# Seattle, WA - Found sick (or injured) pigeon, unbanded, crusted eyes.



## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I found a pigeon laying on his back in my alley as I was coming home. I got out to move it to the side of the road when I realized it was still alive.

It's eyes both appear crusted over, he isn't putting weight on his legs, has full range of motion on legs and wings and his breathing is not labored. I put him in a box with newspaper and he is resting in a dark, quiet corner of my bedroom. There are no visible signs of an injury and his underside is warm to the touch. He doesn't seem to have much control over his head but every few seconds he shakes his head a little.

Can anyone tell me what they think is the problem? Should I try to offer him some water or food or does it seem like he may be dying?

Thank you,

Stephanie


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi Stephanie...Please review the following link .

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/basic-life-saving-steps-9457.html


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Here's a referal for tomorrow.

Paws Inc.
Lynwood, WA
(425) 787-2500 ext 817
MUST call first. Will only take pigeons if they are not full with 'native' species. 
They may be able to make a referral.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I've already done all of those steps and there are no avian veterinarians in my area that are currently open and no after-hours resources, either.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Serasha said:


> I've already done all of those steps and there are no avian veterinarians in my area that are currently open and no after-hours resources, either.



That's right. You will need to do your best until tomorrow. Do you think the bird is responseive enough to swallow? Is the bird on suplimental heat now?
If the bird were in my care and I had stabilized him, I would take some warm water and a damp cloth and try to clean the eyes.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

He is being warmed and he is starting to peck when I touch his beak, which is more response than what I was getting an hour ago so I think he could possibly swallow.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Try cleaning the eyes.
Can you post a picture?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Oh...when you say he is being warmed, is it a heating pad or other way?


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

It's a towel-wrapped heating pad set to medium and placed under the cardboard box he is in. Inside the cardboard box is about 30 layers of single newspaper and another three inches of shredded newspaper.

I just moistened his eyelids and offered some water. I'm not familiar with how pigeons drink but he didn't seem to respond at all to the water. I don't have an eyedropped so I placed a few drops of water inside a bottle cap and held it to the very tip of his beak. He didn't respond in any way, didn't even try to pull away.

When I was moistening his eyelids, I noticed one of his eyes seems damaged and is bulging out slightly with some grey discharge. This makes me think that he hit a window of the building across the alley and landed in the alley. What is the chance of recovery from a blunt force head injury? Poor little guy.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I'll go take a few pictures.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

A picture will help.
*Please change the heating pad setting to low.*

If you think this is a head injury rather than illness, please turn the heat off.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I've changed the heat setting to 'low' and have attached two pictures. One of his body and one close-up of his 'bad' eye.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Does the other side look the same? The stuff you removed was gray?
Will you open the beak and tell us if you see any yellow crusty looking things?
How does his bottom look? Any dried poop on his vent?


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

The other side isn't 'leaking' anything, it's just closed but the lid looks the same - dry. The discharge is definitely gray from his left eye.

No discharge at all near his vent and his mouth is very clean - even moist!

When I went in just now to check his beak and vent, his good eye had opened up! He is still not really moving but he did turn his head with some control and looked with his good eye.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Does the bird have any odor about him?


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I do smell a little bit of a odor. It isn't strong - it smells like it could be feces or garbage smelling.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Can he hold his head up?


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

He can, but he doesn't seem to want to. He'll hold it up right when I pick him up, and maybe turn his head to look at me but then he just slowly leans his head to the side, like he is tired.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

What is your gut feeling about this bird...injury or illness?


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I feel like it is a head injury. With his head-shaking (he does this quite a bit) and his blown eye. I know that's bad, and I did turn the heat off when I saw his eye, but I hope keeping him comfortable will help him.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Ok...if you think this is a head injury...turn the heat off.

Try to prop him with towels or such so that his head has support and he is in more or a normal position.
The gray discharge worries me.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

Same. I'll keep him propped up and try to offer water again in an hour.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You know...I wouldn't give him any thing until tomorrow. Just let him rest for the time being. Most birds are asleep right now any way. I have called one of our members in the Seattle area to see if she can recommnd a rehabber for tomorrow that can at least have a look at him. Honestly, I think that if you left him with most rehabbers, at this point, he would be euthanized.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

He doesn't seem to be in any type of pain so I'll just hold onto him for now. I'll pick up an eye-dropper tomorrow and then I'll offer him water. I do get the feeling he is asleep right now as he has stopped doing the head-shaking (unless I disturb him).


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Good. Let him rest. Who knows...he may want to drink on his own by the morning.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi serasha,


Given we could assume this Pigeon has been however many days with infected Eyes, and, has been unable to find Water or Food...you may wish to consider to allow him some Electrolyte-Water to begin rehydrating him.

Just take a six ounce Cup...fill with tepid Water...add a good Pinch of regular Table Salt, and, one of Sugar, stirr so both are dissolved.


Prop him up so he is not leaning forward...and, gently guide his Beak into the Electrolyte Water.


Do this every hour or so, as you can, till lunch time tomorrow.

However, once he is drinking when so guided, check to make sure the Water is passing...that his Crop is emptying, before doing the next session.

Keep him on white Paper Towels, no shredded Newspaper. You need to be seeing the poops and urates, and, to note their form and color and so on as they are made.

He likely will not make any untill he begins to become re-hydrated.

This is urgent...begin now if you are still up.




If I were in your shoes, I would get a Tube of 'Neosporin' fisrt thing tomorrow, at any Grocery or Drug Store, and, softly apply a dab to each of his Eyes...just have a dab on your finger tip, and, apply the 'dab' without touching his Eye with your finger.

If you prefer, you could try and find someone to write you a prescription for the technically to be prefered Opthalmological Antibiotic Eye Ointment for 'Eyes', or, see if any Farm and Feed stores have it over-the-counter, and, use that instead.


I have used 'Neosporin' many times for similar instances and it was fine.


I think if you can get this Pigeon re-hydrated...and, can supply some Antibiotic Ointment for his Eyes, you will begin to see some meaningful improvements.

He will need many 'sipping' sessions for the next eighteen hours or so.


No food for now, just rehydration solution and guideing his Beak now and then into it for him to drink.

Since he can not see, you have to offer this and guide his Beak into it for him to drink.



Try that...skip the 'eyedropper'...work with him for him to drink volentarily, where his reflexes and so on will operate against drowning or aspiration by artricial introductions of liquids into his mouth...be gentle.


Good luck!


Phil
lv


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I didn't get your message until I got up this morning. The pigeon slept all night and I heard him rustling in the box when I got up to get the baby at 5:30am. He was standing up! He had pooped! The poop was semi-solid brown but there was also some runny yellow grainy looking stuff.

I made the rehydration solution and he is drinking! He is alert and looking around and standing on his own. He has no balance and my suspicion that it is a head injury seems even more right today as his head keeps listing to the left in a slow but non-deliberate manner.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Can you post a picture of the poop?


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I already emptied the newspaper from the box and replaced it with paper towels so I can't take a picture of the poop. When he poops again, I'll get a picture.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Serasha said:


> I didn't get your message until I got up this morning. The pigeon slept all night and I heard him rustling in the box when I got up to get the baby at 5:30am. He was standing up! He had pooped! The poop was semi-solid brown but there was also some runny yellow grainy looking stuff.
> 
> I made the rehydration solution and he is drinking! He is alert and looking around and standing on his own. He has no balance and my suspicion that it is a head injury seems even more right today as his head keeps listing to the left in a slow but non-deliberate manner.



I think you did just fine last night.
Does the runny yellow, grainy stuff look at all stringy?


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

It wasn't stringy, it looked almost like cornbread batter. Lol.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

If he has a poop, he must have been eating yesterday. The corn bread looking part of the poop sounds like an infection which may have something to do with the slight bad smell you noticed last night.
Although there is no way to know for sure, I am suspicious that the bird hit a window or side of a building because he couldn't see out of one of his eyes.
If the bird where in my care, I would try to get the bad eye open by using the warm water and soft cloth so you can have a look.
What is your comfort level with this bird? Do you want help finding a rehab person or vet?


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Hello Serasha,

Just adding my own experience of pigeon rescue here in case it's relevant. When we brought in our woodie, Sam, as a fledgling, he quickly became dehydrated and had a fit in the first two days since I couldn't get enough rehydration fluid down him. During his fit he scraped one of his eyes against his bedding and it sealed up, swollen with goo from the damage. I left it shut like that for another day or so, while I just concentrated on keeping good hydration and getting peas and sweetcorn into him. It did look greyish. When I worked on opening the eye again with some moistened paper towel, the goo came off quite easily and pop! His eye was open again! Happy bird!

While his eye had been shut he had listed his head to the side continuously and couldn't keep his balance (The balance issue was down to dehydration also), which sounds a little like your pigeon's situation. Once the eye is clean and open the head listing may improve perhaps?

Might there be a possibility that this sickly pigeon has hurt his eye through rubbing against the ground in the alley while he was lying on his back? In which case there may be no head injury present.

I'm no expert, and there are many people here that are, but your pigeon does have some similar sounding behaviour to our young woodie.

Good luck! Well done in rescuing this poor pidge. xx


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Miloko...that's really good advise.

I wish we knew for sure what really happened to get this poor bird in the condition he is in.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

If there are 'yellow' tinted Urates, it would be a good idea to treat for Trichomoniasis/Canker, and, a.s.a.p.

Probably a systemic oral antibiotic would be good to do also.


And to continue rehydration solution today.


Window bumped heads do not cause both eyes to be crusty or infected.

If unable to see, Pigeons tend to have slow tiltings of the Head, and or to move their heads slowly like Stevie Wonder, far as that goes...with no need for head trauma to be causing it.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

He seems to be doing a little better. After re-hydrating him hourly (he drinks each time) and cleaning his eye with a warm, wet compress and swabs he is opening and looking around with both eyes! Still doing the head tilt but he seems to have a little bit better balance. Enough that he has been standing all day. I take him out twice daily and set him on my porch, sitting with him, to see if he moves his wings or gives any indication of being able to move around with any direction. No luck yet. I offered half a grape and he wasn't interested. I'll continue with the re-hydrating and eye cleaning and see how he looks tomorrow.

His poop looks 100% normal! Black with some white and a good amount of clear, watery stuff.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I need advice on what to do next. There is a wildlife 'ambulance' that picks up injured wildlife and takes it to a rehabilitation sanctuary. The place is: www.sarveywildlife.org There is a drop-off location near me and they pick up on Mondays (tomorrow). I don't want to have him transported if the chances are that he will be put down as to me he doesn't seem to be in pain at all.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Serasha said:


> I need advice on what to do next. There is a wildlife 'ambulance' that picks up injured wildlife and takes it to a rehabilitation sanctuary. The place is: www.sarveywildlife.org There is a drop-off location near me and they pick up on Mondays (tomorrow). I don't want to have him transported if the chances are that he will be put down as to me he doesn't seem to be in pain at all.


Have you talked to this center about taking the pigeon? This is an extremely well respected wildlife center, but I don't really know their take on pigeons. 

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Hi, Serasha. I'm south of Seattle and just catching up on this thread. Thanks for offering such good support to this pigeon. Sarvey Wildlife is a great organization and one of the few places which might take pigeons. I agree with Terry that calling them first would be a good idea.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

I called them last night and didn't get an answer. Left my name, phone number, and said I had an ill or injured pigeon and wanted to know if they would take it. I haven't heard back yet.

The pigeon is in the same condition today as yesterday, which is stable enough. He will drink if I hold his beak to re-hyrdration solution and he will swallow small chunks of food that I place inside his beak. So far, he seems to really enjoy grapes and some organic, sprouted wheat bread. Typical Seattle resident. 

He is using both eyes now and he has been for about 12 hours. He is still doing the slow head listing thing. And if he falls over he cannot move himself back into a standing position. Both of his wings appear in good condition. His stool and urine are still normal - a dark greenish and white watery. He has no balance at all.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

Oh, he seems to have little lice-like bugs that live in his feathers. I have found a couple on my skin after handling him. Is this anything to be too worried about?


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Hopefully, Sarvey Wildlife will respond today.

Regarding food, you might try thawed frozen peas and corn. They are easy to hand feed and are nutritionally better than grapes and bread. Another option is soaked small dog kibble (which are mostly mixed grains). Many pet stores have small sample bags for low cost.

Regarding the lice-like bugs, they are most likely pigeon mites which don't bite people. You can take care of them easily with cat flea powder (pet shops) or Sevin powder (garden shops). (Avoid dog products - many are toxic to birds.) Just sprinkle some under his wings , on his back, and on his belly. Be careful to protect his head with your hand while dusting as you don't want him to inhale it or get any in his eyes.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

Oh, okay. I have both frozen peas and corn. Should I give them whole or cut-up? I was peeling the grapes and giving him itsy bitsy pieces.


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## Serasha (Jun 27, 2010)

Great news! I spoke with Sarvey and they said they would take him! I dropped him off at one of Sarvey's drop-off locations and he will be picked up tomorrow and taken to their rehabilitation center. I had mixed emotions dropping him off because I really wanted to keep him but I know that this is what is best for him and that I probably helped him out by taking him in for a few days.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Serasha said:


> Great news! I spoke with Sarvey and they said they would take him! I dropped him off at one of Sarvey's drop-off locations and he will be picked up tomorrow and taken to their rehabilitation center. I had mixed emotions dropping him off because I really wanted to keep him but I know that this is what is best for him and that I probably helped him out by taking him in for a few days.


Excellent! You definitely helped him out by providing support, safety, and hydration. Thank you!!!


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