A young girl wrote to me about her baby pigeon.She found it and hand raised it.
She says he has a growth on his belly. It looks pink and unfeathered, it does not feel hard and it looks as if there is air inside, se says.
The pics she took with her cell phone are not useful.
I was thinking of Trichomonas (canker i think you call it) in the belly.
I asked her to look in his mouth, it looks fine, pink, no yellow spots or cheesy growhts.
What could this be?
I sent her Ronidazole, what else can I do?
Thank you for listening, Myriam

Hi Myriam!

I'm sorry that I can't answer your question. Hopefully, others will be along who are more knowledgable.

Is there any possibility that the owner could register here in case the members have questions (as I'm sure they will)?

Also, where is she located? Perhaps we would have contact information that could help her. Does she have access to an Avian Vet?

A picture would be helpful too. And, how old is the bird? Does she know if it's a hen or a cock?

Love and Hugs
Shi

Well... I guess the "on the belly" part is the real issue--any idea exactly where we're talking about? If it's "full of air" then it might be an embolism from a ruptured air sac. If the pictures show anything that helps actually locate the thing, then they might be more useful than you think.

Desert Fire wrote:Hi Myriam!


Is there any possibility that the owner could register here in case the members have questions (as I'm sure they will)?

Also, where is she located? Perhaps we would have contact information that could help her. Does she have access to an Avian Vet?

A picture would be helpful too. And, how old is the bird? Does she know if it's a hen or a cock?

Love and Hugs
Shi

Hello Shi
Thank you for responding!
She is a 15 years old girl, she lives in Fance and does not understand English at all. The pigeon is a baby she found, her parents wont give her any money to go to a vet, and also she says vets in her region dont know anything about pigeons, or refuse to treat "flying rats" or just will euthanise as soon as possible if you leave your pigeon in their hands.
The French forum she adressed to is her only hope, I registered there in 2005 and along with another French member, try to give as much advice as possible and share the little knowledge I have, especially about raising baby birds (before 2005 the word was spread to give them bread soaked in milk )

The good news is that pigeons get much more attention and care , since people receive real advice when they come for help, and there is a lot more awareness about the need to act for the protection of feral pigeons
But some questions I cannot solve...
Kind regards
Myriam

Have you discussed the possibility of a ruptured air sac with her?
Navel canker, by the way, makes a very hardened knot down below the sternum (keel). Those things are VERY hard and rather deadly if they go along for very many days. It's the body's overproduction of leukocytes that actually kills in those cases.

Pidgey wrote:Well... I guess the "on the belly" part is the real issue--any idea exactly where we're talking about? If it's "full of air" then it might be an embolism from a ruptured air sac. If the pictures show anything that helps actually locate the thing, then they might be more useful than you think.

Hello Pidgey
I try to post the only pic where you can "see" the growht, it is quite blurry, Can you tell me anything more? I saw ruptured airsacs before, I dont think it is the case.



Thank you for advising!
Myriam

Well... uhh... exactly where in that picture is the bad spot? I see the keel and the normally bare patch that runs along the keel on the bird's right side, as well as the forward curvature of the cervical (neck) vertebrae above the keel, but I don't see anything that particularly worries me. The true "belly" isn't really even visible, near as I can tell.

Oh, okay, must be that line of discoloration that looks air-filled that's somewhat parallel to the keel--yeah, that's an embolism, probably coming from an air leak in the shoulder or wing. We've seen a few really bad ones of those on Pigeon-Talk from time to time. You can either pop it or allow it to heal itself in time.

Yes that is the problem, I dont see on the pictures (none of them) what she is talking about, but she claims it is growing, that she can feel it and that is is soft.
I will ask her to describe in words where exactly is this "growth" on his belly, and I'll come back when she answers me... it is 2 o clock at night here, so this will be tomorrow, I think.
Anyway many thanks for your help.

Pidgey wrote:Oh, okay, must be that line of discoloration that looks air-filled that's somewhat parallel to the keel--yeah, that's an embolism, probably coming from an air leak in the shoulder or wing. We've seen a few really bad ones of those on Pigeon-Talk from time to time. You can either pop it or allow it to heal itself in time.

Did not see this post when I answered.
How do you pop this? withe a needle?
Is it ok the same to let it heal itself? Is it dangerous?
When I said I saw ruptured airsacks, I saw pigeons like balloons, and ran to to the vet as quicly as I could!

Here are some other pics:

Yeah, you can "pop" them with a sterilized needle and see. Hypodermic needles work but they sometimes take quite awhile for all the air to get out. I've never not popped one so I can't tell you much about how quickly they go down if you don't. We've seen some on Pigeon-Talk that have pushed out the wing on one side they were so big. Sorry, I was gone--had to go to the opera (Lucia di Lammermoor)!

I could be mistaken, but in one of the later pictures, the pij looks like a squeaker...see the yellow wispies on its head? Any idea how old the pij is?

Sure hope that if it's an air sac, it can be popped and will heal! BUT, what is causing this problem? Sure hope the little one will make it!

Thanks for answering, Pidgey!! And, thanks for helping too, Myriam!!

Is the pij eating and how are the poops?

Love and Hugs
Shi

Picture is not to clear and it is difficult to say.

Air sac rupture can occur either because of physical damage or viral/bacterial infection.

I assume that when bird fell from the nest this happened. In case of viral or bacterial infection antibiotics are recommended.

She needs get some adult to help first as assessment of injury needs to be confirmed.

One should sterilize needle, sterilize skin with cotton dipped in alcohol. Skin (only skin) should be punctured while needle kept almost parallel to the skin surface, taking care not to damage tissue below. With massaging motions gently take air out. Baby should be kept warm and care taken not to flap wings too much. Flapping motions fill air sac with air and procedure must be repeated.

Hi Myriam,

How is the baby pigeon doing, was the young girl able to pop this air sac if this was the problem? You've gotten excellent advice from two very savvy pigeon healers on our forum.

Let us know how things are going if you have time.

I did write back to her with the recommendations I received here, but i did not get any answer
As soon as she answers me, i'll post it here.
Thank you Brad, for your concern.
Myriam

Unless the 'Baloon' is seriously interfering with respiration or eating or elimination...I'd say, leave it be, and, see if it resolves in a week or ten days.


I have had quite a few fallen Baby Pigeons and Mourning Doves with ruptured Air Sacs, and, all resolved nicely over a while with no intervention.

Hello everybody
This girl wrote me back this afternoon.
She told me the "balloon" was getting bigger and she popped it very carefully.
The pigeon is fine, eating well and in super shape.
She will keep him as a pet.
Thank you all for your wonderful advise in this case.
Myriam

TERRIFIC NEWS, Myriam!!

Thanks so much for updating us!!

We wish both a wondertful life with love, hugs and scritches

Shi and Mr. Squeaks/Dom/Gimie/WoeBeGone