# Advice needed please



## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Hi, I am in New Zealand and I have a ringnecked dove that was found on the ground. I suspect hit by a car. The bird has lost its left eye and there is encrusted blood hanging out from the eye. I have been gently trying to get rid of this encrusted blood using a saline solution. It also has a injured beak, top and bottom beak slightly crossed over. It is preening itself with its beak but it is not picking up seed. I am feeding the bird a young bird food mix with breadcrumbs, bit of seed and cooking egg yolk and it is eating a little.
Will this beak correct itself in time? 

Any other help would be much appreciated. Thank you.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

You sound like you are doing very good with him or her and just make sure it is in a secure place--a laundry with a heavy lid and make sure it is warm and well hydrated and if its eyes get blinking a whole lot that means it needs so fluid. At night if it is cold there and the bird is not fully feathered which I think it probley is but one never knows get a heating or a hot water bottle or a heat lamp off to the side to keep the bird warm and it is best to feed this bird when it is warm and you might have to feed this little one by hand----gently because of its beak---you need to post a picture of the dove if you can especially the eye and mouth area so that the rehabilitaion people can see the overall bird judging its age and general situation of this unfortunate little one--but make sure it is in a secure place inside your home so that it stays warm..Since it is eating some seed you could try frozen peas and corn in its mouth but go easy with this because of the mouth condition--try to mix those breadcrumbs with some water and make some balls out of them even if you have to hold it together with egg. People must see the beak and I to tell you if it will be okay and just be really gentle with the beak area and I am sure the bird professionals will come on this post to help you--post a picture if you can for that would be very helpful......c.hert


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Thanks for your reply. It is in a secure place with a heatpad under it. I have tried peas and corn but not interested and will only eat or drink if I put the food/water on a tiny paintbrush and brush it against its beak. 
Will try to put up a photo.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

You are doing wonderful do you have a vet in the area to look at that eye for seems very bad and the bird will need some antibiotics--I believe the beak will readjust itself but for now make sure it is hydrated even if you have to very gently hold the side of the beak make it open and drop some water in --small spoond---eye dropper gently --I would try to dip the bird beak into a bowl of water and it should suck it up --hope so--if not you are going to have to hydrate it..c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Do you have other animals in the house hold or something that would bother it in case it took flight for it could get hurt more---get a box with a lid or a laundry basket with a lid or a dog carried or cage something to confine it for safety until this is worked out...Do you have a vet near by or a rehab center for birds--whatever you call them there --wildlife sanctuary...But you must make sure they will not put this bird down and don't let them because the bird can be helped and rehabilitated--this is important--if they suggest it say no because it is a pet bird....c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

What kind of antibiotics do you have on hand??? c.hert


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

The bird was sent to me from a vet (I do bird rescue for my area). Vet did not administer antiobiotic but gave it a pain killer. I have gently put the beak into water and it is drinking a little but I am making its food very watery and sloppy also. Great about the beak readjusting itself.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Is the bird secure away from house animals and other things and you are keeping it warm this is good and sloppy food is good for awhile and I am so glad that you are a rescuer yourself for thats why you know what to do and there will be other rescue people on this thread that will give you advice about medicine..Can you take a picture of the side of the head with the eye injury---that would be great....c.hert


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

The area around the eye does not look inflamed or infected ... it is just dried blood that has oozed out of the eye that looks so awful. It is diminishing though with very gently touching it with saline solution, I am getting the blood off a bit. The vet did say that the bird would be blind in this eye and they did want to put it down.... but I said I was prepared to try to help the poor thing. Amazingly enough this is the second dove in a week that has been handed to me. The other dove had a dreadful hole in the top of its head which was terribly infected. I did administer antibiotic to this bird and although it has also lost sight in one eye, it is recovered and in an aviary until I have built it up a bit more.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

You doing wonderful and do you have any antibiotic cream for this eye to soften up the hard blood somewhat...c.hert


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

I have some Tricin eye ointment - antiobiotic but I found with the other little dove it seemed to do more harm... do you think I should try this on the blood? 
(Thanks so much for your advice and help by the way).


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I know what you mean by these birds just appearing for I have a squeaker that I took out of a cats mouth last night and its a miracle I was able to retrieve it but it got caught in behind a trash can while I was putting out trash and it has about 6 or 7 puncture wounds in the neck and belly area and its tail feathers are gone. I have it on pencillim (sp) right how until I discover something else better and ampicillim (sp) I have too just in case but I am feeding it seed and water and it is warm and it is really perking up and I think it will be fine. I am using triple antibiotic cream on its puncture wounds so I know what you mean GillyJ. Are you in New Zealand because I can pm a excellent person who can give you very good advice...and maybe me as well....c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I am not famaliar with that antibiotic and is the bird secure nothing can get at it?? c.hert


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

I think I will carry on using the saline solution and I have also used colloidal silver on the eye. I am in New Zealand but am in a fairly remote area. This is now day 3 with this bird and it is certainly holding its own and not looking miserable now. I really just hope that the beak will come right and it will be able to feed on its own. 

Nothing can get at bird, don't worry... tis in my spare bedroom with door shut  

Hope your little squeaker makes it..... poor wee birds.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

You doing good and the beak will readjust itself I am sure and if not we can handle that later---I see you address now Belleville, ON....keep the birdie warm and do what you doing just make sure it drinks and feed it about three or four times a day --push its beak into a bowl of water often to keep it hydrated---good luck with your birdie and keep us posted especially if you need assistance....c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Just read the post again and I got the address wrong--you are in New Zealand and I new that but got the address mixed up with someone else..Do what your doing for you are doing good--keep us posted if you need help or futher questions...c.hert


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

I am finding this site very informative.. especially re holistic remedies which I really prefer to vets sometimes. I have phoned a few vets about my dove today.. they all say to euthanise the bird.. that the bird will never be able to feed for itself etc etc etc....
at present the bird is feeding when I feed it..... however, the haemotoma protruding from its eye does not seem to be diminishing with saline washing... anybody got a better idea?


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi GillyJ,

We have a member who moved to New Zealand last year who I still speak to on Skype. She is totally into Holistic remedies and had some amazing results without traditional meds.
I still consult her and am constantly trying to learn more about natural meds.

I'll email her to see if she can pop on sometime soon and see what advice she may be able to offer.

Keep in touch and I hope she can help you.

Her name is Maria, known on here as Taralotti.

I had a collared dove a while ago that had a bad puncture wound to it's head around the eye and they third eye had closed up. I used Colloidal Silver to bathe that and it certainly helped.

Janet


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Bad signs to watch for: massive new bleeding out the eye: massage bleeding out the mouth: a rapid change to a hot temperature and its one good eye blinking a whole lot. Don't fool with anything hanging from the eye at this time and do what you are doing by feeding it and making sure it is hydrated at all times. I would try to get some mix seed down its beaks but do it really gentle by holding the sides and trying to open it and putting seed into it and I am looking at this from a nutritional stand and keep it warm. I sure hope Amyable contact in New Zealand get connected to you and you also could pm message a person on this pigeon-talk by the name of feefo and keeps us posted as you are doing---could you take a picture of the side view to get the whole image of that eye.
This would be of great use for the professional people to take a look at the situation here on pigeon-talk. c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

If you note any kind of major play in that beak---then back off--you could get corn meal and oatmeal and peas and whole wheat and dog food dry and any other type of seed you might have and grind it really fine in a coffee grinder and put water to it and feed it at the tip of the beak and make sure it takes enough of it--little by little--You could get that baby formula for baby pigeons and doves as well and do little by little and you could add some hard boiled egg but once you do this you cannot keep it that long and will have to make a new batch so I would mix the egg up and try to feed the whole pieces as they may get in size after hard boiling it and try to gently put into the mouth---the less you can fool with that mouth the better. Take your time and it might take you awhile to get any quanity down but you need to in order for it to maintain its nutrition and I sure hope some rehabilition people come on to this thread to give you encouragement and good advice. Do you happen to have pedalyte in your area--this is a baby electrolyte mixture and ask the pharmacist in your area and use the plain no sugary one -plain and give it as water its a little thicker and you might be able to hydrate the baby better with this...See if you can get a picture of that eye from the side view so people can see it..c.hert


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am not very good on injuries but one of my rescues had been hit by a car, she was scalped and her beak was "wobbly". She recovered with tlc.

Maria (Taralotti) achieved miracles with her treatement of March, a badly injured woodie...I am certain that she will be able to help here.


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Thanks for all your help. Another day here and little bird seems to be okay. It is eating (when I feed it), I've mixed up some Kaytee Exact baby bird mixture and it seems to prefer this to the other.... have also ground up some seed and will try to get it feeding on some.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi GillyJ,

Kaytee does tend to go down well, I always use it for rescue babies.

I've sent an email to Maria in NZ so hope she gets time to look in at some point. Keep us in touch with the progress, it'll be interesting to see how the eye heals.

Do you have any homeopathic remedies already to hand? You could use Arnica to help reduce any bruising from the injuries as a start.

How is the other dove coping with one eye, will it be released or do you have an aviary set-up anywhere for unreleasable birds?

Janet


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Hi Janet, I use colloidal silver a lot, arnica and aloe vera.... the other dove seems to cope with only one eye but is still not flying... she can flap those wings but makes no attempt to fly whatsoever as yet. I've been told they can cope in the wild with only one eye but I am an option of sending them both to a man who does bird rescue and already has doves... they can be out of aviary during day and return to aviary for the night. At this stage I'm waiting to see what happens with second dove and for the time being at least they are company for one another. I haven't put them together in the one cage, as yet... I'm worried that Dove No. 1 may peck at that bad eye in Dove No. 2. I don't really think I should keep them as it ties up yet another aviary which I need for rescue birds. I've already got a rescued resident Pukeko that will not leave home, plus a fully grown rescue Sparrow who also won't leave home   I'm supposed to rescue them and then release them but it doesn't always work out that way


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

It sounds as if you have a lovely set-up.
I have a rescue Roller pigeon with only one eye and although he can fly well he does tend to bump into me when I'm in there cleaning.
The home with that man would be great for them, I do hope it works out for them.

Maria had an aviary set up when she lived over here after she found an injured Wood pigeon that had been hit by a car. She took over the care of two other injured Woodies I had and they all lived well together until one sadly died before she left the uk. The other two now live with Feefo, a highly experienced rescuer.
I know she used to give her birds a very natural diet and also included aloe vera regularly to their water. Their healing powers were amazing.

I know she's hoping to eventually find a home with enough land over there that will enable her to carry on with her rescue work. I know she's already been 'adopted' by a very sick cat so her menagerie has started already.

Where abouts are you located? My husband's brother has built a home in Queenstown on South Island. He lives over there for six months of the year, (our winters). He hopes to live there permanently at some point.

Janet


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Yes, aloe has amazing healing powers. Whereabouts is Maria located, Janet?
I am up north, Bay of Islands..... Queenstown is very pretty. Whereabouts are you Janet?


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Sorry Janet... I realise, now where you are from - West Midlands - anywhere near Malvern, Worc?

I am not sure this little dove is going to survive... tis 8 pm here and he doesnt look happy.... I've been feeding him all day but the 'spark' has just gone out of him....
bird is on a heat brick at present but hunched over...... it doesn't look good unfortunately


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi GillyJ,

SO sorry to hear about the dove, I do hope we can find something to help.

I have been talking to Maria on Skype today and she has suggested you try Vitalzyme Digestive Enzymes, one capsule a day.
Of course you may not have these to hand but are useful to have in stock. She has just sent me the info if you wanted to find them.
The website is *return2health.net* and the freephone number in NZ is 0800-777898.
If you can find go to the member's list on here and click on Taralotti, that will let you have access to any threads or posts she has made and you'll find lots of info she has given regarding remedies. A particular thread about a pigeon called Stella would be useful for this dove.

Maria is based around Christchurch at the moment until she manages to finalise her residency.
She will get on here asap to see if she can offer any more help.

Have you got any Carbo-Veg? Often called corpse reviver. I have used this in the past when a bird has gone downhill. A dose of the 200 potency every half hour until improvement is seen in an emergency. You could use 30 potency if not got the high one but the high dose gets into the system quicker.

Hypericum would also be an option if there is any likelihood of injury or infection.
Argentum Nit, used for eye ulcers with discharge.

Obviously we are on different timescales so I'll leave this info here for you when you back on.

I'm actually in Sutton Coldfield West Midlands, north of Birmingham. I do know Malvern although it's a long time since I went there. It's roughly 40 minutes drive from here. Good memories of walking over the hills there,(when I was a bit more agile!).

Keep us posted on the dove. Am keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Janet


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

We really do need a picture of that eye..Your getting good advice from some very good people here but I do want to put in my suggestion at this point without seeing the eye so my hands are kind of tied right now without a picture..Pigeons have amazing recuperated powers and sometimes it is better to put them in a warm secure place and only attend to them about three or fours times a day minuim disturbance because they can get secondary things happening in their system especially with a build up of e-coli and this could cause their death and with all the fooling around you are doing with this bird no wonder it looks depressed. At this point I would gently feed this bird a more natural kind of diet that the bird was used to when you got it and make sure its hydrated and try to dip those bent beaks in water for it to suck itself--how you tried this--does it drink water by placing it in a dish of water?? The medicines aloe vera and arnica and all the rest are good and the posting of the wonderful person that people have suggested are good too but sometimes it is better to give the bird so peace and not fool with the eye too much as well as giving the bird some peace of mind--and once again we need pictures of that eye...Is the eye bleeding when you clean it--don't aggravate that eye--and don't fool with it too much and let it rest and feed it 3 or 4 times aday and I truely hope this doesn't turn out to be a sad story when I really believe it can be helped and right now give it peace and quiet and food and water and I surely hope everything turns out all right---just don't overdo it at this stage of it....c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Just in case you don't know this birds do wonderful with one eyeI for I had one for many many years and it became the king of the loft and there are plenty of people here on this pigeon-talk who would adopt this bird and take care of it for the rest of its life...We will figure out all that later--just give the birdie some peace and quiet and food and water and let nature take care of it for they have wonderful recuperate powers please figure out away to get a picture of the eye and let us know if that beak has any real play in it and be gentle with that area of the birds mouth as gentle as you can be and how is that beak doing and I do know it is hard for you right now as well--just keep us posted and I sure hope its not going to be another sad story for us bird lovers here on the post..c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Bounced this thread up a bit.....c.hert


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Thanks for that information Janet.. I will research it all. Please thank your friend from me also. 

C. Hert - I do know know that one eyed birds can adapt wonderfully. IF the dove survives, I can assure you it will be well looked after but it is early days yet.... the bird has been hit by a car so you never know if it has any other internal damages either. The bird is quite peaceful with me and not stressed at all (which in itself is not a particularly good sign for a wild bird). My other little dove was like this to begin with and now is very wary of me which is good. I shall see how it goes over the next couple of days.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I sure do wish you good wishes and good health for the birdie GillyJ and please keep us posted on your wonderful birdie...c.hert


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi again,

I'm glad little dove is still with you to date.

It's difficult for you not knowing what other injuries it may have from the trauma, as you say, you just have to give it time.
I'm glad it's got this second chance with your help.

I thought I'd just post a picture of a collared dove I had a short while ago with an injury to it's head and it affected it's eye as the head had swollen around the wound.
Bathing with Colloidal Silver cleared the eye of blood and gradually as the swelling started to reduce I could see the injury. The third eye had closed over. Couldn't be sure if it was an impact or puncture really. It did recover the sight thankfully and was released.










Still wishing you luck with this and hope to hear how it's doing when you have time.

Janet


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Hi Janet, argh... nasty... this is like my other little dove was with a hole in the top of her head too..... her eye has cleared up but she has lost the sight in it. Today I am going to move her out to a bigger aviary and see if I can get her flying. My other little dove is still alive but I'm not sure if she is going to pull through. Last couple of days haven't been good for her... I'm still trying and not giving up hope but I maybe fighting a losing battle unfortunately. 

Is this photo of a collarded dove or a ringneck dove - it looks very like my two which I thought to be ringneck doves?


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,

I always used to get mixed up as to whether they were called Collared or Ring Necked Doves to be honest.
We refer to these as Collared Doves over here.

Do you find the doves you come across over there have this calcium deficiency whereby they have a weakness in their legs?
It seems to be affecting a lot of Collared Doves here lately.

Glad your dove had made it through another day.

Janet


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

I've actually never had doves in before these two Janet so don't know a lot about them... we don't have them around us at all... these 2 came to me from 'out of town'..... beautiful birds though. I can see how people would get hooked on them..... a lot of people don't like doves though cos they sit on rooves and poo... we are all on tank water in our village so some folks get fairly anksee about doves sitting on their rooves - when they complain to me I say 'oh get a life and get a filter'   I've caught more diseases of humans than ever off animals


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

GillyJ said:


> I've caught more diseases of humans than ever off animals


Now that is a fact. 
Wish more people realised that.

Janet


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

Sadly, this little dove did not survive and died overnight.... she just basically gave up wanting to be fed and I could not force feed cos of that injured beak. RIP little dove. 
My other dove goes tomorrow to a person with lots of other doves who are free to roam during the day but return to the aviary at night. Tis a good outcome for her after her rather horrific head injury. Thanks for all your advice and help.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

I am so sorry to hear that news.

I think you knew it was happening but thanks so much for doing all you could to help and for making her life so much more comfortable in her last days.

May she fly free now and no more suffering.

It is lovely that your other dove is able to move and join an existing group. I wish it all the luck in the world and well done for getting it through it's ordeal.

I hope you'll still pop on from time to time.
It has been great 'speaking with you'.

Take care,

Janet


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## GillyJ (Apr 19, 2010)

This site has some very useful information so yes, I shall be back... I need to do some reading and now that winter is soon upon us, I hope for some catch up time. 

Likewise Janet... always good to meet others who care. Precious little animals need all our care we can give them


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