# Wild Pigeon with hurt wing, what do I do



## just me (May 30, 2012)

My cat got a Pigeon yesterday but I managed to get to the pigeon before she finnished the pigeon off. I brought the Pigeon in and put in my dog's kennel with some wild bird seed and water, Its right wing seems to be hurt (their are no scratches) it can't fly and sometimes holds the wing slightly lower. 
it has eaten and drunk, It does not appear to be in too much pain but it hates being locked up. 

Should I try to wrap its wing? what are Its chances of flying again? and how do I help it adapt to being locked up?

thanks for any comments


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Thank you for helping the bird. You did very good in keeping him confined for now even though he might not like it.
Please do check thoroughly for any puncture wounds, they might be so small you might not be able to see them right away and they might result in infection. 
You can wrap the wing if you can, I'm never good at it, but if you keep the bird confined it will heal eventually, give it about a week.
Before you let him go back out, you will have to give him some time out of the cage to practice flying in a room, just to make sure he is 100% again.

Reti


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

PLEASE do make sure there or no scratches or injuries from the cat, if so the bird has to be antibiotics to survive.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

As a matter of fact, I will go beyond that, even. I think there MUST be a puncture or scratch or abrasion somewhere even if it is not bleeding, etc. Or even a bit of cat salive which has somehow made itsway onto the Pigeon's tissue somewhere....

I would say, you HAVE to start antibiotics within the next 48 hours.

Birds cannot 'fight off' infections the way mammals do. They are so small, and their circulatory systems so finite, that they will succumb to even the smallest wound very quickly.

Do you have any on hand...either Pet or Human grade ? Penicillin, Amoxycillin, Augmentin, Cephalexin, Ceclor, Cipro/Baytril/Enroflaxin, Ampicillin, anything like that ?

Where are you located ?

If you do not have any, you can order from Jedds.com ; call them and have them express mail/overnight it:

http://www.jedds.com/-strse-Medicine->>-e.Coli-fdsh-Paratyphoid-cln-Penicillin/Categories.bok

or

http://www.jedds.com/Detail.bok?cat...xicillin,+tablets&no=1093&searchpath=12442897

You have done very well so far, thank you for saving your pal. But you really do need to start some antibiotic. Either of these can just be given orally; either by cutting up the pill or by crushing it and mixing with a proper amount of water then administering with a plastic syringe (Jedds has those too of you prefer that method).


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

I agree with Jaye. Please start antibiotics ASAP. Not seeing blood does not mean there's no injury. Unlike mammals' fur, feathers make it quite hard to tell if there is a puncture underneath because of the way they lock back over the injury. I recently rescued an attacked pigeon with barely any external signs of an attack, only to discover a huge gash (that needed stitches) on its neck, that became only visible after a lot of plucking of feathers. There was no bleeding, and not even a feather out of place in the area.


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## just me (May 30, 2012)

Thank you for all of your help, nycpigeonlady I think your right I looked over him again but didn't see any scratches but I think they may be very well hidden.

I don't have any antibiotic? I am afraid that if I order some from Jedds.com it will come to late the bird is not doing well he hasn't eaten or drunk all day and now he is plucking feathers. could I pick some up at a pet store? how much would I give a bird?


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

I believe Jedd's can overnight them to you. Or could you perhaps ask around your relatives if someone has some on hand - you'll only need a few pills if it is a human antibiotic.


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

You'll also need to monitor if he's eating and drinking and hand feed if he's not doing it on his own. Sometimes it can be hard to say if he's eating if you are not there, so the amount and size of the droppings is a good indicator of what's going on. About thirty solid looking poops a day is good. Keep in mind that a pigeon will keep pooping even when it's not eating because they poop and pee at the same time, so it's only the solid part of the poop that represents digested food. When a bird goes without food for a while, it will produce along with the white part (urine and urates) a small amount of green solid-like matter - like a dab of artists oil paint. That is actually not food but bile and indicates a bird is starving. 

If he's not eating you can pop defrosted peas at the back of his mouth, twice a day about 50 per feeding. They also have moisture in them to keep him hydrated if he's not drinking.


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