# Young bird crop ripped open



## Subipe (Feb 25, 2010)

Hi, can anybody offer me some advice on a bird I just picked up? He is only young (mature looking, but I doubt he can really fly yet). His main problem is that he has a gaping wound in the side of his chest. This has exposed a slab of muscle, but my main concern is that it has also ripped open his crop - there is a decent hole in it. Seed is dropping out. He seems to be in a lot of pain, won't move at all, although a quick check showed there are no broken bones anywhere, and other than the wound he seems ok. 
Due to it being the weekend, i won't be able to take him to see a vet untill Monday - vets close down here in weekends. 

Will he be able to survive this and recover (also keep in mind, no vet until Monday)? Or is it kinder to put him to sleep?
If he has a chance of survival, I'll take him to see a vet asap on Monday - what should I do in the meantime? Any food/drink would just drop out the side again.. I did clean the edges of the wound (removed seed and gravel), but I dont think I have a suitable antibiotic to give him for this. I only have doxycycline at the moment.
I do have meloxicam - would that help him with his pain in this case if it does not run out of his crop?


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

That's a young bird. Doxycycline would be fine to give and I would start it right away. The dose is 10-50 mg per pigeon per day. He's young so I would go with about 20 mg.
For the hole, you can make a paste of honey and sugar. Equal parts mixed together (the honey has antibiotic properties and the sugar serves as a hardener), then spread it over the wound.
Once it hardens it will help seal the hole so food won't fall out.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Waynette, I haven't heard of that one before.
As for antibiotic Amoxicillin or Baytril would be even better, if you can get either of those.


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## Subipe (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks for the responses Jay3 and Waynette. The bird is still alive this morning (Sunday) so I suppose that is a start. He was very thirsty, but unfortunately the water he drank just ran out of his side again - not good. Same for the doxycycline I gave him, so that is not really working. The hole in the crop is about 3cm long by 1.5cm wide, so it is a pretty decent gash. I can look straight inside it and see all the internal structures. Quite creepy. 

I think it might be too large for the sugar/honey solution to work. I am going to try to bring the sides together a bit more if I can, and then maybe try sugar/honey. 

He is interested in water, but not in food. Can't/does not want to stand or move around. Droppings from last night are jet black, I suppose that is the blood from the injury making its way through his system.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Poor birdie. Someone here recently had a bird with a ripped crop and sewed it closed. Obviously having a vet do this would be ideal. Hope he gets better. Pigeons have amazing ability to recover. Ours was nearly decapitated and was being fed through a hole in her neck but recovered and was our beloved for eight years.


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## Subipe (Feb 25, 2010)

I have clipped a heap of feathers around the injury, and if pushed the right way, the sides of the crop actually come together reasonably well. I am not sure about sewing it up myself, so I used 2 butterfly strips to bring the edges of the crop close together again. I was careful to only stick them on healthy skin, not on exposed muscle from the rest of the wound. Before closing, I applied honey liberally to the edges of the torn crop, and again after sticking it closed. Fingers crossed it will work, and stay in place. 

Of course the crop is not sealed this way, only held together a bit better. However, I gave him another dose of doxycycline, seeing the first dose ran out of his side, and this far it has not come out yet... Maybe peas/corn will stay in as well now instead of falling out instantly... I really hope so, as they will give him some water as well.

I agree, cwebster, pigeons do have an amazing ability to recover. It would be great if this one would pull through, but it seems like a pretty serious injury..


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

That's great that you could butterfly it! The purpose of the sugar is to harden the honey, making like a 'patch'. You mix equal amounts of honey and sugar. Put it on asap because it will harden quickly. Once it hardens, you can't spread it. Raw honey has antibiotic properties. Clavamox would actually be the best for wounds, but you can use doxy, amoxicillin or baytril. I would start with what you have on hand to give it a jump start seeing as the vet is closed for the weekend. You can always change.
One of mine had a huge rip in his crop last summer. He's all healed and doing fine.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Subipe, Just make sure its Raw Honey.
You can also spread the mixture on a piece of gauze and place over the hole.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Msfreebird said:


> Subipe, Just make sure its Raw Honey.
> You can also spread the mixture on a piece of gauze and place over the hole.


This seems like a good idea in an emergency such as this. Thanks Waynette. 

As far as sewing it up, better letting a vet sew it up, rather then to do it yourself, as the crop is actually 2 layers. The actual crop, and then the skin that covers it. If just the outside skin is sewed, seed can still come out of the crop and stay inside the chest cavity which isn't good.


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