# So the smell was rotting wing



## BeanTree (Jul 4, 2007)

I am an idiot. 

I thought it was the smell of pigeon poop. my allergies are crazy and my olfactory is not what it normally is. 

I added a new pic. My phone camera is horrible with pictures.
http://www.axcessmypics.com/Beantree/jsps/blog

I am thinking this bird may need to be euthanized. 
I put a baby sock over her head, wrapped her tight and had a good look at the wing. I took tweezers and pulled off as much rotten flesh as possible. There is a good inch of humorus and radius exposed. There is absolutely no way that they skin near that joint will ever be able to grow that much. The rest of the wing was hanging by a tendon. SO I snipped that. 

I am going to call the post office this morning as soon as they open and see if I can get my box rather than wait until I get home at 8pm tonight. 

I literally could not sleep. I was up till 2 am with this bird and everytime she moves, I am awake. I feel awful. 

Someone please tell me what to do?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I'm so sorry to hear about the wing. This IS the bird that was shocked by electricity?

There are members here that have had amputation done to a wing, when necessary, the birds are just fine now.

Do you have any avian vets nearby, not sure if shipping is an option with this heat.


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## BeanTree (Jul 4, 2007)

No avian vets nearby. I am in a VERY rural area. I will be gone for over 10 hours today and I am just really sad for this bird. I cannot believe she made it through the night. 

I do not have another adult here to help me.

I wish I would have thought to cover her head before and I wish I would have known that it was ok to pluck feathers to see a wound. I did a search here last night and decided to give it a try. That is when I saw the extent of the damage and realized that decaying wing was the smell I was smelling. Not the trashcan with the rolled up paper full of droppings. Which I took out last night before discovering the real source of the problem.


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## wildlife-rehab (Jul 8, 2007)

oh dear this is horrible
i had a magpie not long ago brought to me with the same thing
when i got it to work we had to put it down.
if its a wild bird they can not live with only one wing,its easy prey for anything and is unfair on the bird.
but if you can get it to a vet and have it amputated you could keep it as a pet only.

i feel so sorry for you
 this is a horrible situation


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

I assume you've washed that wound w/a disinfectant and manually
debrided what you could. Those meds should be in today and you need to 
get that bird onto Metronidazole and Baytril combo asap. You can double the 
dose w/Baytril for 48 hours as a loading dose. Can you call the fancier and
ask the fancier who he brings his birds to when he needs veterinary help?
He must have a few aces up his sleeve. If he says that he never brings 
to a vet, ask him if he's ever taken off a wing? I know you are in the boonies,
but hopefully there is someone there in the area that is relied on in emergencies. Hang in there. Also, will someone be home when the meds
arrive that can start the bird on them when they do get there? OK, good luckBean Tree, hope this poor bird pulls through. Let's work on that and if you can't keep the bird we will figure something out for that scenario.

fp


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I didn't catch that there was an odor. Are you saying that entire wing was beginning to fall off from the humerus on down and that you've removed it? Specifically that the radius/ulna pairing along with the carpometacarpus section is now gone? As long as we don't have the same kind of thing going on tracking through the body, we might be okay. As to the bird's ability to go on living with just one wing, there are plenty on here who have. Go read this one:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=16607

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, after a talking with BeanTree on the phone, it's going a lot worse. It looks like gangrene is progressing through the affected wing and she had to cut the wing off at the carpometacarpus. The other foot is beginning to dry up, the toes are already dead and now the bird can't balance. The joint of the tibiotarsus to the tarsometatarsus on the really bad foot has stiffened up and the dieback is proceeding up the leg. We don't know how far up it will stop, nor do we know how far up it will stop on what we were hoping was the good foot and leg. As it currently is, it's looking like what we'd have left when all is said and done is a bird with one good wing and some stumps of the legs too short for the bird to be ambulatory.

It is with a very heavy heart that I recommend that this bird be put to sleep. I don't think I've done that before but this seems just too much to me.

Pidgey


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Pidgey said:


> Well, after a talking with BeanTree on the phone, it's going a lot worse. It looks like gangrene is progressing through the affected wing and she had to cut the wing off at the carpometacarpus. The other foot is beginning to dry up, the toes are already dead and now the bird can't balance. The joint of the tibiotarsus to the tarsometatarsus on the really bad foot has stiffened up and the dieback is proceeding up the leg. We don't know how far up it will stop, nor do we know how far up it will stop on what we were hoping was the good foot and leg. As it currently is, it's looking like what we'd have left when is said and done is a bird with one good wing and some stumps of the legs too short for the bird to be ambulatory.
> 
> It is with a very heavy heart that I recommend that this bird be put to sleep. I don't think I've done that before but this seems just too much to me.
> 
> Pidgey


That's very sad......but the birds life has to be considered before ANY of our emotions. Doesn't sound like a very good life to me and I have to agree with you. I know how bad you hate to recommend this, but I know that you wouldn't do that if you thought for one second there was any other way.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

I'm terribly sorry to hear this. I agree with Pidgey that under the circumstances euthanasia would be the best thing to do. It is always a difficult decision but quality of life has to be considered.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Pidgey, is there anything that can be done, would a vet be able to pull him through? 
Or are the wing and toes gone already?

Reti


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Perhaps the rotting in the wing could be stopped at the humerus, the rest is already lost. Feet just dry out because there's not enough meat there to really get a good rot going so we don't know how far up the real problem is on the really bad leg. The shriveling is already proceeding up the tibiotarsus out of sight in the feathers. Both of those injuries are on the same side. The previously good foot currently has all toes dried up and it's proceeding to dry up and wither going up the leg. Perhaps it could be stopped at the tibiotarsus, hard to say. There is a horrible smell about the bird that indicates possibly true gangrene (Clostridium) as well as a blackness on the wing flesh that's currently left.

I'm guessing that if all went well at a vet and with a bunch of Metronidazole, you might have the femur and humerus intact on the one side and the tibiotarsus on the other. I think it'd be a lifetime of being nest-bound unless enough of the tibiotarsus remained on the bad side to install prosthetic feet so that the bird could stand, balance and walk.

Pidgey


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Thanks for explaining it, Pidgey. Sounds horrible what this poor guy is going through.

Reti


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi BeanTree, 



Well, if the Pigeon can keep itself upright, or prospectively could once things are healed up...then I'd say let it have a chance.


I have wild-feral Pigeons in my outdoor flock who have no feet...of course all of these fly very well...and one of them has been managing well since I first met her in 1993 or '94.


And there are various one Winged Pigeons of course who live completely happy Lives with people, who do not have to fly for their survival...


So, if no feet, and only one Wing, well...if she can keep herself on her stubs and not be always falling over, then what-the-heck, she could manage just fine as a house-Bird...and be scampering about just fine.


Is this what we are looking sat then, no feet at all? Or just a loss of one foot?


Good luck..!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Hi Bean Tree, 

Not an idiot....a caring person who helped a bird in crisis out big time. What ever decision is made, I know it will be done w/caring, compassion and the
bird's best interest in mind.

fp


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

Wow Bean Tree, you have been very brave in dealing with an awful situation with no medical resources. I don't think I could've done what you did in trying to help the poor pigeon. I'm so sorry for what you've been going through. 
Sabina


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Bean Tree, I'm sure whatever you decide to do for the bird will be the right course. You have given this bird a chance for life which was so much more than would have happened had your family not stepped in.


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## BeanTree (Jul 4, 2007)

It is with a sad heart that I came home tonight. I took Abigail to the vet today. Ironically, this vet who I thought was a big oaf and dealt primarily with large animals, has pigeons as pets. 

He has always been a bit stand offish with my dogs and cats. Just very matter of fact. I know he has a thing for horses.

So when i took Abigail in to him today, I saw a side of the vet I have never seen. He picked her up, looked at her and began talking to her. He looked her over and agreed that euthanasia was the most humane way of helping this bird. As I sit here I am crying. That flock of pigeons is still in the front field as far as I know. I have to wonder if they are not waiting for her to join them. I am so sad...it is goign to be a long time before I can look at pigeons without a pang in my heart. 

I did not cry when the cat died, I normally dont. But this bird was so brave and tough. I have the outmost respect for the tenacity of that pigeon. I cannot imagine going through what that bird went through. I sincerely hope that she understands that I was just trying to help. 

Now I have to go and try to remove that stench from my bathroom. I thought with the bird being gone, it would leave. It is still in my bathroom. I have never smelled anything like that. Once I removed those feathers, it got really strong when the air hit the tissue. I keep smelling it when it is not there. It lingers with me. 

Thank you to everyone who helped. I truly believe that our thoughts words and actions are meaningless when things are going well. It is when we are faced with adversity and complex emotions that we find our true nature. This is especially true when it comes to helping those who cannot help themselves. And who can be more helpless than animals who are always at our complete mercy? So thank you. 

Fp, I have these meds here, you have my email, [email protected]. I will be happy to send them to the next person who may need them. Especially if they are on the east coast. I would like to pay this kindness forward. Lets hope the next bird that is helped finds a happier ending. 

Thank you so much.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Bean Tree, I am truly sorry for the heartache you had to go though with this little darling pigeon. I am glad he was found by you and you did everything to help him to get better. I know he appreciated it.
Thank you so much for everything you did for him.

Reti


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I couldn't read that with dry eyes. I've always been one to fight really hard for life but in this case it was looking like such a horrible prognosis. You certainly did all you could and far beyond what most would do. Bless you.

Pidgey


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Abigail was special. She fought so hard as did you and your helpers. I, like Pidgey, had tears reading of her. She's now free to soar the heavens like she used to and join her mate.

Bless you.

RIP, Abigail.

Feather hugs and tears


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

We all empathsize with what you went through, Bean Tree! We know you did all you could.

Because this is a pigeon site, along with the successes and laughter, we also brace ourselves for tears and heartbreak. I knew your pij was in a bad way because I have _never_ heard Pidgey even hint at euthanasia.

I join my fellow members in thanking you for all you did. I am also glad that you were able to see another side of your Vet. Having a compassionate Vet at such a time is truly a blessing!

Sending you LOVE, HUGS and COMFORTING THOUGHTS TO HELP...

Shi


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thank you for all you did, Bean Tree. I'm very sorry you/we/the bird did not have a happy outcome, but bless you for all you did. I know the pigeon knew you were trying to help. Sometimes, the greatest gift of love that we can give them is a painless death to end the suffering they have been going through. It is never easy, and I respect you and your vet greatly for providing the end of suffering for this bird.

Terry


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## Jazicat (Oct 31, 2005)

Thank you for caring so much for Abigail. lt is amazing how attached we can get to the ones we watch fight so hard. These losses are sometimes the hardest but it doesn't mean you didn't do a wonderful thing. You gave Abigail a chance and peace when the time came. Bless you for all you did!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I am so sorry to hear the outcome, but I am glad you were able to come to the decision with the help of a vet. Thank you for helping Abigail, she is now in total peace.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Beantree, thank you for trying. That is all any of us can do. I'm really, really sorry.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Just wanted to say that my heart goes out to you in your sorrow.
And thank you for comforting Abigiail in her final days. You did everything you could for her and I am sure she appreciated it.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Bean Tree, I'm very sorry for your pain and the need to put this pigeon down.
It's never an easy choice for folks who care about birds and animals, but when
the suffering is so great and the future options so limited, there is hardly a choice in the matter. You did the right thing to bring the bird to the vet for
evaluation and subsequent euthanizing. Thankyou for all that you did for this
bird in his/her crisis. 

fp


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## xxmoxiexx (Oct 2, 2006)

WOW! I am soooo sorry, poor Abigail. And i know Pidgey prides himself on helping pigeons that most vets or people would put to sleep. So i know it had to be pretty bad for him to say so. I agree, there has to be some quality of life, it can quickly turn selfish if we keep them alive when it is this bad. You are brave, Beantree, it would have been hard for any of us to do, and you are an outstanding person for putting your feelings aside for the comfort of Abigail. Just remember, without you it would of been a whole lot worse. She died with your love, and away from the jaws of predators and the solitude of nightfall.
Thanks so much...


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