# Injured Pigeon broken leg possibly



## bucky76 (Aug 21, 2005)

I found a pigeon today. I think she was hit by a bike.
She looks very shaken. I think she may have a broken
leg or wing possibly. I have her situated in a pigeon coup (sp?)
Is there any way to tell if she has internal injuries? I'm not
sure how severely injured she is. She has some cuts/scrapes
on her legs. She can spread her wings but she can not really stand up properly.
Can anyone help?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thank you for helping this injured pigeon. You can try gently feeling both legs and both wings and comparing how they feel to you. If you can detect a break, please post where it is and perhaps we can assist in getting it set and splinted. Since the bird is injured, it should be inside, in a cardbox with toweling or old T-shirt/sweatshirt on the bottom. The box needs to be on a heating pad set on low or medium or under a low wattage bulb for supplemental heat. If you haven't done so, offer the bird water and be sure it is drinking. Dehydration can become a big problem.

Please do the exam for broken bones and let us know what you find.

Terry


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## bucky76 (Aug 21, 2005)

*Thank you*

Thanks for the reply. I will examine her in the morning.
She is inside and warm. Last time I checked on her
she was resting comfortably. I have a digital camera
to take photos if need be.
I am praying for her too.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Pictures would be very helpful .. perhaps you can post some tomorrow. I don't know if there is a rehabber or vet near you on our resources list, but you can have a look: http://www.pigeon-life.net/prd.htm .. 

Please do keep us posted and thank you again for helping the bird.

Terry


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## bucky76 (Aug 21, 2005)

*Morning*

Our new friend has made it through the night. She is 
resting in a warm nest. She drank some water this morning.
She does not appear to be moving around too much though.
I'm going to see if we can take her to a vet nearby. I will
be looking into that today.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you very much for helping this injured pigeon.

Please be careful where you take the bird, make sure to ask when you call what they can do for the bird. There are many avian vets who do not see pigeons and some that will, but will euthanize, because THEY THINK the bird cannot be helped or too much trouble. Please seek out a caring and knowledgable avian vet who is compassionate to all birds. 

Check out the link Terry provided.

We appreciate your time and effort rehabbing this pigeon.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Usually when they break one leg, they don't move much for a week if you make them comfortable with food and water within easy reach. You can roll a towel into a shape to make a nesting donut where their legs have room under them and they're supported on their chest. You can put a paper towel under the back end and change it like a diaper from time to time.

Feeling for a broken leg in a pigeon come sometimes be a real chore. Essentially, if they can push outward with the foot, it's probably not broken but sometimes they let their legs go so limp that it's really hard to tell. Hopefully she's got one good leg, at least. The following link goes to a previous thread and if you read down a little bit, there are a couple of links to a webpage showing the skeleton and another showing how to splint with masking tape.

If both legs are broken, it's best to hang the bird in a sling. When taking a feral pigeon to a vet, they have a real strong tendency to put them down so you have to be real careful when taking one to a vet. They may not treat the bird unless you "sign it over" (they'll probably ask if it's a pet) and if you do and they figure out it's a feral (wild), it usually euthanize.

If you want to help the bird, then ask that before you even take it in. It's pretty easy to treat broken legs if they're not compound fractures. If you can tell us more about it, we'll walk you through it.

Thanks for your kindness,

Pidgey


http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=14035


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## bucky76 (Aug 21, 2005)

*Update on our friend*

Our friend seems to be quite a bit better today. I think it's a female. I'm sure someone can tell me for certain after photos are posted. Anyway, she has gotten some good rest and my husband and I were able to get a closer look at her. Both wings and her left leg seem normal, but her right foot is completely limp and unresponsive when I hold it. She stands on her right elbow since that foot is useless. She is able to stand on her left foot fine, and she grips well with it when I hold it in my hand. She does't seem to want to stand much yet, which is understandable, but she seemed very comfortable standing in an inch or two of warm water. That cleared her vent which was obviously blocked by dried droppings. We watched her closely and dried her off. She seems alert but very tired. She's resting comfortably in her towel nest now.

Thanks for all the advice about vets. We use to have an excellent wildlife rehab place nearby but they closed for some reason. Lack of money is my guess. I don't think it's permanent though. I hope not.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for the update, Bucky. I'm glad your little pigeon patient is doing some better today. The limp foot may be the result of a hairline fracture that you can't detect by feeling the leg. Hopefully some additional time in the doughnut nest will do the trick. I would keep a close watch on the limp foot though to be sure it doesn't start to atrophy into a claw position. If this starts to happen, you may want to make a pigeon "shoe" to keep the toes in the correct position .. there are posts here on how to do this .. just trying to think ahead a bit.

Terry


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

TAWhatley said:


> I would keep a close watch on the limp foot though to be sure it doesn't start to atrophy into a claw position. If this starts to happen, you may want to make a pigeon "shoe" to keep the toes in the correct position .. there are posts here on how to do this .. just trying to think ahead a bit.
> Terry


Hi Terry....this is not quite the link I'm looking for--I distinctly remember one of our members making a "shoe" and providing step by step pictures, but I haven't been able to locate it yet (so much for being the thread wizard! ).

Anyway, if need be, contained in the following thread are instructions and a link for making a splint for toes, provided by Helen:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=8183

Bucky -- thanks so much for trying to help this bird.....good luck.

Linda


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## bucky76 (Aug 21, 2005)

*Many Thanks to you!*

Many thanks on that toe splint website. My husband and I are going to try to get the splint on in the morning. She(I think) is resting in a nestlike bed tonight.
I've been checking on her frequently. She stretched her wings and went to the bathroom an hour ago. That was the last time I checked. 
She was sleepy most of the day, is that normal? She did drink and eat a little.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks, Linda! You done good yet again!

Terry


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

Hi Bucky,

By your description it does sound as though there is a foot/leg injury of some sort. When I have tried checking one of my rehabs for injury I find that they sometimes don't cooperate in gripping fingers etc to show there is still mobility. So I am left wondering if there is an injury or not. There is a simple technique I learned though that may be helpful to you.

Hold your bird over the edge of a chair-back, lightly touching the feet to the edge of the chair. Most birds automatic impulse is to grip a surface when they have been suspended above a perch in this way. You may want to wrap your bird lightly in a scarf beforehand so that there is no wing-struggling going on that might confuse the issue. 

Anyway, just observe what response there is to this light touch on a perch. If the suspect foot does not respond at all then there is a mobility injury that will need care and you will have a confirmation of your diagnosis.

Cameron


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## bucky76 (Aug 21, 2005)

*Update*

Hello everyone. Our pigeon friend is making progress. We made a foot splint that seems to be helping a lot. She stood up on her right leg for the first time last night. She is going to the bathroom regularly and drinking. I will give an update later today.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm glad the bird is doing better today. Please do keep us posted.

Terry


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## bucky76 (Aug 21, 2005)

*Update*

Our pigeon friend has made an amazing recovery. She has a splint on her right foot. She is walking and eating very well. I am amazed at the progress she has made.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Pigeons are usually a lot different from people--they know all too well that they're going to have to get over it largely on their own so they don't usually spend a lot of time feeling sorry for themselves. We could learn a lot from that.

However, if you're taking REAL good care of the bird (and I know you are) then the bird can also recognize a good thing and may want to stay. It's not exactly welfare, you know--it's just that it's an easier life...

Pidgey


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