# Is it a cat/dog attack???



## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

Today I rescued a feral pigeon that was in a flock of others I was feeding. It was laying down, trying to eat some seeds. When I got it home I examined it in the bathroom, and it has what may be infected bites, no puss, just swollen lumps that are skin colored, irregular in shape(s), about 3 of them, quite hard to the touch, about the size(s) of a quarter, so I put the bird on baytril, one tab. Mouth appears clear of canker lumps. Crop had hardness to it, so may have canker in the crop, I will wet the feathers to see if that is seed in there, or not. Should I take it to the vet for assessment, or just treat it myself for canker, cocci and salmonella? It is eating seeds with enthusiasm. I have a small dish of tepid water with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar in it. Bird is alert, eyes, shiny, it listens to me when I speak; it is a young feral (beak is still pink). Is there anything else someone can suggest that I do for this young one. I very much appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. Can post a pic of the lumps if you want. It has not pooped yet, so no info there. lol


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Thank you for rescuing the young pigeon.
Please post some pics of the lumps. Are looking like skin swollen from the cat/dog bite or just lump skin. Take pics of the poop also. It can tell if the bird is sick of cocci.


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

*Is It A Cat/Dog Attack?*

Thank you, Dima, for your help, here is an update on the Pigeon I have named Tweeter: I took Tweeter to the Vet for wild birds the day after I found her, on Sunday, September 23rd for an examination. It turned out the Tweeter had most likely been attacked by a bird of prey. We have a small hawk in area which has been preying on the ferals in the park where I feed them, and this hawk most likely attacked Tweeter. We (the Vet and I) also noticed she was having a problem with her right leg and was leaning over to the left, not standing. Upon exam of the leg and joints, the vet did not feel the leg was broken and felt that with some tlc and a couple of force feedings a day for about 4 weeks to get her weight up (275 kilos, a young fledgling, female), she should recover: HOWEVER, after 3 days of baytril, Tweeter is beginning to try and stand on her legs and, unfortunately, it appears that she has a "splayed leg condition" on the right. Her knee joint appears to go in toward the other leg , then splays out. Also, something very STRANGE: When she stands she keeps STAMPING HER FEET continuously, as if trying to get blood flow into the leg, but then again, I am wondering if she could be displaying a mild form of the PMV virus. She is eating less and if she does not eat more by the end of today (Tuesday, Sept. 25) I will begin force feeding her very 4 hours 50 peas. I am worried about the legs. Is there anything that can be done to correct the splayed leg condition? Will it require vet surgery or can it be corrected by a cast or splint of some sort? Also, could she survive out in the wild with such a leg condition? I would think she will be easy prey for any predator if she cannot push off quickly to hit the air fast enough to escape? Any suggestions are greatly appreicated. Please help me save this bird.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

She may be stomping because of mites. It would be a good idea to dust her.
At this point, there isn't anything you can do for the splay. You might ask the vet about surgery.
No...she never would survive in the wild as she is.
Did you ask about the lumps? sounds like they may be filled with pus. Bird pus is hard and doesn't ooze.
Remember to feed her only when the crop is empty. That could be 3 hours or 5 hours. She will let you know the schedule by the amount of time her crop takes to empty.
I would treat her for canker as you can't always tell by looking in the throat, if a bird has canker. I would also treat her for coccidia.


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

Thanks, Charis, however, the vet and I both noticed feather lice and she was swabbed down with pesticide in the vet office and will have it done again in the office in a week. Charis, I am sure this baby has splayed leg (right one). I know there have been prior postings of splayed leg(s) for pijjies, and I have been so busy, but am going to take the time to check past postings. I do not think that the vet would do a surgery for the leg for free, but would putting a cast on it help, do you think? If she will be crippled by it, I will keep her as a pet, as much as I would rather see her gain her freedom. If her stomping is not due to mites or lice as she has been treated for that, is she in fact stomping to get the numbness out of her leg? Also, her poops are normal, and she is now flying and walking a little on the leg as of today. On the baytril, even after the first 24 hours on it, the swelling (lumps) went down and the vet felt that the baytril was working well enough and did not feel she needed to to injectable antibiotics since abcesses can be a much more complicated thing to treat over just an infection. I am not sure I trust that judgment; I prefer Dr. Miller over this vet, but unfortunately, she is away and not available at the moment, but she will be back by the time I take Tweeter to be looked at again, and will ask to see Dr. Miller. Thanks in advance, hon. lol


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

*Is It A Cat/Dog bite?*

Charis: Yes, I am checking the crop before I feed Tweeter, and it has been empty. She is so cute, Charis, and is already spoiled rotten by me, and will not got to sleep unless she is put down with her "fuzzy lil' blankie" around her. lol


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

Okay, I have now checked back on a few posts regarding splayed leg, and I can see that (1) I need to get this bird x-rayed to ensure that the hip joint(s) are not dislocated in any way, as if they are, taping as indicated would not help. (Vet DID examine the bird and did tell me she did not find any problems in the joint(s). You would think she would have checked the hips too, but I cannot say she did for sure as she did not examine the bird IN FRONT OF ME. Will get x-rays tomorrow, and will ask for a taping of leg(s) if is is feasible to do it. lol


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

*Is It A Cat/Dog Bite?*

Just did some more research on the strange "foot tapping" which has increased in this pij this a.m. and I agree with you Charis, that my pigeon may have a terrible case of "red mites," or gnats going on. Poor thing seems to be in such agony with the "itch" this a.m. I have telephoned the vet and they will call back. On the thread I looked at it suggested the use of somehting called permethrin or perch oil to threat this. Would you recommend that and also, where would I be able to get some? i.e.: can it be purchased at a drug store? lol Anyone? Much appreciated. Sorry for my ignorance on this matter. lol.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If it is red mites, they come out at night and bother the birds. During the day, they hide in cracks and crevices. So if your bird is stoping all the time, I doubt if it is red mites. Could be some other kind of mite though. For red mites, there is a perch oil called "Dr. Pigeons Perch Oil. foy's sells it 
http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/pest-control/7032-dr-pigeons-perch-oil-32-oz

And N.E. Pigeon Supply (NEPS) sells it, a little cheaper even, but at the moment are out of stock.
http://www.nepigeonsupplies.com/parasite_products.htm 
Ivermectin or Scat, a couple of drops on the back of the neck, will rid him of mites, or you can pick up a bird spray for mites in any pet store. Also, Sevin 5% garden dust, or a Permethrin dust you buy at grain places will take care of them.


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

*Is It A Cat/Dog Attack??*

This is the final post for Tweeter ther pigeon. Tweeter was put on antibiotics for 10 days (baytril). Noticing that she had a problem with gnats and/or red mites, I dusted her swith sevin, which I was able to obtain from a feed lot/vet supply store. It took about 3 days for the tapping to finally stop. This pigeon made a remarkable recovery with meds and rehab. I continued to "rub down her legs" by massage 2ce a day (she loved this, and if a pigeon could actually stick out first one leg and then the other for the process, she was close to doing it, just loved the massage). This seems to do wonders for her mild right leg splay. She began to take off and land like crazy, exercising it for the next 8 days. The leg began to strength, and visibly straighten the mild splay, and she put on upper thigh muscle whick had previously been lacking. She had initially very "thin" legs. Once feeling better she was the most determied pij I have ever rehabbed in her quest to "get out" of the apartment. If there was the least crack of light coming through the window, she tried non-stop to get out through it. She got so strong that she did not want me to catch her anymore, and took off if I tried to get her, so I gave her 2 more days rehab, then released her into the flock she came from. Here flight/fright responses were normal when re-introduced into the flock, so, Tweeter has "flown the coop." and I wish to thank you Dima and Charis for your helpful information regarding the rehabbing of this pigeon.lol


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