# Limping with a swollen toe



## txri (May 30, 2017)

Hello!

So I've had my pigeon for quite some time, i would like to say probably more than 10 years. Throughout the years there had been incidents where there were threads around its toes, which was quickly removed, yet a while ago we had noticed that one of its toes was starting to swell up. We had thought that it could be because of the strings throughout the past years that it might have gotten too close. We had also thought of it possibly being bubblefoot (since its usually one of the most frequent replays that are left here) though it doesn't look like it.

We are extremely worried that its toe will fall off... its swollen, and sadly, it can barely stand on it now. It wasn't so bad before, it could still walk around, but now it is balancing on one foot simply due to the pain.

We dont have a vet for our pigeon since not many vets deal with pigeons in our area. But we want to know if there's anything that we can do from home.

We'be tried calming the pain with water or carining our pigeon to its food ect.
Please help! (With a possible diagnosis, treatment, or any other recommendations)


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Pics of the foot would help. If it is swelling past the point where there was string injuring the toe before, then there could be scar tissue there that is still restricting the circulation to the toe. That sometimes does happen with string injuries. Removing it only will cause more scar tissue to form, and it is not soft tissue that grows with the toe. It is stiff and forms a ring around the toe, just as if the string were still there. Don't think there is much you can do.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I had this happen with one of my house pigeons and eventually had the toe amputated. It was done under light anaesthetic and a couple of tiny dissolvable stitches put in the wound - my vet must have a very keen eye and steady hand, lol. Gabriel was much better without that useless toe and you wouldn't even notice he's one toe missing now. I too thought it was an old fibre injury because I couldn't see the thread but that's because it was deeply imbedded in his skin. So glad I had the toe off and with antibiotics and anti inflammatory meds he was soon right as rain.


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## txri (May 30, 2017)

Sorry these are the pictures of the toe... also does your vet specialize in birds? 
*does anyone happen to know any vets in the GTA?*


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He would be better off without the toe as Freda's bird is. But it needs to be done by a vet with anesthesia and antibiotics.

Can you not google for one in your area, or ask a regular vet where you can bring him.
Hard to tell if it is the scar tissue, or if something is still tying off the toe circulation, like a string or hair.


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