# pidgey care



## Pidgyfriend (Aug 31, 2017)

Hello there everyone, I love pigeons unlike most people and often pick up sick and injured feral pigeons to help them! 

I know some about pigeons as I used to work in a Wildlife hospital, but obviously I'm no expert.

so can anyone suggest a book that has useful information on the health, diseases and treatment for pigeons? to help me care for feral pigeons please

Thanks


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Coming on here and reading the older threads would help you to learn. Knowing what the common illnesses are and looking them up online and learning about them. Looking up things like common meds and dosages. Like pigeon formularies. Only have more than one because you will get different info from the different ones. Coming on and reading through different posts will help you. If you have questions just ask. Welcome to Pigeon Talk.
And If you are on Facebook, I suggest you join the Pigeon Rescue group which is a network of rescuers and some rescue centres in the UK:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PigeonProtection/


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## Pidgyfriend (Aug 31, 2017)

Thanks, 
So there are no good books that you know of? I would like a good book so a lot of the info is in one place. 
I have looked up online several times and it gets frustrating, as like you said you get different info on each site. 

I have a feral pigeon at the moment which has paratyphoid, I have it on Baytril now (which i practically had to fight the vet for) but anyways, the wing joint at the wrist was badly swollen and has gone down a lot since being on the meds. I am worried now though as he has the infectious arthritis that comes from this and can not use his wing now  the joint itself is badly swollen and he cant lift it properly. 
He still isn't eating however which I assumed he would be by now? do you know if there is anything else I can do to help? 

Thank you for any help


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am not a vet. We have a copy of the book by Harrison and Harrison. There are a lot of good avian med boos on Google. Our vet wrote one that I am sure is outstanding.
https://www.elsevier.com/books/curr...edicine-and-surgery/unknown/978-1-4557-4671-2


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How are you sure he has paratyphoid? What tests did the vet do?

That is probably a very good book, but expensive at $165.00


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Suggest you look for a used copy on ebay or amazon.
Also some older texts are available free onlopine.
http://avianmedicine.net/publication_cat/avian-medicine/


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster said:


> Suggest you look for a used copy on ebay or amazon.
> Also some older texts are available free onlopine.
> http://avianmedicine.net/publication_cat/avian-medicine/


Hadn't even thought about ebay. Good idea.


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## Pidgyfriend (Aug 31, 2017)

Hello, 
thank you for the book suggestion I will definitely see if I can find a cheaper copy,
And the vet did not do any tests, unfortunately i am having trouble finding a vet in my area that knows much about pigeons. I called 4 different ones when I got him and not one even new what canker was! it is a self diagnosis based on it symptoms, the baytril has worked well and all the swelling has gone down! 

I am just having issues with the swollen join now, and the fact that he just is not showing any interest in food at all. his poo is also now very watery and loose and he is starting to throw up the food i give him  I think he might have something else too, its just figuring and what and being able to get the treatment! 

any help please? 

xx


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

You could send a poo sample to this place for analysis. I use them for sexing my birds and they are really good, not expensive either. 
http://www.animalgenetics.eu/Avian/avian-index.html

The pigeon group may know of a vet near you that's good with pigeons, there are two good vets at the practice I use but I'm in Southend, Essex and probably not near you. 
I'm having trouble getting my head around baytril helping with either paratyphoid or arthritis since ab's are used for infection and not inflammation or virus' - that may be why the vet was reluctant, especially as we have to be careful using ab's for things they won't work on. I'd think meloxicam would have been better for both tbh - unless of course the swelling is actually an infection.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Freda, Paratyphoid isn't a virus. It is caused by bacteria. Baytril is the first go to drug for treating it. And usually, but not always works the best.

Pidgyfriend, With canker, they do vomit, and droppings are generally loose because they drink a lot of water. Then they usually go off their feed. Canker is probably the most common pigeon illness. It is caused by any kind of stress, either to the immune system, (like having another illness), or other stresses, like breeding, racing, just re-arranging their loft. Even the change in seasons can bring on canker. So often a pigeon down with another illness, will also have canker. Not really uncommon. You need to read up on the different illnesses and their causes, and it all makes more sense. 

As far as the Baytril you were treating him with, if it is Paratyphoid, then he should be treated for 3 weeks. They used to say 2 weeks, but then realized that a 2 week Baytril treatment would appear to bring a cure, but it did not cure the carrier stage. That is when a bird has been infected with paratyphoid and appears to get well, but he is now a carrier with no symptoms and appearing healthy, but will go on the infect other birds, or babies that he hatches. They are now saying and have been for a while, 3 weeks to be sure to cure the carrier stage. And sometimes that isn't long enough. Sometimes more than one drug is used, because there are different strains out there, and some are more resistant and harder to get rid of than others.


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## Pidgyfriend (Aug 31, 2017)

hello, the pidgy is already on treatment for canker atm and so i am not really leaning towards it being that! i am thinking it may be a yeast infection due to the long term use of baytril? but i cant be sure without a test being done i geuss 

thank you for the suggestion of that site, i will definitely have a look and see if they can help me out here! it would be nice to know exactly what it is so i can get him the correct treatment already! 

xx


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Thanks for that info Jay, I thought there wasn't a treatment for it but I think I've got it mixed up with PMV. Is paratyphoid another term for salmonella?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Freda, it is caused by a Salmonella bacteria. I thought afterwards that maybe you were thinking of PMV. Here's and article you can check out.

https://www.pipa.be/en/newsandartic...st-frequent-bacterial-diseases-racing-pigeons


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Pidgyfriend said:


> hello, the pidgy is already on treatment for canker atm and so i am not really leaning towards it being that! i am thinking it may be a yeast infection due to the long term use of baytril? but i cant be sure without a test being done i geuss
> 
> thank you for the suggestion of that site, i will definitely have a look and see if they can help me out here! it would be nice to know exactly what it is so i can get him the correct treatment already!
> 
> xx


How long has he been treated for canker?
It might be salmonella. And anytime they are on antibiotics, particularly Baytril, they should also be on Nystatin to keep yeast at bay.


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