# Found dazed Dove



## MesaAZGuy (May 17, 2019)

So we came home yesterday to find this poor dove (Euroasian collared) sitting in our driveway. He couldn't walk straight or fly. We coaxed him out of the 110º heat and into our air conditioned garage where he sat for a while with a water dish in front of him. About an hour later, I was able to pick him up and give him a quick check. His wings are not broken but he seems very confused. We placed him in a large cage where he slept all night. This morning he seemed alert as we came up to him. When I reached in to change the food/water dish, he was going in circles all confused and somewhat lopsided. Not sure if he had a head trauma or what. There isn't anyone around here that would look at him. Any ideas? He is eating which is great and in typical dove fashion, sweeping the seeds out with his beak and making a mess until he finds what he likes.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

It's possible he crashed against a window and might have a concussion. In that case, keep him for a couple of days until he seems fine and then release him again.

Another option might be paramyoxyvirus (PMV) that attacks the nervous system. It usually takes about 6-8 weeks for the virus to shed, he will need supportive care during that period. Try to minimize stress as this will worsen the symptoms. He might get seizures during this period which is horrible, but remember he is not in pain. Put down a small drinking bowl for him, otherwise he might drown when having seizures. Make sure he is indeed eating and not scattering the seeds around. This is highly contagious, so keep him seperate from other birds during the 6-8 weeks.

The bad news is that once they recover from PMV, they are unreleasable as the symptoms might just return when under stress again.


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## MesaAZGuy (May 17, 2019)

So a day and a half later, he seems to be getting more strength. That said, he is eating while scattering seeds and then picking what he likes off the cage floor. His breathing seems normal. This morning he seems more active but all he's doing is going in circles and tripping on himself occasionally. He will sit on my finger and has begun to trust us. (We keep him in our main room where he sees us move about all day. Nothing seems to make him jump like the vacuum or dishwasher. Almost reminds me of a captive. He will get scared when i first put my hand in the cage and go to the corners. Once he jumps on my hand or fingers, he seems to be perfectly content and enjoys a head scratchy. Is there anything I can give it? Can the meds be ordered online if that's what he has?

His poops looked like tiny separated sausage links yesterday. Today they seem more in the shape of a ball with the familiar white spot. I did spray him with bird mite/lice spray to be safe too. Didn't mind it at all.

Thanks for your help!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

If he has PMV, then no meds will help him. He just needs supportive care. Sometimes the symptoms get so bad that they can't eat by themselves and need to be handfed until better. A firm brown dropping with a white dot is good, shows that he is indeed eating.

He will benefit from pigeon/dove vitamins in the drinking water if you can get hold of that. You can also add apple cider vinegar to his water 3 times a week. 5ml acv to 1 litre water. This helps to keep the good gut bacteria in place.

It's really unnatural for a wild bird to act so tame.


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

This type dove is sold as pets, so if you took him to the vet as your pet then he could be examined . That is an option hopefully.

If you can not do that then good feed and regular water, and keeping him safe inside , and hope he recovers. He sounds like he would be a nice pet if so.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Can you post a photo of him? Maybe he is an escaped pet or was handraised by someone and then released. Lucky for him that he was found by you.


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## MesaAZGuy (May 17, 2019)

Marina B said:


> Can you post a photo of him? Maybe he is an escaped pet or was handraised by someone and then released. Lucky for him that he was found by you.



We believe it's a female. My other bird Angel hangs out next to her cage and sits there for hours. I keep them apart a few feet just in case.


This is the day after we found her. She seems alot better although can't fly. Her poops are not really improving. Her alertness is much better since she bobs her head up and down when we walk by her cage. She seems to still snap her neck left to right lighting quick which is kind of odd. Her balance is getting better but she still stumbles a little. She will peck when reaching too close to her although very gently yet will always perch on my fingers and not leave when I try to put her back. I do not believe this was an escaped pet. Although she's bonding to me, she still seems skittish as a wild bird. We have millions of these little ones all about.



IMG_1138 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/, on Flickr




IMG_1147 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/, on Flickr





This is from today.



IMG_1146 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/, on Flickr






And my baby Angel. A Oriental old world no frills Satinette hanging out on the couch watching TV with us.



IMG_1133 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/, on Flickr


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

She's looking much better than when you found her. Are you giving the acv in the water? You can also give probiotics in the drinking water. Does she have a perch in the cage? If not, maybe that's why she likes to sit on your finger. It does not need to be high, only a few centimetres from the floor. A natural tree branch will do. She will also benefit from direct sunlight every day. Put the cage in a nice sunny spot (under your supervision), half an hour every day will be enough. Although the longer, the better.

Just give her time to recover.


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

I definitely would of followed quarantine rules for birds here.


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## MesaAZGuy (May 17, 2019)

There is a perch in her cage. She does sit on the perch most of the time. Strangely enough, My pigeon prefers his perch unless he's on the couch where he crouches down in total comfort. (Sometimes even on my chest) We have to clean her cage twice a day from her runny droppings. Yeah, I do not let the two birds close together. In fact, I only had them a few feet apart only one time to show the rescue we won't harm her and indeed are bird people.


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