# Exposed Bone ~ Please Advise...



## Pixie (Sep 26, 2002)

I have a pigeon here with an injured wing. Definitely will not be able to fly again. 

Anyway, he has a small area on his wing, near the radius and ulna where there is a small amount of necrotic material and a large hard swollen area surrounding it. 

I have been working on it a bit thinking it was a necrotic "plug" and that it would loosen and pop out. Now I am beginning to think that it is a piece of exposed and dead bone. 

It looks like the skin is trying to grow over it and I am wondering if it is exposed and dead bone ( as long as he is antibiotics) is it ok to let the skin grow over it ?

The bone is not sticking out, just a small area where the skin and muscle have been torn away to reveal an area of bone that I assume has died. 

As for the large hard area surrounding the wound, am I correct that it might be the new bone growth ( bone callus) ?

Alternatively, it is a big hard ball of infectious material..and that is my worst fear. I will try to get a pic up tomorrow.

Any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated

~ Pixie


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,

I'm no expert but I had a bird, (still have her as she was unreleasable), and she had a terrible wound on the ulna/radius. The bone was broken and exposed and eventually a small piece of bone came away, so I knew she wouldn't fly again.
I'll post the photos I took at the time. It took a while by gently bathing to get all the muck away as it had dried hard and formed a mass.
I took her to a vets and she recommended amputation in case an infection set up. I decided not to go down that route and see how it went.

I have to say, if you saw it now, you wouldn't actually know there was a problem inside. It did heal over, it took quite a while, I had to keep removing the scabs as it went along until it healed from inside the hole.

She also has a reasonable amount of flight after all. She has strong shoulders and is able to fly up to about three feet, so I'm so glad I didn't go for the amputation.
I'll post some of the pictures I took at the time to see if it is any way similar to your bird's injury.

This was early on after it had been completely cleaned, you can see the exposed bones.









This was after a couple of weeks as it started to heal over.









I would recommend bathing it in warm saline solution to see if once softened anything comes away.

Without seeing it, I don't know if this is similar, but all I can say is in this case, the skin did grow over and although a piece of bone is missing, she still has some good use in the wing.

I'm sure you'll get some better practical advice from others soon, but I do hope it turns out ok,

Janet


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## Pixie (Sep 26, 2002)

Yeah..after regular flushing of the wound the last few days I am pretty sure it is bone. Think I will just get her on antibiotics let the skin heal over it and she'll be fine...

Thanks for the pics and info !


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

I hope it heals up ok. Let us know how it goes,

Janet


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## jameswaller (Nov 4, 2008)

have you considered an avian specialist,the bird is in obvious pain,and in need of antibiotics etc,james waller


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