# Small pigeon with a possible head injury



## theta-waves (May 31, 2019)

My husband and I found a little pigeon in our courtyard last night being stalked by two crows who appeared to be planning to peck the poor thing to death. The pigeon was flapping her wings very hard and sort of going in a circle, with her legs splayed behind her and her head lolling - I researched a bit and this seems consistent with a concussion. She’s in our care now, but doesn’t seem interested in eating or drinking - we called a vet to our home to inspect her, and the vet gave her some various liquid vitamins to boost her immunity. 
She is holding her head up now and doesn’t have the same neck convulsions as she did last night, so I’m hoping she would recover soon. We live in Russia and there aren’t many resources to help injured city pigeons and I just feel wildly ill-equipped and nervous that I’ll do the wrong thing. 
Has anyone witnessed a similar ailment in a pigeon? What were your experiences and how long might it take for a recovery from a head injury (if that’s what this is)? How will we know when she’s ready to rejoin her friends outside? I don’t want to risk releasing her and then have those crows come and pick her apart.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Hi, welcome to PT and thanks for helping her. How is she doing today? 

Here you can read something about concussion (click on "illnesses and injuries" then "neck problems"):

https://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/



Some months ago I cared about a dove who had a concussion: at the beginning he seemed like a doll. I kept him in a quiet room with a soft light, I had to hand feed him for some days. Little by little he fully recovered, I don't remember exactly how many days he needed, I think about a week. He also had a swollen eye so I washed it twice a day with chamomile tea.

Have you tried again to offer her food and water? Can you find there a pigeon/dove mix or wild birds seeds? Leave him available a bowl filled with seeds, you could also add dry legumes like small lentils, peas and mung beans (the ones for humans that you can find at supermarket). If she still doesn't try to eat on her own you need to hand feed her. 
You can also try to offer her water dipping her beak (not over the nostrils) in a small bowl. 

Have you checked her body for injuries? Sometimes they are hard to see because hidden by feathers. Have you noticed any bad smell? 

Can you find there a bird vitamin supplement? If so, you can put it in his drinking water and continue the vitamin treatment started by the vet.

Could you please post a photo of the bird?


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## theta-waves (May 31, 2019)

Hi Columbina, thank you for responding and for your kind advice. We bought some wild bird seed and are feeding her by hand now. She is continuing to rest quietly in her box, and doesn’t seem frightened at all when we take her out to feed her. I’ve done more research on what could be the problem, and now I’m worried she might have PMV (paramyxovirus). She is very unstable on her feet and stumbles around when she tries to walk, mostly leaning backward too far as if she cannot find her balance. She walks backwards sometimes, and once she spun in circles when I took her out of the box. Her neck is never extended like a regular pigeon, and often she twists it around, sometimes so far back that she looks at me from upside-down. 
She is very eager to drink when I dip the tip of her beak in water, but sometimes she throws her head forward at the last moment and her little nostrils are submerged in the water. We are feeding her buckwheat grains and a mixture of pulverized birdseed and electrolyte water with a syringe. Her poop is awfully watery and often a greenish color. Much of her behaviour is consistent with PMV, but she doesn’t seem to be getting worse, so I’m hoping very much that it isn’t PMV.
To answer your question about possible injuries, yesterday we noticed a red spot on her throat, which is sort of hard and swollen and the feathers have fallen from it. I don’t think it was noticeable when the vet came to inspect her, otherwise I’m sure she would have mentioned it. It has gotten larger since yesterday and I find feathers in her box in the morning along with the green watery droppings. She doesn’t smell bad, just like a regular pigeon I think. We started to give her some antibiotics this morning. 
I took some pictures - did the dove which you cared for have a similar appearance / stance? If not, maybe we can tentatively rule out the concussion. I feel so worried because every time I read about some new illness I don’t know if she has it, since many of the symptoms she displays are similar to many diseases and disorders.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Looks like a young pigeon. From your description of her symptoms, she might have PMV and possibly canker as well. Losing feathers and excessive thirst are 2 symptoms of canker. 

How much are you feeding her? Canker can easily be treated. Best product will be Meditrich by Medpet. Will it be possible to get some from the vet?


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Thanks for the photos and for the new details.

Seeing the photos and hearing about the symptoms (walking backwards, looking upside down, etc) I think too that PMV could be a possibility. The dove I cared for looked different from your pigeon; we have 3 PMV pigeons (2 of them recovered well: they fly, eat on their own, have a wife, etc) and your photos make me think about them. As you said, it's not so easy say for sure what is the problem because some symptoms are common to more situations (for example, neurological symptoms could be also a sign of paratyphoid). 

You can read something about PMV and others situations in the link I posted earlier (also in the section "head related problems", etc); here is another link:

http://www.chevita.com/en/pigeons/symptoms/

What antibiotic are you giving her? If it's PMV, she doesn't need an antibiotic because it's a viral disease. 

I remember that for a long period our PMV pigeon (the one who didn't recover in a good way) drank a lot of water and had watery droppings. 

Have you checked her beak/throat with a flashlight? Have you seen any yellowish growths/material? You have however to consider that canker is not always visible in the mouth/throat. 

Have you looked for birds vitamins? I would give her a complete vitamin supplement (vitamins + trace elements + amino acids), something similar to Omni-vit Oropharma would be good. 

https://www.versele-laga.com/en/oropharma/produkte/oropharma-omni-vit

You could also look for probiotics. 
You need to help her to stay as strong as possible. 
Keep her in a quiet room. 

I'm attaching a picture of Angus (one of my PMV pigeon) before his recovery. It could give you an idea of a PMV pigeon (even if each situation is different from others, of course).


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## theta-waves (May 31, 2019)

Thank you guys so much for your responses, this is very helpful to us and to Cindy (our pigeon). I’m going to gather some vitamins for her today - the vet recommended vitamins B1, B6, B12 and C in liquid form, another medicine called “sumamed”, “linex” and “pikamilon”. I’ll also get a scale to weigh her so we could know more specifically how much we should be feeding her according to the very helpful pigeonrescue website you posted. So we will start a regime of healing for her, alongside what the vet has already given us.

The antibiotic we are using is called phosprenil, but maybe I was wrong in thinking it’s an antibiotic. It looks like it’s used to boost immunity and help overcome viral infections. Here is a link in English:
http://zoofarmagro.md/en/catalog-de-produse/fosprenil-50ml/

I’ll also look for something to help the spot on her neck in case it is canker. I looked inside her mouth yesterday and it’s pink - no yellow spots any where. She swallows her food when we hand feed her, though she’s still not eating by herself. She’s a bit more active lately, which I hope is good - even though she spins in circles mostly. Yesterday she walked forward instead of backward for a few steps!

I noticed last night a sort of crackling noise coming from inside her right after we fed her some larger grains and seeds (dry corn seeds she seems to like). Is this normal? I got nervous that it might be something wrong with her crop, because that’s where the red spot is. Is it just the noise of digestion, or something worrisome? 

Ps. Your bird Angus is very beautiful! I felt hopeful when you said two of your birds recovered from PMV. Hopefully Cindy is as lucky, too.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

How are you giving her water? By syringe? If so, they can easily aspirate. Rather dip the tip of her beak in a small bowl of water (not over the nostrils) to get her to drink. All the vitamins you can then add to her drinking water.

If you are having problems feeding her grains (they are so small), you can rather try defrosted green peas. Get a bag of frozen peas, defrost in lukewarm water and feed to her. You will need to give 40-50 peas 3 times daily.

Always leave a deep dish of seeds with her. I've only cared for one PMV pigeon so far, but she learned to eat seeds by herself. Made quite a mess, but was much easier for both of us. Also leave a very small dish of water, they can easily drown if the get severe seizures.

Just remember, it's horrible to see them that way. But they aren't in pain, it is all neurological. She will be unreleasable after recovery (this will take 6-8 weeks), because they can get the seizures again when under a lot of stress.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Just had a look at the photo's again. She seems quite small, rather try 30-40 peas for a start. That red spot is the trachea, it gets very prominent when they are losing a lot of weight. Keep on doing regular checks inside her beak towards the back for growths that might indicate canker.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

We are all here to help each other 😊. 

The weight scale is an excellent idea. You can daily monitor her weight and see if she is gaining or losing weight.

Pink mouth, no smell, no problems in swallowing food, being more active are all good signs. On the pigeonrescue website you can find some informations about canker, keep an eye on Cindy and pay attention to any potential symptoms. 

It's not worrying that she can't eat on her own, she is still young and probably she has PMV. Be patient and give her time. As I said earlier leave her always available a bowl filled with a large variety of seeds and dry legumes (if you can find it, you could also add a mixture for canaries containing dehydrated fruits like the one in the picture, pigeons are attracted by colors), you could also try to stimulate her tapping your finger between the seeds (like a bird who is pecking at seeds). My two PMV pigeons needed time but then started to eat on their own, etc. Now they have a normal happy "pigeon life" (the third one can't eat or fly but he is a really sweet pigeon). I adopted them because they can't survive outdoors, we will talk about that later, now it's important to focus on the regime of healing. 

I have never heard about these medications so I can't say nothing. In any case, it's important to give her birds probiotics at the end of the medications treatment because the meds could create an intestinal flora disorder. My vet prescribed me a supplement containing B-glucans and mannan oligosaccharides, I found it very helpful even for my PMV pigeon (the one who didn't recover in a good way) when had watery poops. 

Can you find there baby bird formula? If so, you could make some small balls (having the size of small peas) with it, just add some water to the formula (the balls must be not too soft or too hard), you could also use the water enriched with vitamins. You could try to hand feed a few of them and see if she digests them easily. An important thing: throw away the balls that she doesn't eat because they can't be stored. 

Ps: thanks so much from Angus! Btw Cindy looks really cute and sweet 😊.


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## theta-waves (May 31, 2019)

Thank you for the suggestions, I will try to find some of the dried fruit seed mix you recommend. She seems to like peas a lot, too. There’s no change I can see in her eating by herself, but I decided to weigh the jar of birdseed and see if there’s a change in the weight of it tomorrow so I’ll know for sure if she’s eating. My husband says he hears her moving around a lot during the day, and we put a small box inside her big home-box so she could perch if she wants to. 

Also, her red spot on her throat has almost entirely disappeared! Thank you so much, Marina, for letting me know it’s from weight loss. We were so worried until you said that because we didn’t know what it could be. I weighed her today and she weighs 145 grams - more than half what a normal rock dove weights. But then, I think she’s still a baby. She’s become quite strong and feisty in the last few days though - it’s harder to open her mouth and put food inside, and she tries to bite me sometimes but it doesn’t hurt. However, the recommended amount on the pigeonrescue website for food intake is 5% of the pigeon’s weight. That’s 7.25 grams - only about 20 medium size peas. Should we be feeding her more, to ensure weight gain?

We don’t give her water with a syringe (I hold up the water to the tip of her beak and she sips), but we do give her vitamins and medication now in this way. This is what the vet recommended, but your warning makes me a little worried. She seems fine when we do it, but I don’t know if I’d be able to tell if she were accidentally inhaling it. Can pigeons cough? In any case, it’s plain to see she doesn’t like it one bit. Is there any way to ensure she gets the proper dosage of vitamins and medicine without use of syringes? The dosage we received from the vet is very specific: 0,4 ml a day of each vitamin, which doesn’t sound like a lot but there are four vitamins plus three other liquid medications. I’d like to find a different way. We will call the vet on Saturday and see what she says, but in the meantime it would be good to have some other advice.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Would weigh the bird not the bird seed. Pigeons throw a lot of food around.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Peas digest very easily. A baby 2 weeks old, will need to be fed 30 peas 3 times daily. So you can feed her more, rather go for 40 peas 3 times daily total of 120 peas every day. Peas also contain lots of moisture, so don't be alarmed if she does not drink that much. Her droppings will also be green and mushy while on a pea diet.

An easier way to give the meds will be to take a small piece of bread, soak with the meds and feed the same way as the peas.

It's a good thing she is fighting you, she is getting stronger. Leave a small bowl of peas with her, she might start eating them by herself.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

When I was treating my poisoned pigeon Bruna (I had to give her the antidote by mouth) I discovered that a pipette like the ones in the pics is safer and easier to use than a syringe. As you can see, they have a shape a bit different (they are straight) from common syringes: you can easily and gently put it along the upper palate of the bird's mouth and slowly give the meds or vits. I don't know if you can find them in your pharmacy, the ones I used were sold in the same package with the vit K1 for human babies.

As Marina said you could also give the meds/vits with bread or make the small baby bird formula balls with them. 

Don't worry if she doesn't eat by herself, she is a young pigeon and maybe she has PMV. Just give her time. 
My birds love biscuits, you could break a small piece of biscuit (something simple so without chocolate, marmalade or anything else) and put it in a bowl or sprinkle it near her. It could maybe pick her curiosity!


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## theta-waves (May 31, 2019)

We think Cindy has passed away. I’m hoping it’s only a severe paralysis. Her eye was still open when I last looked and the pupil looked the same as always. My husband thinks she’s gone.
She’s very very stiff and her legs are splayed out and she’s lying on her stomach with her wings at her sides. I can’t detect her breath at all. Yesterday all day she lay in her box and didn’t move.


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## theta-waves (May 31, 2019)

In the very worst stage of PMV, is it possible for a pigeon to seem dead from paralysis? That one little eye that stayed open is keeping me hopeful..


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Sorry to hear that. If she is still lying like that and cold the next couple of hours, then she is gone.


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## theta-waves (May 31, 2019)

Cindy is gone. Thank you to everyone for your kind help and advice. In the last week of her life at least, we hope she felt that she was the best loved pigeon in this city.
I’m disposing of Cindy’s boxes and bowls and things responsibly so no other pigeons become infected from the virus through her.
Thank you again for the thorough help and support. I would have been much less equipped to help Cindy without this community.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Sorry you lost her. Thanks for what you did for her. XX


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

I'm really really sorry.

I lost too some birds and a year ago even my 20 years old cat Kira, I know what you are feeling, it's a big pain.

I'm sure she felt your love. At least she spent her last weeks loved and cared by two wonderful persons like you and your husband. 

I'm also sure she is now happily flying and playing with all the birds we lost. 

A big hug.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am very sorry to hear she didnt make it.


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