# baby pigeon ,hit by car blood at eye n beak



## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

hi all,
just received apigeon with injury in eye n beak she is flapping her wings.i just dipped her/his beak to water and put her in dark room.blood is ther but its not bleeding.we must act fast.pl help.
living in Oman i have no access to vets who know to treat birds.so pl have that in mind and suggest what i can do.
thank you n anxious for help.
regards,
Sarojini
UPDATE- eye swellling but eye is visble.baby making baby sound.poo watttery after one hour of rescue.beak looks ok inside.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

hi Sarojini, thanks for rescuing the pigeon. You can dip a cotton ball in warm saline water and clean the beak and eye. Do you have any antibiotic eye drops with you?

Did you witness the accident? The pigeon could have got hit elsewhere, like the head. 

A bird under trauma will take some time to recover from the shock. For now, keep him warm and hydrated. Dip the beak (only the tip not the nostrils) in water and check if he/she is drinking. Otherwise, give him water using a dropper by very slowly dribbling it down the side of his beak. Take care that the baby should be alert, otherwise he can choke on the water.
What do you mean by watery poops - is it just clear water, or is it green and runny?

After 24 hours of keeping him warm and hydrated, you can try placing seeds in front of him. If he is a squeaking baby, you might need to hand feed him. 
Wish you all the best in caring for the baby.


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## AlicjanPip (Jun 19, 2013)

Awww the poor little guy.  How is he doing? I'd keep him as warm and stress-free as possible at the moment, just to counteract ny shock from the injury. Darkly lit room, a little corner spot he won't be disturbed or afraid...give access to water and seed (wheat, milo, peas, safflower etc)...can he drink and eat on his own? vitamin b is for stress...is he bleeding from his injuries, or has the bleeding stopped?

If its stopped, once he calms down and starts being active, you can inspect him, see what happened, where he's hurt, and treat accordingly. For now (provided he isn't bleeding to death), I think its best to just let him get over the shock. From my experience, birds are easily sppoked and scared...


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

thankyou for the reply.
the bird is able to open that eye.its swollen above the eye ball fortunately.as one of my friend said i gave metacam pain killer 0.01cc and dipped beak in to saline solution.bird drank water.
bird is now alert and i have left her alone.kept a few grains and water.is it ok to give saline or shall i keep only water?
bleeding has stopped.even beak looks ok n no visible injury to body.id di not witness the event.a friend got her to me.
regards,
sg


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Good that you gave metacam. Hope you got the dosage right, it is 0.1-0.2 mg, once a day. 
You can add a little pinch of salt and sugar to a glass of water, and give the bird this water. Or you can provide him ORS you get in medical stores. 
Thank goodness his eye is good. Keep watch as to whether he is eating and pooping.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

hi,
the baby bird has moved and dropped grain but im sure he/she is not eating.she did not poo too.i fed water ORS 3 times today and she drank.what should i do now.its 10 hours since i brought her home.i treid in aft to open mouth but was scared a drop of blood came not sure if water caused dried blood to come or what? 
night what should i do? should i force feed few thawed peas or let her stay and give one more dose of painkiller? what about antibiotic?
reg,
SG


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

pictures taken now.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Even if she has no food for the first 24 hours, I don't think there is immediate danger.

Is she squeaking? If she is a baby, she might not be able to peck and eat the seeds yet, so you need to hand feed her.
In the first photo, there is a featherless spot on her throat. Not sure, but canker can cause loss of feathers in the neck area. Can you get a torchlight into her mouth and look for white or yellow deposits? 
And the second photo...the bird does seem to be holding her head at an odd angle. Does she do this often?
You can give her peas or seeds. Peas are easy to give. Put defrosted peas in warm water until soft.. Wrap the pigeon in a towel so it can't move, and open the beak and give one pea at a time.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

You can give around 20 peas to start with, thrice a day (that is 60 peas in a day). Then you can increase gradually. 
Before feeding, it is important to make sure that the crop is empty. The crop is a small bag-like pouch on the lower chest, you can feel it with your fingers beneath the feathers. If you have given peas, you can feel those peas when you touch the crop. So, before feeding, please make sure his crop is empty from the previous feeding. Otherwise, mixing of old food and new food in the crop can lead to other problems.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

Thank you !
but i gave only 7-8 peas tonight.she/he swallowed it well thou wanted to getout of my grip thrice.
let me check on cranker tomorrow.thank you for the timely help.
reg,
sg


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Canker is not always visible in the mouth, it is just one of the possible signs. Does he have bad breath? 
If he is eating and drinking well, and is alert and active, I think he is going to be fine.
You've done a great job!


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

hi,
Baby looks OK.trued to feed 20 peas,ate it.yest has pooed only white colour. neck tilts at angle.no visible sign of cranker. did not squeak but tried to get out of grip.hair loss only on one side.my friend who rescued the pigeon saw it struggle after a car hit the baby.fed pain killer today too.
thank you.
SG


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

He should be pooping soon. Observe the poops for color and consistency. If brown-green and soft, they are normal poop.
The head tilt could be because of head trauma (his head could have got hit by the car). Maybe it hit one side of the head, and he is keeping that side down. Good that you are giving the painkiller. 
Or it could be infections like PMV causing the neck twisting. But I wouldn't jump to PMV now.
Is he standing and looking around? Alert and preening his feathers occasionally? Or is he sitting with dull eyes and ruffled feathers?
If head trauma is suspected, it is best to give him a quiet and semi-dark place to rest.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

UPDATE-FED baby 21 peas around 7 moring.after 12 this afternoon the baby has removed 7 peas and am worried.

Do i feed now? 
baby is moving around bath area little and is aware of my entry .she/he is awake but not moving much.can see poo at 3-4 places and normal white and green color.

reg,
sg


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

recent snap.i had dipped beak in water around 11am .hope it did not cause teh bay to throw up.
reg,
sg


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Are the poops soft and rounded, if they are, they are good poops. 

Did he vomit soon after the feeding?
Feel for his crop. If it still has the peas say 5-6 hours after the previous feeding, it is not a good sign. On the other hand, if it is emptying and poops are forming, things are fine. 

As I said, feed him only after the crop has emptied fully. If peas don't suit him, you can try seeds. Put 3-4 seeds (2-3 if they are big seeds) inside the beak and close the mouth to swallow. Give about a tablespoon of seeds in a feeding, to start with. Give 3 feedings - i.e. 3 tablespoons in a day. All this is provided his crop is emptying properly.

I also suggest starting him on metronidazole for canker, just in case.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Another thought - I was thinking - would the bathroom floor be too cold for him? Sick pigeons cannot regulate their body heat, so they need good amount of warmth to get better soon.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

UPDATE-
TOday the baby moved a bit. i fed around 10 corn in the morning ,10 corn by afternoon along with around 5ml baby food.at night again i gave around 10 peas.what i found is that the baby is bleeding and i guess the lower beak is broken.so when i feed i have to hold her carefully.Can something be done about the beak? 
i suspect vision problems too.Baby is alert and up but not much movement.
Request advise on what to do next/
Thank you in advance.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Hope the baby is eating, drinking and pooping fine. As long as you get 15-20 poops in a day, he is eating enough. 

I found these sites for the beak fracture, hope they are of some help:

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-treat-broken-cracked-bird-beaks-6006908.html

http://www.avianweb.com/brokenbeaks.html

What I understood is, based on the severity of the break, it may heal on its own if left alone, or many need bandaging. I suggest you take care not to put pressure on the beak, and give soft food for now. 
Thanks a lot for caring for him.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

Good morning!
The baby's beak stopped bleeding fro yesterday.i too learnt to avoid touching the front part of beak where there is injury,so did the baby now adjust to my feeding him/her.
Baby seldom moves around and is stuck to the bath area on the room. i am not sure but i suspect abit of vision problem.
his poo is OK.
Thank you for timely advise.
regards,
SG


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

If there is head trauma, or if it is in pain in general, it will not move much. You can give the metacam for a week and stop it I think.
To check for vision, you can bring one finger towards an eye, and check whether the eye is closing in reflex action. Otherwise, what I do is, I sit in such a way that I am in the visual field of just one eye. Then I raise my hand silently, in order to touch the bird, and see if he/she is moving away in response.
Do the eyes look normal, or is she closing one eye more? Why do you think there is a vision problem? Does she still hold the head tilted?


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

*Urgent Bird Turing Upside Down*

HI,
just this eve i found the baby upside down.even now he is moving upside down often.in fact past 2 days he has been eating well and even trying to feedd ,move away when i feed.have been keeping up metcam. 
PL ADVISE,PANICKY.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

PL SEE ONE MORE.baby is moving upside down often n standing at angle.have fed him and give medicine too.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

From the pictures, it does seem a bit like the neck twisting of PMV/salmonella. Do you mean his head alone goes upside down, or is he tumbling about?
If he is losing balance and tumbling about, I suggest keeping him in a small shoe box lined with towels, so he is less likely to roll and hurt himself.
The neck twisting, does it increase when you are around, or when he gets stressed? It could be PMV, or it could have been a hit to the head in the accident causing this. In either case, the neck twisting may improve and he can make a full recovery, so let's keep hope.
I think the neck twisting was there in the beginning also right? Pigeons usually hide their illness for the first few days well, when they are in the defensive mode. This could be why the twisting was not so apparent in the first 2 days.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

The whole body is twisting and he is even falling upside down.sometimes whole neck is twisted.
he has got comfortable with me and past 5 feeds i.e from yest morn its been smooth till this eve when i found him upside down.
its very painful to see him suffer.leyt me knwow hat medication must be started.will try to put him in shoe box too.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

I know the neck twisting and losing balance looks quite horrible. I have cared for 3 pigeons wit PMV, so I know how it feels to see them suffer. But the fact is, with a lot of tender loving care from us, and good nutrition and peaceful stress-free environment, these neurological problems can subside and even go away completely. 
If it is head trauma, you could see definite improvement over the coming weeks. In case of PMV, the neurological symptoms can take like weeks or months to get better. Unfortunately, PMV is a viral disease, so there is no medication for it, it had to run its course, which is about 3 weeks. 
Paratyphoid/salmonella can also cause the neck tilting and loss of balance, in which case giving antibiotic can help. Baytril (enrofloxacin) is the best choice. Ciprofloxacin /Amoxcillin etc can also help.
I am not sure whether you should start him on antibiotics, especially since he is eating and pooping well. I guess others can give you more better suggestions on this.
I suggest you wait, and meanwhile keep him safe and well-fed and stress-free.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

If he is falling down, definitely keep him in a small box/carrier lined with towels, so he has support on both sides. Hope he gets better soon.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

Thank you.put him/her in a box.still he is twisted.fed amox and water which he drank well.Pray he gets better.is it painful?


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Hope you have got the dosage for amoxcillin right. If he has had head trauma, he might be in pain. He will need a semi-dark place which is calm and quiet to heal. 
If it is PMV, the neck twisting is not painful, though heart-breaking to watch. The key thing is to avoid STRESS. Pigeons with neurological problems do poorly under stress.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

YES,Im giving Amox and Metro to baby.she did calm down after i fed her and put her in a box. this morn i saw her again calm n with head tilting.this morn too i fed her she tried to s straighten up and again twisted self.
Till this eve only i have painkiller.is sit enough or do u recommend continuing same.
regards,
SG


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

I think you can give the painkiller for a week and stop. Glad that he is doing better inside the box. Just keep him comfortable and let him heal. After some days, you might find an improvement in his balance, and he can be moved out of the box. 
What I feel is - this guy is going to be with you for atleast a few months. And if he is a PMV survivor, there is the possibility that you may never be able to release him. So, perhaps it would be good to select a good warm and quiet spot in your home for him.
I keep my pigeons in the balcony (and indoors when it is rainy and cold). They are non-releasable, and the balcony is netted so they cannot get out. But from the balcony they get to see other normal ferals outside, it keeps their minds occupied. 
In the absence of another pigeon for mate, your little one will bond with you.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

good evening,
the baby is definitely doing better.but not well enough to be out of box.
Regarding keeping him home i already have one who shares our home and moves around.she was like a vegetable initially still she cant eat or fly.you can see my old post for details.
let's hope he gets better and flies out like most pigeons who have come my way.
thank you very much.
SG


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Hi SG, you have done great so far. I read about your other bird Sai (lovely name btw). Sounds like another PMV survivor. I think Sai and your baby are going to get along fine.

Pigeons with neurological problems do great when they have company of other pigeons. They coo and talk, and feel more like normal pigeons, and their brains heal sooner.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

Oh My!
Pray he flies away.He is bit fine.Still neck drooping but standing for afew min n even tries to fly.
Thank you.
reg,
SG


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Glad to know he is doing better! 
Hope it is not PMV, because neurological symptoms can resurface in times of stress for post PMV pigeons, and hence they cannot be released.
Once he is eating on his own, and flying with good control, you can plan a soft release for him.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

*Advise required.Neck drooping improving.But not eating on own.*

*UPDATE*

The baby is improving Thank fully.But head still twists mostly more in the evening.i am hand feeding the baby Seeds along with thawed corn/peas. I am giving the baby Amox and Metro.The baby is alert and runs away from me when i enter but opens mouth willingly when i feed.still not making any effort to eat on his/her own.i have tried to offer seeds.even water she drinks only when i dip the beak.
Can you guide on how to teach the baby to eat,is the top beak being longer affecting the try to eat?
Sai (another rescued Pigeon) is already being hand fed( last 2.5 years.if you say i will try to teach both to be independent to eat atl east.
Regards,
SG


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Glad he is better...he looks really better in the pic. Is he still squeaking? It might take a while for him to start feeding himself, maybe another month or so. It would be helpful to place seeds in front of him in a dish, and imitate the pecking by digging the seeds with your finger. Or scatter a few seeds in a white towel so it gets his attention to try pecking.
Why doesn't Sai eat? I mean, when we hand-feed, usually we feed before they get the chance to go really hungry, so it is unlikely that they would feed themselves. I think you need to wait a little longer for the next feeding, and place the dish of seeds and encourage Sai to eat. 
The baby's beak is hooked, the upper beak is overgrown (this will interfere with his ability to pick up seeds). It is risky to try to trim it yourself, if you can find a vet to do it that would be best. Otherwise, encouraging him to peck at seeds or other hard objects, giving him a wooden or concrete block as perch, etc can help him trim it naturally. 
For now, I think it is best to concentrate on his healing and do hand-feeding as long as necessary. Once he is comfortable in your home, he will be ready to try feeding himself. Meanwhile, if you can get Sai to eat by himself, the baby will imitate him and learn.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

After the Amoxy/Metro course is completed, do follow up with probiotics, to replace the gut flora.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

Thank you. No squeaking but just panicky quick running away in bath area.i do keep seeds but never tried to dip my fingers and imitate.will try that too.
Regd Sai she was like a veg for nearly six months.i fed her initially corn n peas.now i keep grains and feed seeds with a mix of wheAt ,dhals along with any fresh fruits or veg like pomogeranate,apple,red pumkin or beans or thawed corn/peas.i feed the veg or fruits around 6-10 pieces.i feed her thrice a day and she herself goes and drinks water from cup.At times she will try and go on poking wrong place.
I always keep seeds,she pecks but with 20 or more pecks she will get one on mouth but that too falls off behind head,she rarely gets one in mouth.i have tried to feed her late etc.she will try for sometime and then come to me and peck .Now she is so smart that she will make sound ,she is annoyed will chase and poke.she knows if im going out n will be around me trying to tell me dont go.She is adorable.By the way i have assumed that Sai is she ,no way to know gender.
Thank you n regards,
SG


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Sai is surely lucky to have a kind soul like you for her, without you she would have surely not made it. My first PMV rescue initially pecked this way and that, and used to spill the seeds all over without getting a single one inside. I gave her a bowl of seeds for practice, while hand feeding her with peas. I think it took around two months for her to get control over her head movements, well enough to peck with control and precision. My latest PMV rescue took 5 months to start feeding herself. A rescue I got 6 months back is still not feeding herself.
We cannot predict how PMV pigeons will heal, in terms of neurological symptoms. All we can do is wait. Sai too wants to eat normally, that is why he is doing the pecking though he cannot get control over his head movements. All we can do is to help him get through this phase, and let his mind heal on its own. Meanwhile good food, lots of love and care, all these can make a good difference.


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## sarogopal (Jan 24, 2011)

hi,
Thank you for all the help n advise.
How r u? this morning i found 2 birds sitting on one bird in the place i usually feed.i was not sure its Ok. so i just opened my window n the 2 moved away.this bird tried to fly but did not raise enough.So what i did is to catch the bird open its wing,mouth etc n see and kept it on top on window AC unit( away from cats but outside).
then i kept few grains,water and left.in the aft when i was back it was in the same place.i caught it fed some grains and water.this eve i again found him there n gave a lot of food n water n left him.
what should i do now?
Poor baby is out n i cant find out why he/she is not able to fly.but where i found is the place where i usually feed birds? should i feed him in morn or let his parents do?
thanks you n reg,


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