# My baby pigeon have PMV, how do I cure him?



## omerblink (Feb 9, 2013)

Hi All,

My name is Omer and I live in Lahore, Pakistan. I'm running a software house here.

Few months ago in our office’s kitchen, a pigeon laid an egg and a baby came out of it. This was happened in winter, it was like 2 Degree Celsius at that time. I saw the baby in his nest and he seems to be a healthy baby. 

Our office is closed on weekends and as far as I recalled, we are having holidays for the New Year. When the office opened after the holidays, I found that baby pigeon with his neck twisted sitting on the cold floor. The floor was very cold. The mother of that bird came to feed him but she cannot feed him because of his twisted neck. The baby pigeon tried a lot to get some food from the mother, but he couldn't make his neck untwist. 

So I picked him and bring him home with me. I put him in a carton box and hang 100 watts of bulb in it so he will stay warm. I fed him Cerelac with some drops of Olive Oil with a Dropper. He seems very happy when he sees my hands near him. He shakes his feathers and cry for food, and opens his mouth. He fly here and there without any problem (Forgot to mention – He always do the circling thing in his cage and when I pick him he seems to be liking my hands – I thought this is a common behavior of the pigeons)

I think I have fed him with the same meal like 1 week. And he seems to be Okay. His neck straightened and he begins to eat his food himself. So I stopped the Cerelac and Olive Oil. I thought he is well now.

Then one day. I saw him in his cage with his neck twisted and he was rolling in it. We don’t have much good vet’s docs here. I have lost two baby cats because of their unprofessionalism. They don’t know what they are doing and honestly, I don’t believe in them.

So I did a little research on the internet about this disease and found this article (URL). I think my bird is having PMV disease. In the above mentioned article I found the homeopathic remedy. So I’m applying this on the bird. He seems to be recovering but when he is afraid or excited, he twisted his neck. Other than that he looks like a normal bird. 

Also want to mention – Some pigeon lovers near me told me to give him garlic, fish oil, stuff like that. But right now I’m giving him that Homeopathic Remedy and the same cerelac and olive oil.

Please guide and help me so I can make him well. I just wanted him to get well soon and fly away.


Thanks
Omer


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Omer


It is good of you to care for him - many would not.

So, the pigeon is now about 7 weeks old? From what I can see, the Celerac is either wheat or rice based baby food - I don't know if we have it here. Sounds OK, though not sure what vitamins it has.

I am wondering if it is PMV or something which may have a couple of similar symptoms. Certainly if the bird is up and walking around even with the neck twisting, that would indicate PMV or some other cause of damage in the brain affecting the nervous system. Salmonella infection causing Paratyphoid can sometimes cause neck twisting (but that is not the most common form of it) but the bird is more likely to 'look ill' and mostly immobile. 

If it is PMV then one must consider how it could have got the virus. At that age, it would suggest that one of the parent birds had it.

Really, the supportive care indicated in that web page is the only treatment. A diet with more seeds and grain, plus vitamin supplements (especially B vitamins and D3) would be indicated at this age. Give him access to seeds to encourage self feeding, and start hand feeding with defrosted peas and corn to get him used to something more solid as a start. 

PMV runs its course about 6 weeks from when infected, but the nervous symptoms can remain longer and may not completely go.

Do ask further questions as you wish and keep us up to date.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

CERELAC has milk in it. It's not good for pigeons

Handfeed him defrosted peas and sprinkle pigeons vitamin powder on the peas:

_*You can hand feed defrosted peas. Run some hot water over them until they are defrosted and slightly warmed. Put the bird on your lap and hold it next to your body. If it helps because you are having a hard time handling the pigeon, you can wrap a towel around it or put it in the sleeve of a tee shirt, with the head out the wrist. This method confines the pigeon without hurting him and makes it easier to handle. Gently open the beak and pop a pea at the back of the mouth and over the throat. It gets easier and faster, with practice, for both you and the bird.
You will need to feed 30-50 per feeding [depending on the size of the pigeon] and every time the crop empties until you know the baby is eating on his own. After a couple of feedings, most squeakers get the hang of it, pick up the peas on their own and naturally transition into a seed diet.
This is a wonderful method for teaching babies to eat because they feel the whole food in their mouth and it’s soft and easy to pick up and hang on to.
The crop is located right below the throat and with food it fills up like a little balloon. The peas make the crop feel lumpy and squishy.*_

I would treat him for Salmonella. If you can find Baytril or Enrofloxacin, it's the best antibiotic give.


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## Erse (Nov 28, 2013)

*Pigeon PMV-1*

Omar: I found a pigeon with what appears to be PMV-1. Fed him cooked rice the first day (Holiday in USA, nothing open or available). Second day (now) I'm feeding the bird wild bird seed mix with added sunflower seeds. The bird is losing lots of fluid, and appears to be trying to eat. Also have a bowl of water with added electrolytes
I'm contacting an avian vet to have it examined, but I am not hopeful the bird will survive. The varying and contradictory info on line is depressing. 
I'll keep you posted as to the outcome.
By the by: How did your pigeon fare?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

You may do better hand feeding corn and peas, thawed in hot water from a frozen food pack. They can usually take 40+ in one feed.

Certainly provide a pot of seed for him and as much water as he needs.

Aside from feeding and keeping in a safe secure place, not much else really - the virus runs its course in about 6 weeks.

Unless this is a vet you already know and trust, take care. Many vets will just PTS pigeons with PMV.

Is the bird showing the typical symptoms? If he is *only* twisting the head and is mostly lying down looking sick, it could be Paratyphoid.


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## Erse (Nov 28, 2013)

Following advice of John D. Pigeon is eating wild bird mix, normal stools. Appears to be healing. Determined the bird is female and young. Keeping it warm and isolated.


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