# In a dilemma over whether to let dove go yet



## SOPH4496 (Sep 25, 2010)

I found a youngish collared dove on sunday. He was sat in my garden unmoving and made no protest when I picked him up. Both eyes were swollen shut although he didnt seem too thin or in bad condition. I have cared for him,feeding him porridge made with water using a syringe, and also drinking water. I have been syringing his eyes with water as well. In three days he has come on really well. Both eyes are now open and all swelling gone. He is lively, and flying well. He has just started eating seed on his own. Well, I know he should be set free but I am a little worried as to how he will fend for himself. How do I know he wont end up in the same state as I found him in?
I would welcome any advice on what could have been the problem.....


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

I'd give him a couple of weeks in case of secondary infection. 

What country are you in, btw? (affects laws, food brands, medications advice etc.) 

You should not put water in the eyes (especially if it's not sterilized.) It's safer to use sterile contact solution if you don't have any sort of medicated eye drops.) 

What are you feeding the little guy now (what seed mix? any grit? what kind?) 

Do you have any pictures? Of the bird? Of his poops? (poops tell a ton about birdy health.)


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## SOPH4496 (Sep 25, 2010)

*re collared dove*

Hi thanks for your help.
I have been feeding him with a syringe....ready brek mixed with water and water from a syringe. Although he has started to pick at millet seed and small sunflower seeds now. He would let me hold him at first and feed him but not now he is better. I have him in a cage but I can tell he hates it....I think he would be best free but am worried its too soon. He has a pot of grit but I havent seen him use it yet. I will attach some pictures with this message. One is of how his eyes were when I first found him and they now are fine. One is of his tail and collar etc. One is of his poop !
Your advice is much appreciated.


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## SOPH4496 (Sep 25, 2010)

*picture of poop !!*

Here is the picture of doves poop !!


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Is that a recent poop? Yellow like that often indicates serious health problems, but at the same time, I have never used ready brek and some diets do cause unusual poop colors. Someone a bit more experienced will have to help you there. I don't think his poops look solid and nice enough to show full recovery, regardless. 

When he's hanging out, does he fluff up huge (sign of fever/illness) very often? Are his feet cool (and possibly clammy) or are they slightly hotter than your hands and dry? 

You might try offering this food which my doves do well on: Kaytee Supreme Daily Dove Mix
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18947

Also, how large is he? From your pictures he could either be a feral Eurasian collared dove (ok to release if it was born outside, also a bit larger), or a wild type colored Ringneck dove (they don't have much for instincts--so this would make it a lost pet.) And even though they're domestic, some ringnecks hate being handled (including a couple of mine lol.) It's just personality.

Edit: looking at his big head I'm leaning towards Eurasian collared dove, but that conformation isn't entirely impossible in a ringneck.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Oh, and did you ever have him on any medication? Antibiotics?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Libis said:


> Is that a recent poop? Yellow like that often indicates serious health problems, but at the same time, I have never used ready brek and some diets do cause unusual poop colors. Someone a bit more experienced will have to help you there. I don't think his poops look solid and nice enough to show full recovery, regardless.


Yes indeed ... if I see yellow urates or pools of yellow, I suspect something nasty affecting the liver. As you say, Libis, diet can change poops, but I've not seen readybrek producing anything like that.


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## SOPH4496 (Sep 25, 2010)

*dove*

Thanks for your comments.... I live in england. We have a lot of these doves in and around my garden all year round. They usually compete in pairs for any food put out for them lol x He was quite friendly with me at first but now he wont let me near him and he just keeps trying to get out the window and pecking at the glass and I feel so sorry for him. I know he just wants to get outside. :0( I cannot even hold him now he just struggles like crazy. He is 100% better than 5 days ago. His eyes are fully open and he is eating on his own now. He can fly really well.
I cant comment on his poop....I just know how energetic he is now....
Thanks so much for your help ;0)


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## SOPH4496 (Sep 25, 2010)

ps....no he doesnt fluff up at all.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

SOPH4496 said:


> Thanks for your comments.... I live in england. We have a lot of these doves in and around my garden all year round. They usually compete in pairs for any food put out for them lol x He was quite friendly with me at first but now he wont let me near him and he just keeps trying to get out the window and pecking at the glass and I feel so sorry for him. I know he just wants to get outside. :0( I cannot even hold him now he just struggles like crazy. He is 100% better than 5 days ago. His eyes are fully open and he is eating on his own now. He can fly really well.
> I cant comment on his poop....I just know how energetic he is now....
> Thanks so much for your help ;0)


I don't think I would let him go until his poops are solid and not yellow. Plus he really needs to be eating well before he can be let go. These are signs of severe illness even though he is feeling better. 

John, do you have any suggestions as to what to do about the yellow poop symptom itself what with the lack of other definite symptoms? I haven't dealt with liver problems before.

It sounds like he's definitely a Eurasian collared dove or closely related.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Libis said:


> I don't think I would let him go until his poops are solid and not yellow. Plus he really needs to be eating well before he can be let go. These are signs of severe illness even though he is feeling better.
> 
> John, do you have any suggestions as to what to do about the yellow poop symptom itself what with the lack of other definite symptoms? I haven't dealt with liver problems before.
> 
> It sounds like he's definitely a Eurasian collared dove or closely related.


He'll be a Collared Dove. We get loads of them round our feeder on top of the aviary.

Having resized and sharpened the poop pic, to be honest it's hard to tell what it signifies. Looks to be kinda green/mustard color, with the yellow mainly in the urine. Along with that dark green actual poop it may simply mean the dove, though eating on its own, needs to get plenty more food in him, as you say, to see if the poops improve. I think it is the lack of other definite symptoms which suggests it _could_ just be diet. 

We had an outbreak amongst our wild-type rescues (Doves and Wood Pigeons) last year which was pretty bad. One common indication was pools of yellow liquid under perches without any real poop. The affected birds _looked_ sick, and though getting a temporary recovery with some, others died within 2 -3 days. A couple of the necropsies showed necrotic livers, and specific analyses included Rotavirus along with E.Coli. These often go hand in hand with Adenovirus Type 2 (i.e., not the 'young bird sickness') which does attack the liver. We treated the birds with whatever we had that might target any known cause - Flagyl (Metronidazole) and Baytril or Synulox - but without lasting success. Despite all the tests, any one definitive cause for this outbreak remained unknown 

A tumor can affect the liver (I have seen that) and, though not as often as 'some' might insist, so can Trich although if a bird were thus affected it sure wouldn't be eager to do anything.

I've just asked Cynthia if she recalls the meds we had or have specifically to assist the liver function. In all other respects, the dove sounds in good form, but an all round diet of dove mix or wild bird seed, maybe some supplementary feeding with good old thawed peas and corn if necessary, could well help. Also suggest a birdie vitamin supplement, particularly with B vits.


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## SOPH4496 (Sep 25, 2010)

*Really good advice x*

Thanks so much for your advice. You obviously know what youre talking about John !
I have noticed that his poop has changed again this evening. Its dark green/black with white round it now? Lot more solid.
He is cooing a lot and flapping about when I go anywhere near him now...thats gratitude for you ha !! I will take your advice about the food and peas etc. I just feel awful because he obviously wants to be free, but, as you say, he really needs to be in good condition etc. My daughter says she has read on the internet not to release him now as it is coming winter and he wont be able to cope, is this true?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SOPH4496 said:


> Thanks so much for your advice. You obviously know what youre talking about John !
> I have noticed that his poop has changed again this evening. Its dark green/black with white round it now? Lot more solid.
> He is cooing a lot and flapping about when I go anywhere near him now...thats gratitude for you ha !! I will take your advice about the food and peas etc. I just feel awful because he obviously wants to be free, but, as you say, he really needs to be in good condition etc. My daughter says she has read on the internet not to release him now as it is coming winter and he wont be able to cope, is this true?


yes. keep reading.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

SOPH4496 said:


> Thanks so much for your advice. You obviously know what youre talking about John !
> I have noticed that his poop has changed again this evening. Its dark green/black with white round it now? Lot more solid.
> He is cooing a lot and flapping about when I go anywhere near him now...thats gratitude for you ha !! I will take your advice about the food and peas etc. I just feel awful because he obviously wants to be free, but, as you say, he really needs to be in good condition etc. My daughter says she has read on the internet not to release him now as it is coming winter and he wont be able to cope, is this true?


Thanks. A few things I know from having dealt with them, a few things I research for our own birds' sake, a lot of things I plead ignorance of 

Sounds promising so far. The ideal is a neat rounded dropping with a dob of white on top, but many of our birds don't actually achieve that. 

He may well be young, but since his collar is grown in he's been fledged for a while. The area of concern is why he would be in the state he was when you found him. We may never know, if he keeps improving.

Was the item on the internet about releasing newly-fledged doves or any dove that's been taken in for care? He may be fine, but we have had to release a dove one time against our better judgement due to his desperation causing him to fly into windows and even the ceiling, with the risk of him damaging himself (he went nuts confined to a cage). Just see how he behaves, really.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,

A while ago I had a call to pick up a Collared Dove that was just sitting in someones garden.
I brought it home and after a while it seemed a lot perkier but poops weren't good so decided to keep it for a bit longer.
Then I noticed a tiny bug come off it, can't remember what it actually was, not a feather lice, but that sort of size but rounder.
I did take it to my vet for a check over as I was taking another bird.
The vet recognised the insect, I wish my memory was better! and he gave the dove an injection to kill them off.
He said if they get these it tends to ground them as the bird has to spend so much time preening due to the irritation that it gets weak from not eating enough.
So...these 'things' died and fell off and the dove was soon back to normal and released soon after.

May not be connected at all but I thought it was worth mentioning as another option for treatment. It wouldn't hurt to spray it anyway before releasing.
You wouldn't have to have a vet inject it though as you can buy over the counter products that will do the job.

Hope your dove does ok

Janet


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## PigeonQueen (Aug 13, 2006)

Hello I would not release the Dove as the weather forcast is for bad weather in the UK

Where are you based? Maybe we could find a place in an aviary for the Dove

For now probably best to wait for a few weeks just to let the Dove get over any possible infection.


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