# Scalping



## fred2344 (Jan 9, 2002)

Hi Everybody,
Today, after releasing a bird that had both legs tied together with string and losing a toe because of it, I picked up a baby that had been scalped. There was fresh blood so it must have just happened.
Scalping is just that. Some adult grabbed the baby by the back of the head and ripped skin right off, exposing the skull. I would say that there is about 20% of the scalp off.
The skin was still hanging so I first fed the baby and let it rest. Later, I disinfected the enitire area with Betadyne liquid and scissored off all the feathers lining the edge of the wound.
Making sure that no pieces of cut feathers were laying on top of the skull, I used a tissue adhesive called Vetbond, put the hanging scalp back in place and touched the adhesive where the edges met.
I don't know if the skin will reattach or new skin will come in but at least the skull is protected. 
Although I detest giving a baby an antibiotic, this time it was necessary so he is getting 2.5 mg of Baytril every twelve hours. 
This little guy is already half tame so he will never be able to be released. He will be going up to a friend who will coop him but he isn't leaving here until I see some signs of real healing.


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"Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace."

Albert Schweitzer


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

Hi Fred.
I have had a pigeon in with that kind of wound, but it was much more severe than that. It was found behind some boarding in someone's garden in the clutches of a sparrowhawk which had unsuccessfully tried to kill it. All the skin from the forehead round to both ears and down to the back of the neck had been taken cleanly off. It also had some skin and flesh missing off its back, but this was not as serious. I doubted whether skin would grow back over such a large area but was reluctant to put it to sleep.
Anyhow I put the bird on antibiotics and kept it in a hospital cage. I can't remember how long I had the bird, it was over 2 years ago, but it was a good few weeks when all of a sudden I realised that new skin had formed over the area and it was healing nicely. The bird never grew any feathers back in that place but I remember it was successfully released.


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## fred2344 (Jan 9, 2002)

Hi Nooti,
This kind of injury does heal. No feathers will grow in because there were no follicles but you did good. Those sre not easily treated injuries and I'm sure that while the skull is exposed, there is danger of infection.

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"Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace."

Albert Schweitzer


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## WhiteWingsCa (Mar 1, 2002)

Fred, we've also had major success with treating wounds with an antibiotic ointment, such as polysporin. The ointment also helps keep the wound moist, which, believe it or not, is better than letting it dry out. (we were told this by a plastic surgeon at a major children's hospital)

I'm curious as to why you say that the baby won't ever be able to be released? Banded pigeons (probably some who have gotten "lost" in training or racing) are often found living with feral flocks...and they would have lived within a loft for probably months before becoming "wild". Pigeons learn to eat/drink by watching other pigeons....so couldn't this little guy learn where to get food and water from watching the wild birds?

I wonder too if baby birds will heal and repair themselves better than adults. We had a youngster last year hit a wire....came in with all the feathers, and most of the skin missing from the base of her throat to her "crotch" area. There was even some small tears in the muscle. We did our usual wash, treat, "bed rest", and not only did she heal up, and fly again, she grew feathers in completely over the area! I was amazed! She won't ever fly any distances because of the muscle injury, but she does fly around here, and has a mate and babies this spring.


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## fred2344 (Jan 9, 2002)

White Wings,
I'll tell you the truth. I have no idea if treating scalpings dry or wet is better. I knew two rehabbers who treated them dry. One left the bird to heal on its own and the other treated only by disinfecting with Nolvasan twice a day. They both had 100% success rates. Yet, I did spot an adult who was obviously scalped in a fight and that wound was infected. Although I tried to get it, he was too fast for me and after a while, I didn't see him again.
You have had success treating the wound wet so who can argue with success? Maybe as long as the wound is kept clean, it will heal either way.
Let me ask you one thing. You treat with an oil based antibiotic salve. Everything I have learned one way or the other points to an oil based antibiotic salve as clogging the pores to the feather follicles and taking away the cold insulation abilities of the feathers. Based on that, I look for water based antibiotic ointments like Neosporin antibiotic cream. 
Maybe it depends on how much is used so that it doesn't spread over the feathers. Do you know anything about this?


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"Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace."

Albert Schweitzer


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## WhiteWingsCa (Mar 1, 2002)

Fred:

We had a discussion about oil-based/water-based in another forum I visit.

Apparently, in parrots and their kin, oil base is a big no no. (sorry, I don't recall why) In the pigeons, it didn't seem to be thought to be much of a problem.

You are right though....it could have a lot to do with only putting it on the wound, not the feathers. We are always very careful about putting in just on the wound.

As you said...who can argue with success? 
You've had water base work....we found for us it didn't work as well. Mind you, some of the wounds we treated were pretty horrific....if left to dry out, the bird got very sore from the scabs pulling. That is why we switched to ointment, and it worked for us. 

Plus, our birds don't fly much in the cold months (too many hawks); most (all?) wounds occur in the warm weather, when they're out flying. Insulating factor isn't as much of a problem.


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