# Rescued baby mourning dove DYING, PLEASE HELP



## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

5 days ago my mother in laws cat went outside, and came back inside with a young mourning dove. I'm not sure the exact age, but it's not large enough or feathered enough to be a fledgling. The wings are feathered but beneath them baby still has down, and has many pin feathers on its neck and some on the face. The tail is very short, and the baby cant fly.

The dove didn't appear too badly hurt from the cat. The only injury was a small cut on the left wing. I know cats are extremely toxic to birds. I tried to find a rehabilitation center for the baby. Everyone in my area essentially told me that common song birds are a "waste of resources" and that there was nothing they can do. I managed to find someone willing to help, but she lives 4 hours away. (For reference, I live in Great Falls, Montana.)

She instructed me what to do from home on the grounds that adding more stress to the baby dove will kill it faster than an infection will. 

I treated the wound with manuka honey. I dont have access to any other antibiotic. (I've asked local vets and checked all the local pet stores) I was told by the rehabilitator that more often than not, treating a cat attacked bird with antibiotics might help the initial infection but can cause system failure elsewhere in the bird. The cut on the wing seems to be healing well after using the honey.The bird can move its wing, there is no swelling, no odor, no oozing, no sensitivity and no irritation when touched.

The baby is in a shoe box "nest". Heating pad set to low on half of the bottom of the box, the other half exposed so baby can regulate its temperature. Towel over the heating pad and the remaining shoebox "floor". From there I also added some dead grass on top of the heating pad and some twigs to the other side of the box. This was recommended by the woman helping to rehabilitate to ensure the nest felt natural for the baby, because towels can be hard for them to walk on.

I am feeding the baby kaytee exact formula. I have also provided an assortment of seeds and some meal worms because baby is beginning to peck.

The bird is noticeably sick. By the morning of day 4 it became obvious that baby is lethargic, barely wanting to move. The chirps for food, and the chirps when it hears the coos of other doves outside have stopped. It sleeps a lot, and even closes its eyes while being fed, as if falling asleep while eating. I'm inexperienced in dove and bird care in general, so I can't say for sure, but I think the baby is also a bit off balanced. It seems to lean forward and back when perched on my finger.. unsteady is the best way I can describe that. Perhaps thats just because its so young. It prefers to sit in my palm. I can not tell if and when the crop is full. Honestly, I haven't noticed much of a difference. There is only a tiny raised bump that I can feel in that area. It does feel hard, but not swollen. Im not sure if this is reason for alarm, or if all I'm feeling is babys tiny bones below. Thats honestly what it feels like. It doesn't appear to hurt at all when I touch it, and whatever it is only moves if the baby turns its head, also making me think its just the babys bones. I dont know. There is no yellow or white substance in or on the beak or throat that I can see, and there is no odor coming from its mouth. It's been drinking water, there hasnt been an issue with that. Today I added a tinyyy bit of ACV. The bird drank a bit more than normal after that. It either liked the taste, or its dehydrated. Not sure which. Its been eating, but not like the babies do in the youtube videos I've seen. Its not eagerly guzzling down formula, but it'll eat. I feed it off of a plastic 1/4 tsp measuring spoon as this method has worked best for me. Other methods seem to allow the formula to get cold too quickly and then baby rejects it regardless. Sometimes as I bring the spoon towards it the baby will peck at the formula and begin eating on its own, other times I touch the warm food to the tip of babys beak to get it going. It will eat a few bites, Ill scoop up some more to ensure its a warm spoonful, repeat 4-5x and baby is done. I cant tell if its eating enough but I worry, and I dont think so if I can't feel a difference in the crop. I clean everything involved in the feeding process thoroughly immediately after. I change the babys water multiple times a day to ensure its clean and fresh. The babys poop has been normal until tonight. Usually its dark in color in a swirl (dark greenish, appears black when dry) surrounded by white, and is a bit wet. No noticeable odor. Tonight the poop was more wet and much lighter in color. It was a greyish green color, like the color of a lima bean mixed with pale grey. Still no noticeable odor. There is no crust near the babys eyes. 

I can provide any other info, I hope I didn't leave anything out. I don't know whats wrong but I want this dove to live. Again, I would seek vet care but no one local is willing to help. I do plan to bring the dove to the rehabilitator but she isn't available until next week. Ideally the plan was for me to get the baby in good health here, and for her to do a soft release there once its ready. At this rate I dont know if the baby will make it.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I need to know whats wrong in order to fix it and I fear I'm running out of time.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I'm surprised he has survived for 5 days without any antibiotics. The rehabber is wrong in telling you that giving antibiotics can cause a system shutdown somewhere else in the body. If you give the correct amount of antibiotics, it can save the life of a sick bird. We give amoxycillin (sold as Betamox tablets) for injuries and birds caught by cats. It's easily available here at pharmacies, although in some other countries you need a prescription for that.

So how often are you feeding him? And am I right that he's getting about 5 ml per feeding? He should be getting about 10 ml 3 times daily. What are you feeding him? If he's not getting enough food, he will just become weaker and weaker and that may explain his difficulty in balancing. Have you tried syringe feeding as they show in the video's on youtube?

Sometimes when they have a lot of stress (like this one), they get canker. The symptoms for that will be feather loss under the beak, lack of appetite and increase intake of water and therefor producing watery droppings. This can be treated with Metronidazole. 

So it's possible that the infection from the cat injurie is now starting to show, or that he is not getting enough food or has developed canker. Try to get the above products and then we will help with the dosage. Hopefully it's not too late to save him, he is a real cutie.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

The kaytee is perfect for feeding, no need to give mealworms.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Marina B said:


> I'm surprised he has survived for 5 days without any antibiotics. The rehabber is wrong in telling you that giving antibiotics can cause a system shutdown somewhere else in the body. If you give the correct amount of antibiotics, it can save the life of a sick bird. We give amoxycillin (sold as Betamox tablets) for injuries and birds caught by cats. It's easily available here at pharmacies, although in some other countries you need a prescription for that.
> 
> So how often are you feeding him? And am I right that he's getting about 5 ml per feeding? He should be getting about 10 ml 3 times daily. What are you feeding him? If he's not getting enough food, he will just become weaker and weaker and that may explain his difficulty in balancing. Have you tried syringe feeding as they show in the video's on youtube?
> 
> ...


Perfect! This is great advice. That rehabber doesn't know what they are talking about. Any bird gotten by a cat needs antibiotics or the chance of it dying from infection are very high. It also sounds as though he is being starved.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Here's a website with helpful info www.pigeonrescue.co.uk 

Hand Feeding Babies With Cut Off Syringe (Directions and Pictures)
http://urbanwildlifesociety.org/WLR/BabyPij&DuvFeedg.htm


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

Marina B said:


> I'm surprised he has survived for 5 days without any antibiotics. The rehabber is wrong in telling you that giving antibiotics can cause a system shutdown somewhere else in the body. If you give the correct amount of antibiotics, it can save the life of a sick bird. We give amoxycillin (sold as Betamox tablets) for injuries and birds caught by cats. It's easily available here at pharmacies, although in some other countries you need a prescription for that.
> 
> So how often are you feeding him? And am I right that he's getting about 5 ml per feeding? He should be getting about 10 ml 3 times daily. What are you feeding him? If he's not getting enough food, he will just become weaker and weaker and that may explain his difficulty in balancing. Have you tried syringe feeding as they show in the video's on youtube?
> 
> ...


I was told I'd need to see a vet for antibiotics, and when I asked the vet if they could at least provide some, if nothing else, I was told no. I checked petco, petsmart and even walgreens for anything and had absolutely no luck. 

I feed the baby every 2-3 hours, aside from at night when it should be sleeping. I start feeding beteen 5:30-6 am. The baby must have only been eating about 2ml of formula per feeding. 

Last night I also posted this on a dove and pigeon rescue Facebook group and someone suggested that the baby could be starving to death, which I found extremely plausible. I hadn't tried to force feed the dove because I was afraid of aspiration. They advised opening the beak and using a syringe to place a pea sized amount of formula at the front of baby's mouth, then seeing if he would swallow. He did. I was told to wake the baby last night as this was urgent. At 2am it ate aprox 5ml, then this morning around 6am it ate about the same amount, maybe a bit more. They advised starting wish as much as the baby was willing to eat in this recovery stage, and working up to larger servings.

Its hard for me to keep track of exactly how much the baby has eaten for two reasons. 1, the numbers smeared off of the syringe, and 2. I dont fill the syringe all at once because this chills the formula far too quickly and baby is guaranteed going to reject it. So I keep it warm beside me and fill it some more every few mouthfuls.

The baby is responding well to this as far as I can tell. It's let out a few long awaited chirps, guzzled down some water after being fed, and I can finally feel a difference in the crop.

I was doing research on canker last night, fearing thats what I might be dealing with. IF thats what it is, it must be very early on. Im 85% certain the "lump" I felt really was baby's bones beneath an empty crop. As I said, theres no noticeable swelling in that area and theres no white or yellow cheesy looking stuff, and theres no odor. Therefore I am entirely unsure. I am hoping the addition of ACV to the water dish is helpful for this.


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

I also researched coccidiosis last night. If anyone has information about it or an opinion on whether or not that could be what I'm dealing with, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I am thinking that the baby was just starving though, and with food in its system I'm hoping to see it coming back to life.

The biggest issue today is balance. The bird cant even stand or walk right now. It wasn't always this way. In the beginning the bird could stand, walk, and run away lol. In the other fourm people suggested this could just be severe lack of energy from being malnourished and that in a short while this should pass. I am wondering everyone's thoughts on this as well.

Dpes splayed legs ever present themselves this late in the game? I was under the impression that issue was present upon hatching, but I am inexperienced and am seeking guidance.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Lets first see how he responds to getting more food into his system before assuming that he is sick. You can continue with the ACV in the drinking water, he will benefit from that.

Why don't you try and syringe feed like they do in the youtube videos? It is so much quicker and easier and safer, he will gobble up 10 ml in a couple of seconds.


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

Marina B said:


> Lets first see how he responds to getting more food into his system before assuming that he is sick. You can continue with the ACV in the drinking water, he will benefit from that.
> 
> Why don't you try and syringe feed like they do in the youtube videos? It is so much quicker and easier and safer, he will gobble up 10 ml in a couple of seconds.


He wont take to it. He doesn't place his beak into the end of the syringe, and he doesn't gobbe up whatever I'm squeezing out for him. He'll lap up a tiny bit but immediately after he'll shake his head rapidly, sending whatever remains on his beak flying onto whatever is nearby lol.

He can not walk at all. He tried a few minutes ago. He hobbled, then rapidly spun in a circle 5 or 6 times. Either he was determined or he was going so fast at that point that he couldn't stop. 

Is this a sign of a broken leg or wing? I have moved both legs and both wings. I can't see anything that seems like an obvious break. I can't say if the bird is able to move them on its own because all of its movements look unstable and difficult right now.

Baby is looking more alive and has chirped some more. Not a lot, but this is a clear sign he has more energy than yesterday. He also has a healthy thirst and hasn't been reluctant to drink. I bring the water dish up to his beak and tap it to simulate pecking and he goes for it.

I'm saying he but I have no idea the gender of the bird... I just don't like calling him an "it"


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

No, I don't think he has splayed leg or anything broken. He looks fine in the photo you posted. For now, just keep him in a box on soft bedding and make sure you are feeding him enough. Put a bowl with small seed in front of him and also do the "pecking movement" with your fingers as you are doing with the water. He is almost old enough to be eating by himself. If he starts pecking at the seed, just make sure he is swallowing them and not just throwing them around.


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

The baby does NOT look fine now.

Is this parathyphoid/salmonella?

Is this PMV?


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Could very well be PMV - poor little soul.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Hard to say, as you said he flew into a window. Could be neurological damage from that. Or something else.

You said he wouldn't eat from the syringe where he needs to put his beak into the hole. Did you try placing his beak into the hole?


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

Jay3 said:


> Hard to say, as you said he flew into a window. Could be neurological damage from that. Or something else.
> 
> You said he wouldn't eat from the syringe where he needs to put his beak into the hole. Did you try placing his beak into the hole?


He didn't fly into a window. He was attacked by a cat. I've been caring for the baby ever since.

Yes, I tried placing his beak inside. I fed out of a spoon, out of the corner of a plastic bag, out of a small paper cup, and allowed the baby to try and eat/peck at seeds by itself. The baby only eats minimally. Given how bad things are looking one might be surprised to hear he's eating better today than he has been. I am feeding him directly into his mouth now, and letting him eat out of the paper cup once I get him going and can tell he wants more.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Oh, i'm so sorry. Mixed this up with another thread. Been running in and out and coming on here and I mixed it up with someone else.
It may be PMV then, but some other things can cause that. 

Some people have filled up a soft baby bottle nipple with the food, and their birds will eat it out of the nipple. They can get their beak into it easily. They can even get well again with PMV, but should not be released later, as the symptoms can come back on them when stressed. The PMV doesn't come back, but the symptoms can.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

This reminds me a lot of a baby laughing dove that was caught by my cat a couple of years ago. She also developed neurological probems within days: got horrible seizures, could not walk, could not sit up straight. At the time I also thought PMV.

She took a long time to recover. I kept her in a little budgie cage on soft bedding, water and food close by as she was able to eat by herself. Everyday I put the cage outside in the sun for a hour or 2. Eventually she was able to start walking again, no more seizures. Today she is able to fly, but in a very akward way. Despite all this, she is living a good life in the aviary.

So don't give up! Just continue giving the best of care for now and take things one day at a time. Let us know how he's doing.


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

This sounds identical to whats happening with this little baby. Yesterday night things were bad. I didn't think baby would make it through the night. Its body was so limp and lifeless. The bird had no control of its neck; its neck wanted to spin around father than an owl's would. It did appear to be seizing, and the look in its eye told me the bird was not here mentally, as if it were hallucinating. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it was.

I was shocked and elated to see the baby staring back at me when I opened the box this morning. It seemed to regain some control of its body! The neck is still weak and contorted, and the bird is still off center, but there is no more flailing. It's been drinking electrolyte water (made with salt, sugar and baking soda) and thats really seemed to help. Its been eating. I don't have to open its beak to put food in as of now; its eating on its own from a spoon again, as well as drinking on its own. It actually never had a problem with drinking water, thank goodness.

I am in touch with a woman that's overnighting me antibiotics for the baby. I think at this point as long as he's eating and drinking he'll make it, to tomorrow and then once his treatment starts, in general.

Its safe to say I love this baby bird. I will do whatever it takes to get him back to good health.

Do you advise bringing him out into the sun? Hes so tiny, he might be about 3 weeks old and hasn't aged a day since the 2 weekish mark. He only weighs 20 grams as of last night, before his final feed of the evening. I read on another post (one about PMV, and I don't think thats what he has anymore, so I wasn't counting on this tip) that sunlight exposure can help. There wasn't much of an explanation left with that particular comment so I was sceptical if that was an advisable thing to do to/with this bird.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Are you sure he's weighing only 20g? Surely it must be more, more like 75-100g? What antibiotics are you getting? For now, keep her away from direct light (no sunlight, not even a heatlamp). I kept mine warm with a ordinary bulb hanging down, and I think that made the seizures even worse. She became better when I put her on a heatpad. I only started putting her outside when all the antibiotics was finished.

Maybe the infection is causing all of this (same as mine). It's a good thing she is willing to eat, a really sick bird won't have an appetite.

I also expected every morning to find mine dead, but it's just amazing how strong they can be and have the will to live. Just plse make sure of the weight, you will need her accurate weight for the antibiotics.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

What antibiotics are they sending?


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

Jay3 said:


> What antibiotics are they sending?


See the attached screenshot. The bird has a calcium deficiency so I've also began supplementing that. Im going to expose him to 15-20 minutes of sunlight per day (and more once hes stronger) for vitamin d.

Its been like a week since the initial injury. The baby isn't doing great but with the medication in his system now, and how much strength and determination he's already exhibited, things are looking good. He's alive, thats what matters.

He's eating! I weaned him off his formula, he's eating a seed mix specifically for doves now, and very much prefers it. That alone will probably do wonders for his health. He's drinking electrolyte water and not having a problem. (Water, baking soda, sugar, salt) For the record though, he cant move. I hand feed him seed-by-seed, and I bring the water right to his beak. I don't force him to drink- once he sees the water is there he goes for it.

I'm so proud of this bird.

Once he's strong I'll be meeting with a rehabilitator to do a soft release, he'll join the flock of doves she's already rehabilitated and learn to birb.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Glad to hear he is doing well. Hope he makes a speedy recovery, plse keep us updated.


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

Look who is straightening out a bit!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

He's really looking cute, glad to hear he is improving. Always helps when they are in good hands and being taken good care off.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Tis me that sent the medications. I realized after I sent them, that baby has metabolic bone disease, which can cause the symptoms Erika has described. Doves are especially prone to MBD and it is very painful.
Erika has done a great job caring for the little one.


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## Erikalynn (Jun 10, 2018)

Charis said:


> Tis me that sent the medications. I realized after I sent them, that baby has metabolic bone disease, which can cause the symptoms Erika has described. Doves are especially prone to MBD and it is very painful.
> Erika has done a great job caring for the little one.


Happy to see you here, Charis! I did all I could but I TRULY couldn't have turned this around without you. 

To everyone reading, Charis has been a blessing to be in contact with. She's extremely compassionate and extremely thorough. She responded promptly to boatloads of questions from me, day or night. The baby is in recovery and its all thanks to her!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Hi Char-nice to see you.

Are you getting the calcium/D3 supplement?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Jay3 said:


> Hi Char-nice to see you.
> 
> Are you getting the calcium/D3 supplement?


Erika ordered it from Jedd's. In the meantime, she found hi-cal grit at Petco and has been giving him that.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Adding some crushed up chicken egg shells into the grit would also help. Just wash them and microwave for a couple of minutes, or boil them. Dry and crush to bite size. And he would also need to get into the sunshine.


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## superemmy (Mar 14, 2016)

*What happened to the Baby?*

Ericalynn, what happened to the baby?

Oh, I just saw that he is doing better!
Thank you Charis!!!


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