it looks like they are eating when they are not. In which case, again, the only way he is gonna eat is if you handfeed, so you need to know how to do that.

Please do pick up some antibiotic...Amoxycillin can be purchased online at jedds.com or foys.com if you cannot get a hold of any of the ones I mentioned in my previous post.

Again, you wanna cover as many bases as you can.


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## Thepigeonboy (Aug 29, 2011)

Yes the bird is slightly doing better her head is less in the ground than it was before. But, I still have to hand feed because her food is barely touch.. but she does drinks water on her own.. I don't have any of the antibiotics but I will purchased them through the websites you mention jaye and hopefully she gets much better


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Good news. 

Make sure you feed him/her several times a day. Are you feeding seed ? A bird in this condition needs a lot of food throughout the day.

If you can get some frozen or fresh peas, those are very easy to feed.

You put them in a bowl of hot tap water and let them defrost (eat a few to make sure the insides aren't frozen). Then let the peas cool to lukewarm (not hot, not cold). Hold the Pigeon in one arm or your lap, wrapped lightly in a towel with her head sticking out...and use the hand of that arm to gently pry open the beak. With the other hand, take a pea and 'pop' it into the BACK of her throat...and gently close the beak.

He/she should swallow. If she shakes her head, then it is blocking her windpipe and you need to gently open the mouth and pop the pea back out of the mouth. But usually they swallow quite easily.

Try giving about 15-20 peas per feeding 4 or 5 times a day...leave at least 2 hours apart between feedings. If you are not around all the time and cannot feed for 4 or 5 hours, this is OK as long as you get 4 feedings in a day....maybe one in the morning, one in the afternoon and two in the evening. After about 8PM, let him/her just rest until the next morning.

You are doing well so far....


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## Thepigeonboy (Aug 29, 2011)

Ooh ok thanks for the info.. I actually feed him 40+ of thaw corn or peas pops since the website posted by John said a healthy pigeon would eat this amount.. But one thing I wasn't doing was feeding him 4 times a day  I was just feeding her 3x a day. Now I know... But is there anything else I can feed her besides these two things or is there something else I can feed her??


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Actually, the way you are doing it is fine. 40+ is fine if she can take that many. But you should be waiting for the crop to empty before you feed her again. You may be feeding 2 or three times a day this way. And that's fine. I'm glad she is drinking on her own. Watch her to be sure she is still drinking and hasn't stopped. I would leave a very small crock of water with her, or give her water when you are there, as PMV pigeons are compromised, and can drown in a bowl of water. If you can feed her seeds, and she can eat them, then you could try that also, but for now, the peas and corn are fine. Please keep up as you are and let us know how it's going. You're doing a good job. And please remember to allow the crop to empty before feeding. You don't want to add food to old food that is already in the crop. You want to let it empty first. Hard to put a time schedule on it, as it could take 4 hours or 6 hours or whatever it takes. Good luck!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I agree....30-40 3x/day.... or 20-30 4x/day.... is gonna get you to the same place...

You are doing fine....as Jay3 says, just make sure the crop is empty before doing the next feeding.


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## Thepigeonboy (Aug 29, 2011)

Ok its good to know I'm doing just fine however since I don't really see any change so far since it hasn't even been a week yet.. But I will keep updating to let you guys know how she's doing... Thanks again


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Thanks for the news. All you are trying to do here is maintain a safe environment and provide sustenance for your pal until meds kick in (if a bacterial infection) or until the virus sheds itself (if pmv). Keep it up; let us know when the antibiotic gets there and we can tell you the proper dosages.


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## Thepigeonboy (Aug 29, 2011)

It really reallly sucks!!! This morning when I was going to feed her before goin to work she looked all sleepy and tired and in the end she ended up DYING on my hands I tried feeding her but she would just keep the food on her beak, she didn't even bother spitting it out or swallow it.. I DONT know wat went wrong I fed her properly, she was drinking water so I know she wasn't dehydrated.. wat went wrong?? I gave her antibiotics yesterday but it didn't look like it did much. I was really bonding with her too:'( there was nothing else I could of done. I buried her on my back yard as a memorial and gave her my blessing. If you think there's something I did wrong please let me know.. 


Alex


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I'm so sorry to hear that, Alex. Pigeons in that condition can be so frail..aand believe me, we here have all experienced this. You think things are going OK, then it just takes a very bad turn.

Hard to say what it might have been...maybe it was in fact an impact injury and there was something internal going on which could not be seen from the outside. Or perhaps the poor Pigeon had become too starved and dehydrated by the time you found him/her. This is also possible...there is a point of no return when it comes to dehydration and starvation.

In the least, Alex...you gave her a good friend, love, and a peaceful place to spend her last few days. And she knows this. Also, although I understand this might be of little comfort right now...you can rest assured she is in a far better place than this one, and is now at peace and doesn't have to struggle any longer. 

Lastly...I just want to alert you to one thing. Once you help one Pigeon...others will be crossing your path. The word gets out. This sounds silly...but almost everyone here would agree with it. It is a fascinating phenomenon, really. But you will have other opportunities and probably it won't be long, either.

Nice try, my friend. Chin up.


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## Thepigeonboy (Aug 29, 2011)

She's now in a better place and I'm happy for her hopefully next time things work out better in the end. And thank you Jaye for those words, and all your helpful replies.

Alex


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm so sorry you lost her. I know you tried your best. At least she's at peace now. Thanks for trying for her.


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