# Food or fluid in air sac!?



## Gypsy eyes (Sep 10, 2015)

Hello all,
I have my first emergency, I believe one of my squeakers got a tiny bit of either Kaytees or water in its airsac. I've had them for six days now, and everything has been going quite well until today. When I was feeding using the syringe and tip of glove method I'm not sure how it happened exactly but I'm sure the little thing breathed in a bit of food. Immediately I could tell the difference in its voice, like someone with congestion. I realize that this could cause pneumonia or another serious infection. I'm really not sure what to do, the little one seems fine except for the sound I can hear when it chirps or breathes. I understand these things can get bad rather quickly. Can anyone make a suggestion as to what my next steps should be? Also, the squeaker is approximately two weeks old but I'm not entirely sure. I'll post pics soon. Please and thank you!!


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Can you see a vet if it is your pet bird?


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## Gypsy eyes (Sep 10, 2015)

The closest bird specialist I've found doesn't seem too far away, I'll call in the morning and see if I can make an appointment. Although I am a bit worried that I won't be able to get there tomorrow in time if they even have an opening. I surely don't want to lose this little thing, its such a beautiful creature. I put my ear to its chest before I did its second feeding and it didn't sound as bad, I'm hoping this is a good sign, but I really don't know when it comes down to it. Thanks for the advice Kiddy!!


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## Gypsy eyes (Sep 10, 2015)

Also why are vets so weird about pigeons..... I'm noticing a theme.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

I really hope he recover on his own. It happened to one of my baby but he was fledgling. I gave him a drop of worming medicine and he was acting so weird, in his efforts of running away he aspirated and when I kept him back, he was sneezing and vomited. Thankfully the medicine came out and he survived.
Giving liquid is quite dangerous to pigeons, they aspirate easily, so even experienced members here do not recommend giving liquids to birds like that. If you have to make them drink, you can dip your finger in water and put on the side of their beak and they will sip, that is quite safe. People do it with dropper as well but they just put drop on the sides of their beak. 
I don't think he has gotten Kaytee though but must be water because I have heard from a very senior member that during parents feeding their air aperture gets closed when they eat, same method is feeding Kaytee, they put their beak in syringe just like they put it in parents' beak so it may be just an exception that he aspirated through it. Giving water orally can aspirate them easily though because that is very unnatural. 
For learning him to drink, you can just dip his beak in a crock of water and let him sip in, in a few attempts he will learn to drink. 
And yes at two weeks, you can start feeding him defrosted frozen peas /corns thawed under hot water to get them to normal temperature around 30 peas thrice a day, may be more if the crops get emptied in between. 
You will have to open his beak and put one by one. That will be much easy to feed and digest as well. 
Yes if you aren't sure of his age, you can post a pic and we will see how old is he and what can be fed. 
Is this bird a rescue? Then be very careful when going to vet. I thought he is a pet bird?


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Gypsy eyes said:


> Also why are vets so weird about pigeons..... I'm noticing a theme.


Oh about the signature? Yes many people even don't read it and they tell me even, so was a bit demotivated if it is of any help. Thanks a lot you noticed and told. I think new members should read it because they look for every possible information. I am fed up of vets actually. I have been seeing many times, they just euthanized even when the bird was curable, they just did it because those are ferals and ferals are treated as vermin there. I was helpless to see such situations then again it happened and I loved that bird, his pic is still here in my device.
Then an experienced member here told us that these things should be learnt while going to vets and I just copied from her to my signature thinking may be it could help someone so actually these are her words, not mine. 
Since you read I think these are of some help. 
Thanks a lot


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## Whytpigeon (Sep 14, 2015)

Gypsy eyes said:


> Also why are vets so weird about pigeons..... I'm noticing a theme.


Vets are not usually weird about pigeons. It is that pigeons are not native to the USA. So all pigeons come from domestic stock and are considered feral. So what the rule is supposed to be if a pigeons is taken and dropped off at a veterinarian they are by law supposed to euth the bird. Some do, most don't if they have a rehabber willing to take it if it needs convalescing. But who ever brought it does not get the pigeon back, nor know the outcome. So because pigeons really are Feral/ "domestics" here in the U.S. , then bringing up young ones is the same as having a pet/s and In which if they are pets and have names and the owner is responsible for the vet bill, they are treated just like any other pet bird an avian or exotic vet would see. So that is the explanation. Also there are some people who happen to be a vet and have an aversion to pigeons in general , also , some veterinarians go to great lengths to save a pigeons life, and everything in between. So making out that veterinarians are the same is too broad of a belief.


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