# pigeon only drinking lots of water and not eating



## sunbirdy (Mar 24, 2016)

We caught one of our feral flock on Monday evening that was sitting puffed up, on the ground in a pool of "water". We have had it inside in a cage since then and under a infra red lamp. It tried to eat a bit the first night but since then all it does is drink a lot of water and doesn't eat. Then it just "poops" it all out in puddles of urine - and no solids.

We have tried to crop feed it twice (then it has some bits of fecal matter in the urine) and have given it some Meditrich meds, medistatin and some baytril. But when its crop is so fluid filled we cant do anything.

We don't know what disease is causing this or how best to treat it.

Any help??

thanks


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sounds like canker so will need to be treated for it. I like Metronidazole as it usually works well, but can make him vomit if given on an empty crop, so you need to feed first then give Metro. If you split the Meditrich in half, that will give you 50 mgs. You need to wait till the crop empties of water before you give him any food. So remove the water dish. The canker could be causing a blockage also. An adult pigeon would get about 50 mg once daily for 7 to 10 days, then reassess and see if he needs it longer. 

If you look way down the throat with a flashlight, do you see anything cheesy looking down there? If he is filling up the crop with water, then you need to remove the water dish and offer it to him several times a day, but don't let him fill up on it. Be careful in handling him as the water can come back up and aspirate him. 

What do you have to crop feed him?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You also have 2 posts going so it will get complicated. Can you delete one of them?


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## sunbirdy (Mar 24, 2016)

We did see something white at the back of its throat, and so started him on 50mg Meditrich 2 days ago.

We cropfeed it handrear food with a tube and syringe (Monati - may be a local brand).

It did vomit that up yesterday.

We also gave half a 4 in 1 this am as it weighs under 300g

I did see it eat some seed later this morning and I think.. but will need to keep an eye - that it may be drinking less water today and also less "puddles" on the newspaper in the cage.

The 2 posts are about 2 separate birds.

We actually have 3 in sick bay: 2 since Monday and one for the last 2-3 weeks that we have been crop feeding as it has the uncoordinated PMV or parathyphoid symptoms.

and then today I saw that the male of one of our special 2 pairs is puffed up and not well. So now 4! I have run out of cages and so he is temporarily under a washbasket since this morning!

They seem to have different poop and symptoms so not sure if this is 3 or 4 different things.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I would just treat for canker and see how he does. 50 mgs once daily for the 10 days.


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## sunbirdy (Mar 24, 2016)

ok thanks Jay3

Sadly our special male Whiteflight (4th bird) died overnight. He was breathing very laboured when I caught him yesterday, and though he looked more peaceful in the early hours of the morning, he had died after that. 

He has lived here with Pepper for about 4 years in one of 2 boxes .... and now she is likely to lose her box as 2 other males of pairs here are trying to oust her. Amazing how they just know so quickly that the male protector/defender of a box has gone.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, it is amazing isn't it? Too bad too. Poor thing.


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