# Help I found a Dove



## melina (Sep 14, 2006)

I pulleda young dove out of the mouth of my neighbours cat. It has feathers and looks like almost all its baby 'fluff' has gone although it still has a youngsters beak. It has cuts on its back and is missing quite a few feathers it cannot fly. I put it in a box andkept it quite half expecting the worst but the plucky little fellas picked up. I thought i would try and give him some water and soaked a little bread to get at least fluid into him but what do they eat at this age? he is nearly fully grown.. even though he does still have the wide mouth baby beak. please advise as i would love to try and pull him though 
thanks


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Hi Melina,

thank you for rescuing this little dove. 
Sounds like s/he should be able to eat on his own, did you offer him Dove seeds and water?
Depending on your location most pet stores do carry dove mix.

Mostly I would worry about his wounds. Cat bites can be deadly to birds because of all the bacteria they carry. I hope it won't be the case with this little one.
Did you clean out the wounds? If you can wash them out with saline or just plain water if no saline is available, and then after drying the wound you can apply silvadene or neosporin cream.
The best would be if you can get from a vet some Clavamox and give it orally.
Where are you located? Maybe we have members nearby who could help you out.

Also keep the bird warm and quiet.

Reti


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Melina, 


Oh boy...a little Dove youngster saved form the perils of a Cat...!

Thank you for rescueing them..!

As Reti mentioned, there is a quite urgent need for this little Dove to be put on a regimen of appropriate anti-biotics, so she does not die in two days or three of Pasturella infecetons in her system.

Even if she seems to have perked 'up' for now, this is a very real and urgent concern for her.

Too, if not yet a self feeder, little Doves can be pretty hard to feed if one does not have all the Secret Masonic Handshakes to 'do' for them to accept one as a surrogate parent, for them TO let you feed them, for them to willingly eat...

And to force feed them is no fun for you or them, and will reliably alienate the little Bird so it will not trust you for anything from then on, so it all can get pretty akward.

So, if you are near any experienced re-habbers, this would be a course to pursue and fast, too.

If you end up having to do it, I would be glad to try and walk you through it, but regardless, for now, that little Dove needs the right meds and as soon as possible.

Usually, if they have a systemic Pasturella infection, they look fine for day one, most of day two, start to get droopy, and are dead on day three or so.

Older larger heavier Birds can go longer sometimes, but not much longer.

So, let us know your location in case we can recommend any sympathetic Vets or rehabbers in your area...


Best wishes!
Phil
Las Vegas


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## melina (Sep 14, 2006)

thankyou for your information i am in selby north yorkshire. the little dove will alow me to feed him/her by tapping gently the side of the mouth he she will open up for food i will pick up some dove food today. i did clean the wounds with salt water (1 teaspoon of salt to 1pint of water) the dove is warm and in a quite area with fresh news paper for him/her to sit on. The dove seems quite alert this morning but if you do know of a local vet that will help with any medication to help the dove it would be greatful if not i will take it to my vet (homefield vets selby).
I have hand reared several animals in my past cats, dogs, rabbits but never a bird al advice is willingly accepted thanks
yours 
melina


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for rescuing the young dove from the neighbors cat.

I will let our UK members know of your location, in case you need further assistance.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Melina,


It is always safest to put cat caught doves on Synulox as soon as possible when they have been caught by a cat. I give 1/4 of a 50mg tablet for the first dose and then continue with 1/8 of a tablet twice a day, the whole course is 7 days. But vets often inject once with synulox, not ideal, but it avoids stressing the bird.

They fledge very quickly, at 17 - 21 days, so it should be OK to give it wild bird seed. Otherwise chick crumbs soaked in hot (not boiling) water for half an hour and rolled into little pea sized pellets...I dip each pellet in water before putting it into the beak.

Let us know how you and Dovey are getting along!

Cynthia


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Too, if you can count the daily poops of the little Dove, you can have some idea of how much they are eating or being fed.

You should be seeing maybe 35 - 45 small well formed poops in 24 hours.

If the count is significantly less, then the Youngster is not eating or being fed anywhere near enough to maintain thsmeleves.

Is the Dove 'nuzzleing' at all? Probing your fingers with her Beak?

Better hurry on that Sinulox...

They can look fins for the first couple days, then it is too late if you awit till they are droopy.

Make some calls in your area, see if you can find a sympathetic Vet or recommendations from them for a rehabber.

Sometimes our members will have info for various people's areas, sometimes not...


Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

pdpbison said:


> Make some calls in your area, see if you can find a sympathetic Vet or recommendations from them for a rehabber.
> 
> Sometimes our members will have info for various people's areas, sometimes not...


Hi Melina,

I have listed 3 places that I can find in North Yorkshire - one is in Selby and he does birds!! However whether he is still doing this I don't know as unsure how up to date the information is - but it's worth a call if you think you need some help. 

Tania xx

Name: Glebe Wildlife Centre
Url:
Address: The Glebe , Westgate Carr Road , Pickering , North Yorkshire , YO18 8LX
Contact Name: Val Waddington
Phone: 01751 474937 
Email:
Species Cared For: All Wildlife
Other Info:


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*Name: Selby Wildlife Rescue
Url:
Address: The Kestrels , Chapel Haddlesey , Selby, North Yorkshire , YO8 8QQ
Contact Name: David MacKay
Phone: 01757 270204 
Email:
Species Cared For: Birds Only*Other Info:


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Name: Wildlife Sanctuary
Url:
Address: 5 Orchard Road , Sleights , Whitby, North Yorkshire , YO22 5BY
Contact Name: Joan Davis
Phone: 01947 810101 
Email:
Species Cared For: All Wildlife up to Badger size
Other Info:


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