# pigeon not able to stand



## pigeongirl06 (Mar 22, 2006)

i dont know if anyone has had this problem with their pigeons. one of my show homers is not standing on its legs like its suppose to,but it sits on its legs in the cage.it seems like the legs dont have enough muscles or something.im giving it aureomycin sulmet right now and hoping it will help.some pigeon fanciers told me that it might be paratyphoid,how do i know thats for sure.it doesnt eat by itself either.its a really nice bird and i dont want to lose it.can anyone help?

my brother has a priest that twist its head almost all the way around and turns its head side ways.it crashes head first when its landing on the ground.is this paratyphoid also?is it curable?or should i just kill it?


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

You might think about a vet, you know.

Pigeons can get weakness of the legs for a variety of reasons. The sciatic nerve travels through the kidneys and swelling of the kidneys will cause lameness in both legs. There's a bunch of possibilities there including PMV like the other bird that twists its head around probably has.

Pidgey


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Don't kill it. Either of them.
If it is paratyphoid (only a test at the vets will tell for sure) it is curable with Baytril or Cipro.
Did you keep the two birds together or were they living sperate?
Please separate both birds from eachother and any other birds you might have. 
You can keep them in cages , carries or boxes. They would need a heat source and be started on antibiotics right away.
Best would be to take them to a vet to have a diagnosis on them.
They could also have PMV (paramyxovirus), which cannot be treated with antibiotics as it is a viral disease, but supportive care helps them fight the acute phase and many recover.
Make sure they drink, eat and get their probiotics.

Reti


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Read this one:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=12248

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Another thing you might consider is getting all the rest of the asymptomatic birds (ones that seem just fine) vaccinated for PMV right now and I mean ASAP. Because if it is PMV, you could end up with an entire loft full of birds that require help with feeding and drinking for the next several weeks. That is simply no fun whatsoever.

Pidgey


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Pigeongirl,

You really do need to take one of the sick birds to the vet and get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for whatever the problem is. If it is PMV or paratyphoid, all your birds could become infected. I know that some pigeon fanciers would opt for just killing a sick or injured bird rather than trying to cure it, but killing the bird is not an option that should even be considered or posted about here on Pigeon-Talk. Let's concentrate on finding out what is wrong and taking corrective action instead.

Terry


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Where do you live? Perhaps we can help you locate a rehabber or know of a good avian vet.

Pigeons are created by God, as is every other living thing. They are capable of thinking and feeling pain. Therefore you should seek help.

Please seperate all the birds that show any symptoms, and isolate and provide food, water & warmth, as well as comfort. They need 24/7 intensive care as well as an avian vet or rehabber.


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## pigeongirl06 (Mar 22, 2006)

i live in st.paul,minnesota.i dont like to kill my birds because i raised them from babies and i know they have a life. i dont want to take their life away.i have pmv all my birds already, but the priest pigeon is my brothers and we didnt pmv all of his birds.i have to get the pmv and will do it this weekend. how much is it to take them to a avian vet.for the show homer, i have it in a cage with a heat lamp,im giving it some black ideal pills from foy's, and auremycin sulmet. it cant stand up so i have to feed it myself everyday.

today i looked at the vent and poop was stucked to the feather,blocking the poop from coming out.so i had to cut the feathers around the vent so that when it poops it doesnt get stuck to the feathers.its got some smelly, green, watery poop.eww. 

any meds that i could give to help it?


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Go read this one:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=10686

It's long, I know, but it tells about this kind of problem. I hope that your bird doesn't have that particular problem but it's something that you have to consider. Is your bird male or female?

Pidgey


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## pigeongirl06 (Mar 22, 2006)

it is a male show homer, about two weeks ago it was starting to mate but all of a sudden it just became less active and sat on the perch all day.it is really weak right now and looks tired.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

pigeongirl06 said:


> *i dont know if anyone has had this problem with their pigeons. one of my show homers is not standing on its legs like its suppose to,but it sits on its legs in the cage*.
> 
> it seems like the legs dont have enough muscles or something.im giving it aureomycin sulmet right now and hoping it will help.some pigeon fanciers told me that it might be paratyphoid,how do i know thats for sure.it doesnt eat by itself either.its a really nice bird and i dont want to lose it.can anyone help?
> 
> my brother has a priest that twist its head almost all the way around and turns its head side ways.it crashes head first when its landing on the ground.is this paratyphoid also?is it curable?or should i just kill it?


Hello Pigeongirl,
A year ago, a friend rescued the pigeon in the picture below, from her yard. He was experiencing some PMV symptoms. He *had been* standing & walking. Then all of a sudden she found him 'sitting'. He never stood or walked again.

He could eat fine as long as seeds were in a deep dish. He was provided a 'sling', which he utilized during the day, so he wasn't sitting in his droppings. He got along quite well. He was an absolute love.  

Does this pij resemble the 'sitting' position you're talking about?

Cindy


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## pigeongirl06 (Mar 22, 2006)

no it doesnt look like that one.its more like when their sitting on eggs, like on its tummy.

should i give it solid food or should i give it osme kaytee baby formula?if i can give it the kaytee formula can i use the aureomycin as the liquid to mix with it?


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## pigeongirl06 (Mar 22, 2006)

acouple of months ago, i ran by a page that helped look for avian vets in mnk, but i didnt think i needed it so i didnt save it. does anyone know how to find one in the area?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*How To Locate An Avian Vet ..*

http://www.aav.org/vet-lookup/

Terry


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## battler (Sep 4, 2005)

I don't know about you, but most of my rollers perform better when they are sick, but I only tried it once before a mysterious illness killed them all...


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

What on earth do you mean by that?

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

pigeongirl06 said:


> its got some smelly, green, watery poop.eww.
> 
> any meds that i could give to help it?


pigeongirl06,

You're asking us to make a diagnosis about a pigeon that could have, quite simply, too many different things. It's likely that there's swelling of the kidneys (nephritis) to induce the paralysis. That can be caused by Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, Yersinia, Proteus, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Morganella, Serratia, Pasteurella and Mycobacterium spp. to name a few and that doesn't even include the viruses that might do it. Heaven only knows which medication you need.

Poor bird needs a vet.

Pidgey


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## pigeongirl06 (Mar 22, 2006)

yes, i know that it might seem like im asking you guys to much.but i thought maybe you all are experience pigeon raisers and you might have ran across soemthing like this.but its ok.i know that all these diseases have the same symptom and stuff but ive never taken it to the vet before and i dont know how much it will cost.but oh well, i will see what i can do for it.thanks all for the reply.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*My Opinion!*

I have decided to post some things that have been "simmering" for quite awhile.

Whenever anyone decides to have a pet, that person takes on a *RESPONSIBILITY* to the animal's welfare. Knowing that pet's needs can be done by researching first so you know what you're getting into. 

EVERY pet owner, imo, should have a Vet or rehabber who is competent and can be a lifeline in an emergency. I realize, also, that people acquire animals through accidents, etc. Suddenly, they want to help. This forum is designed for them and also all other bird owners. Many times this forum, through its informed members, have saved many lives. BUT, there is only so much the forum can do.

I realize, that for many (most?), money can be a problem. In that case, perhabs, before getting a pet(s), one should reconsider until times are better.

Meanwhile, if, for some reason, a Vet or rehabber in not available for the "accident" victims, I know the forum will do everything possible to find a home or care center. 

*This post, however, was not geared to "rescues," but to those who decide to have birds (or other animals) because....(name your reason).*

Thanks for reading...

Battler: YOUR post really needs some explaining!


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Feeling... uhh... better now, Squeakers?

I tend to give the benefit of the doubt because I know how hard it is to know what it is that you do not know. In my early days of rescueing and rehabbing pigeons, I had a lot of failures. Most times, it was probably because of what I didn't know and some had to die before I decided to get serious with my own lab and proper vet utilization. They don't always live because you take them to a vet and they don't always die because you didn't. 

Winter (Ruptured Oviduct: A Case History) is a prime example of working a problem with no experience (with that particular problem) and, thankfully, eventually muddling through between me and three (3) different vets. There was over $100 spent on the first two visits and the two follow-ups (two surgeries) together went over that as well. 

It is a testament to the strength and will of pigeons that she survived. It was clear that she wasn't going to make it as things were going and I simply could not, would not allow that to happen. In order to proceed, I had to doubt and disregard the diagnoses of the first two vet visits and that's a far harder thing to do than you might think. Most people aren't prepared to do that, emotionally and psychologically. And resources, both real and psychological, are so variable within us all.

I think this person is genuinely worried about the bird but was hoping, perhaps naively, that the world of medicine with respect to pigeons was a lot simpler. The idea that they can experience the bulk of diseases that we do is a sobering thought.

Pidgey


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

pigeongirl06 said:


> *yes, i know that it might seem like im asking you guys to much.*
> 
> but i thought maybe you all are experience pigeon raisers and you might have ran across soemthing like this.but its ok.i know that all these diseases have the same symptom and stuff but ive never taken it to the vet before and i dont know how much it will cost.but oh well, i will see what i can do for it.thanks all for the reply.


I don't think it's possible to ask 'to much' pigeongirl.  
If we don't ask questions, we don't learn. 

Cindy


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## re92346mos (Jul 21, 2005)

Sounds like Paratyphoid to me.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Yeah, that's one of the ~20 different things it could be. You might try Baytril for a couple of weeks if that's the only thing that's going to get done for the bird. I'd certainly feed him if he hasn't been eating for several days.

Pidgey


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## pigeongirl06 (Mar 22, 2006)

i am sadden to say that it has past away.i went to school and came home to check on it and had an appointment to take it to an avian vet,but it didnt make it.i will never find out what the problem is.but will learn from this mistake.thanks all for the help.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm sorry the bird passed away. You could consider having a necropsy done on the bird in the hope that the illness could be identified and the other birds then treated.

Terry


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

pigeongirl06 said:


> *i am sadden to say that it has past away*.


I'm sorry.

Cindy


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I'm sorry this pigeon suffered so much and has passed. Thank you for trying to do what you could.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I'm sorry, too, but that was pretty fast. There are a few things that can cause that with that speed so you really should get a necropsy from the vet because the few that it can be are contagious.

Pidgey


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## pigeongirl06 (Mar 22, 2006)

i think it had been sick for a week, but i didnt notice it as a sickness.i just thought it was tired or it was normal.but its ok.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

I'm sorry to hear about your pigeon and glad that you have found an avian vet in your area.

fp


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