Rehoming pigeon

stupidusername

I've a pigeon that seems to have PMV. He's not your ordinary pigeon, he's black and white, and slightly bigger than usual. I picked him up outside a week ago, as I saw his neck was twisting, and couldn't seem to fly straight. I've had him on Baytril since Tuesday, but it seems he's not getting better.

The vet wants to put him down, but I wanted to give him the chance to be rehomed first. Although I know it's unlikely.

He can't be around other birds as this disease will spread, and he wouldn't survive in the wild. As his flying isn't great, he couldn't be around other animals really.

Just wondering is there anyone that might be interested in keeping him as a pet. I'd hate to see him put down when he could live a good life indoors.

Here's a picture of him.


If anyone might be interested please let me know as soon as possible, as we'll be putting him to sleep on Monday or Tuesday if we don't hear anything.

Kess73

If it has paramyxovirus, then you cannot give it to someone as a pet.

The bird does have a chance of surviving it, but recovery can take between 6 to 24 weeks, and for somebody with no experience of looking after an infected bird to take it off of your hands, it would be a no no, both for the bird's sake and for the potential hygiene related problems that the carer could come into contact with.

Vitamins, electrolytes, probiotics, and calcium supplements would be needed daily to aid the bird recover, and things like checking that the temperature of all nutritional fluids are correct before being given to the bird are a must.

Baytril will give it some short term relief, but it will do it no good as a long term drug.


Much as I hate to see any bird die, I would tend to agree with your vet in that it should be put to sleep, unless somebody with experience with pigeons or birds, and with the time needed to properly care for it, is available.

A person taking it in without knowledge of paramyxovirus will only do more harm than good, and potentially be a risk in terms of spreading it elsewhere. I sent a few emails to other Birdwatch Ireland and BTO members I know before making this reply, just in case there is anyone that might be interested in helping, but I really don't hold out much hope tbh.


A shame as it is a handsome looking bird.

stupidusername

All I know is I went in about this and I was given Baytril. The vet said that if this doesn't work , then nothing else will. He didn't mention doing anything else. I looked it all up before, but I assumed the vet knew what he was talking about. Do you think he was just trying to fob me off?

I said to him I wasn't too happy to have him PTS but he said he could be kept as a pet. Obviously I would think a person interested in taking him would be into birds anyway, so if he needs certain things they'd have to do them.

I don't know what to think really. I just didn't want to have to put him to sleep as he has a relatively good quality of life. It seems a waste to me. The vet didn't mention anything about having to treat him for it if someone was keeping him.

Kess73

The vet would know how much work, time, and expense would be involved in trying to treat a pigeon with full blown PMV, and has made the suggestion that most vets make when a bird (non-pet) is brought to them based on his/her knowledge.

In terms of birds, Baytril is most commonly used on racing pigeons and poultry, and is normally given for 5 to 12 days for systemic and intestinal infections.

Kess73

Here is something I just found on another site to give you a little more info on treating paramyxovirus in pigeons.





Pigeon Paramyxovirus (aka : PMV, PPMV, PMV1 -Pigeon)

---

Please remember that whenever you take in a sick pigeon it is vital that you warm it up before feeding or giving water and that you rehydrate it before feeding. All fluids should be warmed to 39 degrees centigrade. This link will tell you exactly what vital first steps to take: http://www.pigeons.biz/pigeons/index.html

Pigeon Paramyxovirus is a viral disease that does not affect man or animals, but a human that handles a pigeon with PMV or the live vaccine can develop conjunctivitis if sensible precautions are not taken (eg, do not touch your eyes immediately after handling a pigeon with PMV or the live vaccine).


Incubation period can vary from a few days to several weeks.
It is most often of moderate virulence with 5% to 10% mortality, but rarely highly virulent strains can cause 90% mortality.
Mortality rates are significantly higher if supportive care is not given (eg. when the virus is injected experimentally in a laboratory).
Water deprivation and stress increase mortality.
Spontaneous recovery within 6 - 12 weeks is common, but recovery can take longer.
Nervous symptoms can persist for life or return in times of stress.
Some pigeons will suffer from persistent diarrhoea after recovery.


SYMPTOMS:

Diarrhoea is often the first symptom, but feral pigeons will not often come to the attention of a rescuer until the nervous signs appear. Not all symptoms will be present at the same time. All symptoms are aggravated by excitement.

The most common symptoms seen by the rescuer will be:

Thin broken solid droppings in a pool of liquid
Fine tremor of eyes or head
Staggering
Somersaulting in flight
Crash landing
Difficulty picking up seed, pecking and missing.
Tossing seed backwards
Twisting neck, head upside down (torticollis, star gazing) - see photo.
Paralysis of legs or wings
Spiralling in flight
Flying backwards
Turning in circles
Having fits
Suddenly dropping off to sleep, head slumped forwards (zonking out!)
Pulling head backwards towards tail.


HOUSING

During the recovery period keep pigeons with Pigeon PMV in a quiet, warm (not hot) cage with soft flooring away from any intense light source.
Towelling is ideal for flooring as they can damage their feathering if they have fits.
Provide a brick for perching.


FEEDING AND WATERING

Place seed in a deep dish so that if they stab at random they can pick seed up.
Because Pigeon PMV can cause fits pigeons are at risk of drowning but they need free access to water. Provide water (with added electrolytes if possible) in a deep narrow container to minimise the risk of accidental drowning. Watch the pigeon to ensure it is drinking.
Hand feeding may be necessary. If feeding by gavage tube is not an option the pigeon’s mouth has to be opened and the food pushed to the back of throat. Suitable foods that can be fed this way include pellets of egg food paste dipped in water and soaked dog biscuits. A good food to use is also frozen peas and corn, thawed in hot water for 10 minutes or so, and served warm by popping into the back of the mouth. An adult should manage 40+ at one feeding.
Weigh the pigeon daily and carry out a poop count to ensure that he is getting enough food. As a guideline: a healthy pigeon will pass between 20 and 30 raisin sized poops a day.

NURSING CARE

Supportive care is usually sufficient.
Resistance to other diseases such as coccidiosis, trichomoniasis and aspergillosis is reduced. Avoid conditions that could aggravate these conditions (stress, damp etc), watch out for symptoms and provide prompt treatment if symptoms appear.
The disease runs its course in about 6 weeks, by that time the pigeon has stopped shedding the virus and won't infect other pigeons but nervous symptoms and gastro-intestinal may persist longer.
Vitamins should be given to boost the immune system.
Probiotics can be used to crowd out any bad “gut” bacteria.
Electrolytes can be given to replace the electrolytes lost through polyuria.
I have found that providing a calcium supplement on arrival (Gem Calcium Syrup with Vitamin D3) has helped. The dose I gave was two drops a day for 3 days.
Do not use antibiotics without consulting a vet. They can intensify the lesions and aggravate the course of the disease.

SOME USEFUL HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

I have had some success treating the paralysis/stroke symptoms of Pigeon PMV using the homeopathic remedy Conium Maculatum (common hemlock) dosing with a single tablet of the 30 potency three times a day for up to 10 days.
Birds that tremble and fall over when they try to move because their balance is impaired may benefit from Argenitum Nit 30 potency, one tablet given 3 or 4times a day for up to 2 days.
Belladonna can be used for birds that are restless with convulsive movement and jerking limbs. 2 pilules twice a day.

Remember not to touch homeopathic pilules with your hands, this can contaminate them and reduce effectiveness, give them on a “clean mouth” (no food or additions to the drinking water 20 minutes before or 20 minutes after) and stop the remedy as soon as an improvement shows


HYGIENE

Pigeon PMV is highly infectious to other pigeons , victims should be kept isolated from other birds for at least 6 weeks.
Maintain scrupulous hygiene , regularly disinfecting food and water containers with bleach.
Always see to a pigeon with Pigeon PMV after you have treated your other birds. That reduces the risk of carrying the infection to other birds in your care.
Wash hands after contact and take care not to track fecal waste or carry fecal dust to areas where other birds are.
Some rescuers keep a clean overall and shoes just inside the isolation area, to put on while caring for Pigeon PMV sufferers and remove when leaving the area.
Dispose of droppings wisely, they can be a source of infection to feral pigeons.


PREVENTION AND CONTROL

In a loft situation it is important to vaccinate pigeons against Pigeon PMV.
Remember that it is the pigeon that is not showing any symptoms of Pigeon PMV but is shedding the virus that is the greatest danger to other pigeons. By the time the obvious symptoms appear the virus could have infected other pigeons in your care. Always isolate new pigeons. They can be vaccinated if they show no signs of the disease after 10 days in quarantine.

Millie

SU, you are like our own St Francis of Assisi rescuing all the animals of Limerick
Fair Play...

stupidusername

Thanks Millie.

Brought him to the vet this morning to be PTS, but then the vet said I could keep him for a few weeks til the thing has passed and see if he has brain damage from it. If he does, put him to sleep, if not release him.

I'm so confused. but I'm going to keep him for a few weeks and see how it goes.

L.T.P.

stupidusername wrote: »

I've a pigeon that seems to have PMV. He's not your ordinary pigeon, he's black and white, and slightly bigger than usual. I picked him up outside a week ago, as I saw his neck was twisting, and couldn't seem to fly straight. I've had him on Baytril since Tuesday, but it seems he's not getting better.

The vet wants to put him down, but I wanted to give him the chance to be rehomed first. Although I know it's unlikely.

He can't be around other birds as this disease will spread, and he wouldn't survive in the wild. As his flying isn't great, he couldn't be around other animals really.

Just wondering is there anyone that might be interested in keeping him as a pet. I'd hate to see him put down when he could live a good life indoors.

Here's a picture of him.


If anyone might be interested please let me know as soon as possible, as we'll be putting him to sleep on Monday or Tuesday if we don't hear anything.

Fair play to you for looking after him!

billox

L.T.P. wrote: »

Fair play to you for looking after him!

ya well done most people would of left him to die

SoCo2009

Hes class looking too!

stupidusername

Thanks guys. Ya he would've died a week ago if I'd left him outside. Don't think I could actually do that though.

Hopefully he'll get better. He's resident in our bathroom for the next two weeks anyway! Though he's terrified of us, and it's horrible to see him cowering away when I'm putting him to bed or feeding him.... I do minimise the contact and interference though so he's not too stressed.

campo

Is it more cruel to keep him alive though...just asking the question mind I honestly dont know do you think he is suffering much, I know your heart is in the right place but sometimes its better to let them go

stupidusername

I brought him to the vet yesterday to be PTS but he said there's a chance he'll recover from it. I've to give him a few weeks and if the symptoms are gone he's fine to be released, if not we'll put him down. I would've put him down but if there's the chance he'll be ok....I don't want to.


Seriously I don't know what to do. the vet kinda made out like I should take care of him and see how he goes....

campo

stupidusername wrote: »

I brought him to the vet yesterday to be PTS but he said there's a chance he'll recover from it. I've to give him a few weeks and if the symptoms are gone he's fine to be released, if not we'll put him down. I would've put him down but if there's the chance he'll be ok....I don't want to.


Seriously I don't know what to do. the vet kinda made out like I should take care of him and see how he goes....

Well fair play to you hope he pulls through