# Sick Pigeon, Seizures



## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

*dove has seizures?*

Hi all. I am a new owner to 2 white young doves. they are rescues. one of them has gotten sick the last few weeks, head twisting, losing balance. i took him to the vet and she said he has an ear infection. 2 antibiotic shots later and he is not better. he had something like a seizure today and i had to take him out of the cage so he would not hurt himself. he was eating today and was sitting on the lowest perch for a little while. i dont feel like he has an ear infection. the other bird is okay though. i took them in overnight, like the vet told me too, but now they are loosing feather on head and neck like they are molting. i have them outside now with a red heating lamp. i dont know what to do do. i feel like the antibiotic did not help much. thank you, Petra


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Could be PMV, SALMONELLA/Paratyphoid.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Petra

When you say white doves, are they dove breeds such as white ringnecks, java doves, etc., or are they white pigeons (e.g., 'garden doves', fantails)?

Do you know the history of the birds? If one has a viral or bacterial infection, it will have picked it up from somewhere - generally from another sick bird. 

Do they mix with other pigeons/doves from whom the bird may have contracted an illness?

Most of this refers to pigeons:-

A bird who twists its neck so its head is almost upside down, but still moves around, could be suffering from a viral illness (see http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f107/pigeon-paramyxovirus-aka-pmv-ppmv-pmv1-pigeon-12250.html ). 

A bird which does this, but stays mostly still and lying down could have a bacterial illness (Salmonellosis), which antiobiotics should help, if they are the right ones for the job. 

If he is stretching his neck back wards, kind of arching his back, then it could be a blockage in the gullet which can be caused by food items of Canker. Check inside his mouth to see if it is clear (though vet probably did that).

If a bird has ear mites, it may shake its head and kinda turn it sideways, but without any other strange movements.

Finally ... check the droppings to see what consistency and color they are - that can be at least a guide to problems.


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

Thank you John and Dima!

The doves are pretty small and all white. I have no clue what breed they are. I have to ask the Vet. I got them from my neighbor when he moved away. They where out in the terrible heat (112 Fahrenheit) all summer with a towel on top of the cage. I rescued them, when he moved. I know he got them last year and he wanted to use them for a magic trick. I don't know of any history. They are not exposed to other birds, but they are outside on my patio in a large parrot cage. I cover them at night. Just changed to good seeds (Harrison's). The other dove has not been affected. She seems healthy , except for the current feather loss on neck and head. I have seen them picking each other. Should I bring them in for more antibiotic shots? They are very expensive. Is there something I can put in the water for them? thank you, Petra


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Petra

Well, I would not go for more antibiotics yet. If it is possible to eliminate some of the possible causes of the strange symptoms from consideration, maybe we can suggest less expensive options.

The neck twisting/seizures: maybe we can get a better idea about that, if you take a look at the kinds of symptoms I wrote about in my previous post? Let us know if anything I said there is kinda like what you've seen?

Feather loss: when you say about these two 'picking' each other, not sure what you mean. Are they pecking each other in an aggressive way, like fighting? Are they just making little nibbling motions around each others necks, as if they were cleaning the other bird?

See, it is possible to have feather loss through the molt, or because birds pull each others feathers or because they have mites which destroy or damage feathers. There can be other things, but those are common ones. If there were mites/bugs bothering them, that can quite easily be dealt with. 

A photo or two of the birds could be useful, too.


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

Hi John,

thank you for writing back. I have been watching my doves closely and I also 

read everything in the link that you have posted. Some of the symptoms apply.

He is doing the star gazing and head rolling, he has not had another fit/seizure 

since the last one.

I think he is scared to be touched and he is timid, like for 

instance he doesn't like louder noise, when I put food in, or open the cage. It

takes him an hour or so to perk up and when he does, he is sitting on the 

lowest perch, or is eating and cleaning himself. 

The female is the driving force

and he can't wait for her to come down from the highest perch to join him 

feeding. About the pecking, I have seen them gently cleaning each other on their

face and neck. Last time it looked more aggressive and it seemed like they were

pulling each others feathers out. 

When the Vet told me that it is too cold for them outside

and because he has an ear infection, I took them inside for a week at night ( like she suggested)

and had them 

in darkness in my bathroom. (I took them out in the morning back to their clean cage.)

Room temperature about 69 Degree F. I think they started

molting, because of that. I am keeping them outside now and I have a heading blanket set

on med. for the little guy to sit on, since it is 39 Degree F. right now. Thank you and I will post a picture a.s.a.p,

Petra


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Any sick pigeon should stay indoors at warm temperature with seeds and fesh water and vitamins until it get completely healthy.
Are you planing to do any medical treatment?


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

Hi Dima,

I have taken the dove for three antibiotic shots so far and he seems a little bit better.

I am giving them fresh veggies and Harrison's dove food along with plenty 

of other seeds.

He was sitting on the perch most of the day and sun bathing. I have both doves

currently outside in a covered cage with a heating blanket at the bottom.

I had them inside the house for a week and they started to molt. They have

lost quiet a few feathers on head and neck. I think it was too warm inside.

I am a newbie and trying my best.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Do you know what are the antibiotics shots for?
I hope those antibiotics are not for ear infection.
What a about take a sample of poop to the lab for testing.

Don't worry about molting..it will grow back. Temp should be just warm, not too cold, not hot.


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

The antibiotic shots were for the ear infection.


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

my dove was feeling good all day, but this evening when I covered the cage, he had another fit. tumbling and total loss of orientation. it took me some time to grab him and calm him down. I don't what is wrong with him


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

*my doves*

the top dove is the one with feather loss. the bottom one is the sick dove


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

*My dove has: PMV, or neurological problems?*

My dove ( a rescue ) has been having problems with balancing (falling off the perch, or having fits like uncontrollable rolling, tumbling, especially in the evening when I cover the cage. His head is tiled all the way back ( stargazing ) at this point. Last night he had a bad fit  I fear he will break a wing or his neck. During the day he is eating, sitting on the perch, acting totally normal! He has no tremors, droppings are normal too. I looked up PMV on you tube and his behavior is different. 
I took him to an Avian Vet, diagnosis: ear infection. A few antibiotic shots later and it has not gotten better!
Does anyone has a problem with their doves like that? What could it be?
I keep a very clean cage, Harrison's seeds with another big variety of other seeds, fresh veggies..... I have a heating blanket in the cage (set on med) to keep the chill out at night. We had cold nights.
Thank you for any replies & help!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

not sure if this helps, but I had a cockatiel do this same thing and the vet thought it was an ear infection too, she got medications and recoverd all though she tilted her head for a spell after but recoverd as if nothing happend. I still do not know what could of caused it..perhaps scratching the head and a toe nail got in and scratch something and got infected.


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

Thank you spirit wings.

Do you think I should continue the antibiotic shots? Or is there something else I can do?

I might keep him in a smaller cage at night, so he wont hurt himself while having the seizure in the evening.

Thanks


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Petra said:


> Thank you spirit wings.
> 
> Do you think I should continue the antibiotic shots? Or is there something else I can do?
> 
> ...


I would go with the vets advise on the how long the medications should be used. may even want to give nystatin after to prevent yeast infection because of the antibiotics, you may want to mention it..then some probios offerd on the food or in the water. the smaller cage sounds safer at night. if these are seizures then that is neuro the ear infection will give them virtigo and seem like a seizure.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

The poop is watery on the newspaper. You should take a sample of it, fresh and take it to your vet for a lab test.
Feathers are not so much lost. I've seen worse. Do not worry about it now.


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

Thank you Dima for your help. 
Yes, the poop was watery, it was a picture from last week. It has gotten better, but I will take a sample. 
I will take him in for another shot this week.

I just isolated him in a small carrier over night. I am glad he did not have another seizure. He is stargazing right now. Should I put the female dove with him? It's a smaller carrier.

Thank you so much!


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## Petra (Feb 21, 2013)

Hi spirit wings,

I will take him in for another shot this week and I will mention the other medication and probiotic to the vet. 
I took him in overnight, so he won't have another fit/seizure. He seems fine in the small carrier. He is just stargazing... will he be okay alone? they have never been separated ? 


thank you for all your help! 

p.s. I will have his droppings checked too, someone else recommended it.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Petra said:


> Thank you Dima for your help.
> Yes, the poop was watery, it was a picture from last week. It has gotten better, but I will take a sample.
> I will take him in for another shot this week.
> 
> ...


his poop is going to be not so good because of the antibiotic, testing it when he is on meds won't tell you anything. if he has questionable droppings after a few weeks of no antibiotic then I would think of testing then.


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