# Pigeon with a mouth sore



## Mathew (Jun 16, 2002)

One of my four pigeons has had a swelling on one side of the bottom half of his beak. Inside his mouth is the yellow 'cottage cheese' like substance. I asked my vet and she said all she'd know to do is to remove the growth. She suggested just waiting it out which I have been doing. 

The pigeon has been eating fine, and in fact the swelling has gone down the past week. I've been checking inside the mouth daily to be sure it's not working it's way down the throat. It seems to be lessening inside the the mouth as well.

I think he's going to be allright but I would like to know what it is he has as I can't it online easily. Is it an infection of some kind? Thankyou!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hello, Mathew

It could be a number of things including canker and your vet should have made a firm diagnosis! To be on the safe side don't touch the growth yourself, that can cause a bleed or or the pigeon could inhale and asphyxiate.

Can you get your hands on any canker remedies (eg Spartrix or Flagyl)?

Cynthia


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## WhiteWingsCa (Mar 1, 2002)

my guess would be canker.

DO NOT let the vet "cut it out". The bird 

1. needs to be quarantined from the other birds. If they are sharing drinkers/feeders, it can be spread

2. Treated, asap, for canker. For this, you need proper PIGEON medication. We always keep on hand tablets so birds can be individually dosed.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

...and you must also treat all your pigeons for canker at the same time. One Spartrix tablet per adult (half for a young bird) should protect your other pigeons.

Cynthia


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Yes as everyone stated it's probably canker and a bad case since it's pushing out the bottom beak, Do you have Spartrix, You will need some right away.. I had a pigeon with a bad case and just caught her in time, this canker can block the throat or the windpipe and she could die..

And as Cynthia and Janine posted, DON'T Remove the pieces, it can bleed dangerously.
If you give 1 tablet or spartrix each day for about 4-5 days it will be gone.

Mary


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Good morning Mathew,
Did you speak with the vet on the phone or personally take your pij into the office? I guess that's irrelevant actually.
This is a 'classic' example of the importance in making sure your vet specializes in avain medicine. 
I am not implying that all vets are incompetant, rather, a 'general medicine' vet is unfamiliar & in most cases without knowledge of avain illnesses & diseases.
I realize in some cases a general vet is the only recourse. In this instance, however, it could have been catastrophic for your pigeon & most certainly heartbreaking for you.
Thanks for checking in with us.
Please let us know how your little one is doing.
Cindy


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Mathew,

Ditto on all the suggestions to treat immediately for canker. You can buy Spartrix on-line from the large pigeon supply houses (Foy's, Global, Siegal). It is inexpensive (around $12.00 for 50 tablets), and you need to get started treating your birds right away.

Terry Whatley


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

Hi Mathew
Just wanted to reiterate what everyone else has said - this is a dire situation and without the correct meds your pigeon's life is in danger. You do need to treat all your others as well.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Helen, there are hatchlings involved...do you have any advice on dosing the parents that are crop feeding and how to protect the chicks?

Cynthia


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

Cynthia
The problem with parents feeding chicks is that it is impossible to treat both parents and chicks if they are left together. If you dose the parents AND the chicks then the parents will pass some of the drug to the chicks with the result that the chicks get overdosed and the parents get underdosed. If you only dose the parents then both parents and chicks will be underdosed. It is impossible to predict just how much of the drug will be passed to the chicks from the parent's system.
The only solution in this circumstance is to separate parents and chicks and dose them all and hand rear the chicks I'm afraid.
However, if the chicks are not showing any symptoms as yet, then leave them with the parents and don't dose parents or chicks until either the chicks are weaned or they start to show symptoms, which ever is the earlier. The other pigeons of course must be seperated if they are being treated as they would be reinfected by the parents who are not being dosed. 
Of course this will only apply if the pigeons are being dosed indiviually. Some people dose by putting the medication in the water, but this is a bit of a hit and miss affair, especially if the mouth- and therefore the appetite, is involved, and definately a no no for those feeding chicks.
In my veterinary experience, the only way to successfully treat any condition is to apply the hard work involved and treat each pigeon individually on a daily basis. That way you can be sure they are getting the correct dose for their body weight, and they reach the correct antibiotic level systemically and maintain that correct level throughout the course - and most important to finish the course. Any less may result in resistant bacteria mutations developing.
Hope this helps.


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