# injured wood pigeon plus worms now :/



## pigeonlover2k11 (Jul 6, 2011)

Hello
a week ago i rescued a wood pigeon who couldnt fly because of a serious injury under its right wing. theres a hole in the bone and it looks like something bit it deep into its side :/ i cut all the feathers that were clumped and then gently washed all the dried blood with warm water. wow..again...the wound is pretty serious. like, theres literally a HOLE in the bone! sorry, im just really freaked about this anyway, so i put sudocream on the wound every morning and evening and its slowly healing. now this morning i realised that the pigeon has worms! i only saw one in the poop but i dont know how to cure them :/ any advice on the wound and worms?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

For the worms you need a wormer, Harkers produce pigeon wormers but if they are tapeworms (these would look like motile grains of rice) then you need something stronger.

You really want a vet or someone experienced to look at the wound, at the very least he needs antibiotics such as synulox. It could be a shot wound. Wounds in birds need to be debrided daily to allow them to heal from the inside out.

Thus is a link to Irish Wildlife Matters, which gives contact information for vets and rehabbers. http://www.irishwildlifematters.ie/animals/contacts.html


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## pigeonlover2k11 (Jul 6, 2011)

thank you feefo yes they are tapeworms but i only saw that one and now that i checked the next poop seemed normal and not 'alive'


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The problem is that the tapeworm is still alive and well and inside the pigeon. 

What you saw were the egg cases, they look as if they are alive as they move away from the poop when shed, then stop moving and appear to be dead. But they are just eggs entering the next stage of evolution. The tapeworm head or scolex is still attached to the woodie's intestine.


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## pigeonlover2k11 (Jul 6, 2011)

oh my god now im definately freaked how do i treat them though!?!?!? and what about the wound? :/


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The wound really needs to be examined by a vet who can prescribe antibiotics. I wouls also use F10 antibacterial barrier cream on it.

I think I have a wormer that treats tapeworm, as far as I remember it is a one tablet treatment. I can send that if you pm me an address I can send it to.


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## pigeonlover2k11 (Jul 6, 2011)

hello. i sent you my address in pm. i am planning to bring the pigeon to a vet today but im worried about a few things before taking it there. i think that in Ireland you cant keep wild birds and animals so what if the vet takes the pigeon off me?  there isnt any avian vets around in my area and i dont want them to euthanize the poor pigeon 
anyway, thanks for the advice again 
looking forward for any replies


p.s the pigeon who me and a friend have named Lucky is doing very well apart from the wound of course. I mean, it can fly well enough because both wings are fine its just the side:/ it eats like a mad thing mostly peas and peanuts and if i try to give it some other wild bird seeds Lucky just doesnt eat at all. spoilt rotten s/he is already


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## pigeonlover2k11 (Jul 6, 2011)

i know theres no replies yet but i went to the vet and he just told me to let the side heal which will take some time because theres a hole in the bone and gave me some vitamins for Lucky. he didnt have any antibiotics for birds(thats what he told me).


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