# Feral pigeon injured foot and wing



## EricaInAbuDhabi (Jul 20, 2014)

Found an injured bird here in the ground in Abu Dhabi (Dubai's neighbor). The government said they don't have rescue for pigeons.

He appears to have a broken right foot and injured right wing. When found he was pulling himself along to get into the shade (you have no clue how hot the sun is in summer here). He drinks water fine, actually with vigor at first. He's not too interested in eating but we've only tried for 5 hours and he rested after we got him home.

He cannot stand on his right leg, and the right wing seems really guarded unlike the left which he allowed my husband to stretch out. Initially he held it out at a different angle than the other while pulling himself along when he was rescued, 

I've found online info about making a leg splint but the the wing splint I'm unsure about.

No I can't take him to the vet as it would be too expensive and maybe not possible. I'm emailing a an acquaintance who was a falcon specialist here for advice as well. 

Any advice for splinting a leg and wing? Any kind of illness that it sounds like instead? 

My husband is Egyptian and they love raising pigeons so he's had experience with friends who raise them and seems to think the same as I do, that his wing is injured and leg hurt.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

wing splits rarely work. Specially made by amateurs. Depends what bone is broken splint wont be much help unless surgery is performed to staple the bones.
I would really like to see the picture of his injuries.
He could have been hit by a car recently, and not necessarily does a wing have to be broken. 
Unless u plan on taking him to a veterinarian, time will tell if that wing was broken or not.
And the leg is easily splinted. 
As long as its aligned in the right position. 
If the wing is broken he will have to become a house pigeon.
And you found him for a reason. 
or he found you 
wish you could upload a pic of the injured wing and his leg


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## EricaInAbuDhabi (Jul 20, 2014)

Thanks for the reply Goga,

We just got done feeding him (he really didn't want to eat, and his food pouch up from was empty except water), thankfully hubby has experience with these little guys. It amazes me how sweet and docile they are. He was on the ground right by a parking lot so likely it was a car. The wing opens normally, but he doesn't pull it back to his body normally like the other. I can take a picture of the leg later, but I would feel bad to bring him out again right now as he's just been through a feeding.
I will take a photo of the wing too. He holds it unnaturally almost underneath him.
When palpating and moving the leg earlier, hubby believes it might be closer to the hip that it was broken. He also seems to have a broken toe on the other side and doesn't grip with it. If I didn't see him move so vigorously with his other wing and foot to pull himself out of the sun earlier, I would have thought he was paralyzed as he barely moves the other wing now too :-(

I was thinking of the splint for the wing, only if it is painful for him, maybe that will relieve the pain (like with a human dislocation or break).

Thanks for replies, they are appreciated.


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## EricaInAbuDhabi (Jul 20, 2014)

*Photos of Tito's foot & wing*

Here are the photos of his foot and wing. He's been through a second feeding now. He still doesn't want to eat voluntarily, but had more energy after the last feeding and was balancing a bit with the injured wing.


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## EricaInAbuDhabi (Jul 20, 2014)

*Injured pigeon photo*

I'm loading pics from my iPad and it seemed to let me only post one, so previous was wing, here's the foot.


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## EricaInAbuDhabi (Jul 20, 2014)

*Another pic of Tito the injured pigeon*

Here he is again. Really he's a very docile pigeon. He perked up after his second feeding. The hubby got bird feed seeds on the way home from work tonight. He is still drinking what seems like plenty of water. The foot hurts him when it's palpated, and my husband thinks it might be broken near the hip as it doesn't move normally there. Touching the wing and stretching it out doesn't bother him as much as the foot, so perhaps it's just bruised or has an injured muscle?


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

That is a very young pigeon. 
it is good that you decided to feed him, I mean your husband, because he might not even know how to eat on his own properly. 
However do offer him bird seed, he will pick on it on his own.
The leg can be splinted, just set it in the original position and keep it that way for at least 3 weeks.
The wing on the other hand cant be saved unless he goes to the doctor.
If he ends up not flying at all , he cant be released.
I had a lot of injured wings that turned out to be ok after a while. 
And some were never able to fly.
That is a very young bird. Not even two months old.
Good save, thank you for taking care of that baby. He is in good hands


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