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Post by siobhan on Dec 3, 2015 12:47:40 GMT -5
I got home last night and found Maggie already in her cage, on her perch, dozing. Her food dish did not need refilled, and she is the most ravenous of all the birds. Her dish ALWAYS needs filled. Her poops from the day were runny and white instead of having dark green in them. And she didn't want to come out and socialize as she always does. She stayed on her perch, dozing. I closed her door to keep the tiels from going in and eating her food, and kept an eye on her, and she stayed there the rest of the evening. I changed her paper (I always do anyway) and this morning, her poops are still white and runny and she was still on her perch with no desire to eat or come out. So I left her cage closed. I have to work a long shift today so I'll be late getting home to check on her, but she has food and water if she wants them. I can't imagine what could be wrong. Anyone have any ideas? She's my pigeon and I don't know her exact age but she's at least 11. I've had her for six years and the people I got her from had her for five, but she just showed up in their yard. They thought, and I agree, that she was part of a "dove" release at a wedding or funeral and couldn't find her way home, and that makes me think she was probably young at the time and it was her first release, so 11 is probably fairly accurate in regard to her age, which for a pampered indoor pigeon is not that old. They can live into their 20s if all goes well. None of the other birds is showing any sign of illness. Poops, appetite and behavior are completely normal.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Dec 3, 2015 17:25:00 GMT -5
I am really sorry to hear that Maggie is unwell. Would she be egg-bound at all? Please keep us advised on her condition. Sending lots of love and healing thoughts her way. Get well soon little Pigeon Queen  |
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Post by siobhan on Dec 3, 2015 17:28:13 GMT -5
She lays a couple of eggs every three months or so and promptly forgets all about them, or steps on them and makes a mess. She's about due for another round, but she gets plenty of calcium. Not only does she have calcium grit, which you do have to give to softbills, but she eats the Quakers' pellets as a treat. Her eyes are bright and her feathers aren't dabby on her bottom.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Dec 4, 2015 4:32:12 GMT -5
How's Maggie? I sincerely hope she is feeling better.
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Post by biteybird on Dec 4, 2015 5:29:24 GMT -5
Poor little girl. I hope she feels better soon.
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Post by wsteinhoff on Dec 4, 2015 7:38:14 GMT -5
It doesn't sound like canker but I would check her nostrils and throat for white or yellowish lumps just to be safe. It could be coccidia which it seems is what I tend to most often have when a pigeon of mine is sick. In my experience with the pigeons wattery droppings or diarrhea generally means a bacterial infection and coccidia is a very common one. If you can't take her to a vet then I'd try to get some ciprofloxacin as soon as possible. It's an antibiotic that is safer than most of the others and is the human version of baytril/enrofloxacin but is considered safer and is used for many kinds of animals. What I use right now is called fish-flox in 250 mg tablets. It's for fish but it's still the same medication. If you go this route before going to a vet then I'd give her the whole 250 mg pill because it seems to be hard to overdose them with cipro and giving too low of a dosage will make the bacteria making her sick become resistant to the medication. With any medication you should give probiotics in the water too. If she has not been vaccinated for PMV/paramyxovirus then watery droppings are often the first sign of that which is a serious disease in pigeons that causes nerve damage and is incurable lasting about 6 weeks. After 6 weeks the bird will no longer shed the PMV virus but will forever be a carrier with the disease which can't be transferred to people or other animals but it can do other pigeons and can give humans conjunctivitis if the bird or the vaccine is handled and then your hands are not cleaned well after. I know this isn't helping at all but the symptoms you are describing are what I normally get with coccidia and when it's bad enough that they aren't wanting to move around much or eat they usually don't tend to make it through the sickness. If she is not eating you should take her food and grind it to flour and mix it with water so you can hand feed it to her with a syringe.
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Post by siobhan on Dec 4, 2015 12:28:23 GMT -5
She's gotten off the perch today and is drinking water, though she still hasn't eaten that I can tell. There is no discharge from her nostrils and her eyes are still bright and clear. I petted her this morning and she cooed a little. Not as much as usual.
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Post by siobhan on Dec 4, 2015 22:46:34 GMT -5
Maggie died today while I was at work.
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Post by biteybird on Dec 4, 2015 23:56:43 GMT -5
Siobhan, I'm very sorry to hear this - my sympathies.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Dec 5, 2015 4:34:11 GMT -5
Oh no Siobhan - I am shocked. I don't know what to say to you except to offer my sincere sympathy.
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Post by easttex on Dec 5, 2015 4:47:29 GMT -5
I am very sorry to read this. I enjoyed the stories about her and her interactions with others, and cooing is such a pleasant sound. Birds just don't give you much warning when they are ill. By the time they make it obvious, it's so often too late.
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Post by siobhan on Dec 5, 2015 8:17:21 GMT -5
I think that was probably the case. Once she couldn't hide it anymore, it was already too late. I've not been around much this week due to work, eitjer.
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Post by aaron on Dec 6, 2015 17:23:50 GMT -5
Siobhan, I'm so sorry to hear this!! That is so very sad. My sympathies and condolences... Rest in peace little Maggie... And *hugs* for you.
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Dec 10, 2015 23:22:35 GMT -5
I'm sorry for your loss  |
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