# Pigeon both legs swollen plz help



## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

I read it could be an infection. I have a 10 week old and a 5 week old in a cage nearby. This one is in a separate cage. I applied an ointment. Can’t afford a vet right now. Would prefer to give it rest, water and food at my home instead of a wildlife center that would release it anywhere. 
The girl cannot stand and just puts all her weight on her breast. She’s been like this for at least 3-4 days that I’ve been trying to catch her. 
I don’t see any signs of string because someone who removed it most likely would’ve seen the damage and not released her immediately. Disease or attack? Usually, I see hawk attacked pigeons with one leg injuries.

At the park, she would rest on her breast spread her wings and eat seed. The unintended consequence was that she was mounted by different males several times.


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## John B (Sep 27, 2012)

*Pigeon with leg wounds*

Are there any patches of feathers missing? 

Do you have suspicions or concerns that string might have cause this? 

In the photo The left leg appears to have a little yellowing of the skin at the swollen joint. Does the photo show the yellowing properly? Give me any input on the yellowish skin/tissue. 

I'm glad the little soul has you taking care of her. While I do think she needs a Vet, I do understand that it is not feasible some times. There is a good probability that she needs antibiotics (infection as you mentioned).

I get three maybe four pigeons/doves a year with similar wounds and there could be many different reasons for the wounds ,however keeping the wounds clean is first course.
Just a suggestion: I mix a 50/50 ratio of iodine & hydrogen peroxide. Typically I would use a cotton swab or clean paint brush and apply to all affected areas.


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

It’s nearly 10 pm in California. She’s asleep. I applied Curad 500 units of Bacitricin Zinc. I’m afraid I’m also past the photo attachment limit for this thread.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You can delete photos from your old posts, then you will be able to upload more. Can't exactly remember how, you will need to go to your profile to do this.

I think there must still be stuff embedded in the skin and that's what causing the infection.Take a flashlight and a magnifier and check. Will help if someone can hold the pigeon, cover her head with lightweight cloth to calm her.

Why can't the wildlife centre help you (stay there while they do what is necessary). Tell them you want to learn and are prepared to care for her until she is well enough to be released.

Can you get antibiotics containing amoxycillin (sold as Betamox capsules) from a pharmacy?


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

I can order the powder from Jedds but it will take too long. I will tend to her wound later today. Wildlife centers here are too rigid.


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

I have film coated tablets of a relative that’s expired. 500 mg amoxicillin and 125 mg Potassium Clavulanate. Is that alright? Should I give a small piece of the tablet?


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## John B (Sep 27, 2012)

*antibiotics*

Dissolve one 500mg tab/pill into 50ml of hot water (approximately 1.75oz)

Dosage is .04 per 25 grams of weight.

average pigeon will require .5cc 2x a day. Shake very well before dosing


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

I don’t have a synringe to accurately measure the liquid dosage. Kindly advise what portion of the solid pill I can just put down her throat. Maybe a 1/8th piece? Just FYI, the relative hasn’t expired but the medication has but it’s the best I have right now.


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## John B (Sep 27, 2012)

Alternate dosing: 1/100th of a 500mg tab/pill 2x a day

Personally, the wildlife center is looking pretty good right now.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I always give 12 mg amoxycillin per 100 gr birdweight. So if he weighs 300 gr, he will need about 35 g twice daily. You can crush the 500 mg tablet into 10 heaps, and then divide each heap into 2, so that you end up with 20 heaps of 25 mg each. Then you can divide until you have the 35 mg. Best way to give, take a small piece of moist bread, cover this with the meds and put deep inside the beak for him to swallow.

Unfortunately, if there is still some stuff embedded in the leg then the antibiotics won't help in the long run.


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

I cleaned both her legs where the slight visible wounds are with a paper towel and hydrogen peroxide. Then I massaged the Bacitricin zinc into her legs. I also gave her a very small piece of the 500 mg Amoxycillin. Thank you for the name Marina and thanks to John for suggesting to clean with hydrogen peroxide and iodine. I don’t have iodine but have plenty of hydrogen peroxide stocked up for daily Covid 19 cleaning. 

The good news is that she is trying to stand on at least one leg which was impossible for her to do at the park. She is also eating well. She is unable to stand and drink from the bowl properly so I dip the tip of her beak into
The water bowl. She only drinks when she’s very thirsty otherwise she just shakes her head.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

They prefer to drink water after they have eaten. So every time she has finished eating, you can offer her water and also inbetween. I hope she makes a speedy recovery.


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

The right leg is still swollen and the red part of the leg has been removed during injury and then cleaning. I gave her 2.5 days of antibiotics, put bacitricin ointment on her feet for 5 days. She can stand now and wants out of the cage but her leg is still swollen. The wound looks clean to me. In the left leg, the swelling has almost gone.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Rather give antibiotics for a week and see how it goes. If only the one leg makes a full recovery, this will already help her.


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