On October 31st, we got a voicemail about a pigeon sitting in the same spot outside a motel for three days, unable to walk. They had trouble finding anyone to help and were very happy to connect with Palomacy. We directed them to Napa Wildlife as the closest, fastest emergency care in the area willing to partner with us on domestic pigeon cases. Thankfully, our contact at Napa Wildlife said yes as long as we could pick her up within 24 hours. Despite being overfull and short on funds, of course we said yes because how could we say no? At the wildlife rescue, she was examined. Still unable to make her legs work right (suspected spinal trauma), she tried to but couldn’t eat. They offered a gentle euthanasia for her which can be a great mercy but this bird was still fighting to live. We would find the room. They gave an anti inflammatory, made a birdie sling for her (so she could stand) and she got busy eating. Best of all, she was SAFE.
The next morning I picked up Nanda (an Indian name that means Achiever, Full Of Joy) and got her straight to Medical Center For Birds (MCFB). Aside from her suspected spinal trauma, she was alert, shiny (one of the shiniest pigeons I’ve ever seen), not emaciated, which belied what we would come to realize was a very sick pigeon. She was given an injection of powerful inflammatory, Robenacoxib, and I took her home to help her recover her ability to walk.
Nanda at Medical Center for Birds
Heading (foster) home
Once we got home, Nanda’s condition took a down turn. She became anorexic and just stood in one spot, breathing heavily. I started supporting her with sub cu fluids, small gavage fed meals and love. I also noticed that even though her crop was emptying, she wasn’t eliminating herself and the seeds she ate at the wildlife center were still sitting in her crop, static. I helped her to poop (this is the first time I’ve ever had to help a pigeon poop!) and she felt better, but then the same thing would happen again. She would digest her food but couldn’t eliminate. Again, I helped her eliminate and got her another appointment at MCFB.
Not feeling good
Love is a powerful tonic
It is amazing how important emotions are to a pigeon’s ability to recover. Outcomes even with the best, most advanced avian medical care, are dramatically improved when pigeons are nurtured and reassured throughout their recovery. We call it love therapy and while it’s probably a true tonic for every living being, it can mean the difference between life and death for pigeons.
Back for additional medical treatment
This time she stayed there for a few days. Aside from the obvious neurological trauma, x rays revealed nothing of interest other than giving us the reason she was having a hard time breathing. Her GI tract was so full of poop, it was hindering her air sac inflation, so she was struggling to breathe. She also had an extremely high white blood cell count and they couldn’t figure out why. I know that one of the hardest things for a doctor is not having a diagnosis and Nanda was baffling the staff.
They work together at MCFB with their brilliant hive mind and all they could do was guess. She was on antibiotics, meds to help her eliminate, given fluids, gavage fed and more. They must have come up with a working cocktail because she finally started looking a little brighter and showed a tiny bit of interest in pecking at pellets. The biggest worry now was if she could poop on her own and she finally did. Small poops, but it showed us her GI was starting to work again.
Nanda getting better
I was able to pick her up after a several day stay in hospital. I was hoping this time she would triumph and SHE IS. She is eating, pooping, talking, and wing slapping me when I invade her cage. She also loves to be snuggled. Yesterday I found her sitting in her small water bowl so I took her out to the aviary to see if she wanted to bathe with a flock. She did, but I wasn’t happy with the amount of attention she was getting by even my gentle birds. She still tips over and needs protection. So I scooped her up and sat on the back patio, soaking in the sun.
She will one day be ready for aviary life but not for a little while. In the mean time, Nanda is inside the house, eating and acting like a pigeon should. She LOVES her mirror and preens her reflection. She is still one of the shiniest pigeons I’ve ever seen and will continue to shine in many ways. Thanks to YOU. YOUR DONATIONS SAVE THE NANDAS!
