Blue feet and can't walk! (Updated)

[loftkeeper]

have you tried contacting some of the pigeon supply houses like foys or new England pigeon supply ii have used them they have answered some really unusual reqest

 

[jak2002003]

If you can not afford to get treatment for you pet then you should take it to an animal rescue centre ASAP.

Its suffering and it is not right to leave it like that.

 

[cochinGurl]

Thanks for your concern, but I'm not going to cull her. I only do that if the animal is in a lot of pain and am sure they will not recover. I have had birds that people told me to cull make full recoveries. If I were in that position I would want to be given the chance to recover. To me, killing an animal just because it is in pain is like saying to some one with a broken leg, or cancer "well it looks like your in a lot of pain, I don't want you to suffer so I'm just going to kill you" He/She is still eating, drinking flying and is still active and bright eyed. He's been eating soaked seeds and fresh greens from my garden and has normal looking bowel movements. She is most likely pretty uncomfortable and probably in some pain at least some times, but theres also a good chance she can't feel much of it since there appears to be little to no circulation in the affected ares. It might be numb or partially numb. And even if he is in pain, he still has a relatively good quality of life now and still could if she looses her feet and toes.

I had a rescued feral pigeon for years live a normal happy life with only one toe, he had a mate and even had babies. He flew with the other pigeons and his lack of toes honestly never really seemed to slow him down after he figured out how to balance. 

 

[lightchick]

I'd take her/him to a animal rescue center. Hope s/he gets better!

 

[jak2002003]

How do you know the pigeon is not in pain? Birds hide things like that very well.

Giving it to an animals rescue place is the kindest thing to do.. they will be able to give her medicines and treatment.. something you say you can not afford.

If you leave her like this the legs and feet are likely to start rotting away.. going septic because of no blood flow.. then she will get blood poisoning.. that that is a very slow and nasty way to die.

There may be vets in the area that give free treatment for people on benefits or with financial problems. When I was out of work I found a vet who treated my dog for free.

 

[cochinGurl]

I didn't say its not in pain, I was just trying to point out that appear to be in pain and even if he is I wouldn't kill him when he's still acting so normally When i said that I was mostly responding to the person who suggested I cull her. I found this quote from a pigeon and dove rescue site:

"In the worst cases the solution may be to have the entire food amputated below the hock joint by a vet, leaving a stump for the pigeon to walk on. If this happens please ensure that the pigeon is given a course of antibiotics fits. Fortunately pigeons do very well even when missing one or both feet, so euthanasia is never indicated for a foot injury."
Source: http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/footinjuriesstring.htm

I am currently looking for a vet in my area that treats birds that I could get to by bus. Thanks to people who responded. I got discouraged and didn't post for a few days because I kind of felt like people were putting me down but there were some helpful comments so I just decided to post an update.. It (He I'm pretty sure now) is still eating and drinking normally. When I'm home he sits on a towel on my table or on top of his cage. He flies around the room sometimes but (almost) always lands back on one of his approved perches. Since he is hand raised he doesn't mind people at all and in fact considers me part of his flock, he doesnt seem stressed out by staying inside. I have a mirror set up in his cage and on the table and he sings to it. One foot is doing pretty well and has actually gotten better since I last posted in that he stands on it normally on it instead of lying down all the time. The other foot is doing really bad, its totally dead and black. Ive been putting on topical antibiotics. I put an improvised tourniquet on it and it seems to be helping. Now hear me out, it may sound counterproductive but give me a chance to explain.
I have a lot of experience with foot injuries, most of which were hair and string injuries. Its VERY common to see pigeons in feral flocks that have missing toes feet or even legs due to circulation being cut off by tangled hair, string ect. I like to find pigeons that have this problem but that have not lost their feet yet and help them out. Sometimes I'm too late for some of the toes but by carefully digging the string out in time I can save toes feet and legs. Doing that feeds my soul, I love knowing Ive made such a huge difference in that creatures life.
I have often witnessed that there can be a lot of contrast in color and condition of the toes/feet on either side of the sting. Fairly strait forward but its surprising to me how bellow the string a toe can be black and dead and above it can be pinkish red and relatively healthy. I am trying to use to use this affect to my advantage and it seems to be working. I have tied dental floss around just above her bad foot. The black has climbed up the millimeter or so to the string but not past it and has been like this for a few days. Above the floss the leg is pink but a little swollen.
I have never had a bird with foot problems die of blood poisoning or otherwise. I usually keep them for a couple months while they recover, get used to moving around with less to walk with, and then release them where I found them.

Please don't hate on me for trying to do what I can for my bird while I am trying to get her to the vet. It could save part of her leg. Suggestions are welcomed and appreciated of corse. Thanks!

 

[lightchick]

I sorry if we sounded mean......I had a pigeon with deformed legs and I had to put him to sleep. He had no muscle on his legs and his bones were curved.
I hope that your baby gets better!

 

[jak2002003]

Its been over 2 weeks since you first post. I feel very sorry for your bird that it has been in pain with no help from the vet all this time.

Maybe another week or 2 before you find a vet?.. That's a month without proper medical treatment or pain killers, or even basic medicine and antibiotics. (rubbing antibiotics on the outside of the foot is like rubbing cream on someone with a broken leg.

Sadly, after this time I doubt you pigeon will get any better. With prompt treatment and diagnosis the feet could have been saved, or amputated, the bird would have healed and be getting on with its life.

 

[subhanalah]

Its been over 2 weeks since you first post.  I feel very sorry for your bird that it has been in pain with no help from the vet all this time. 

Maybe another week or 2 before you find a vet?.. That's a month without proper medical treatment or pain killers, or even basic medicine and antibiotics. (rubbing antibiotics on the outside of the foot is like rubbing cream on someone with a broken leg.

Sadly, after this time I doubt you pigeon will get any better.  With prompt treatment and diagnosis the feet could have been saved, or amputated, the bird would have healed and be getting on with its life. 

or at the very least begin vitamin supplementation treatments as recommended for the "blue foot" cobdition.

 

[cochinGurl]

Just wanted to put this out there. I dont talk about my personal life on the internet but right now I feel its called for. Its not fair to get down on some one when their just a name on a screen and you dont know their situation. I might get banned or somthing for this post but at this point i dont really care.

My mother and I were recently kicked out of where we had lived for 11 years with her abusive boyfriend. I am a 17 year old girl with no income, and a bunch of pigeons. I lost my job when we had to move. The reason things got to the point of us getting kicked out is that I had a 7 month relationship with a 40 year old neighbor that was recently discovered. He is my best and almost only friend, I love him. Now he's not allowed to talk to me, i have no way of contacting him and its the last words i said to him were "ill see you tomorrow". I just found out a week or so ago via a Facebook post by a mutual friend that he is now dating a woman who was my childhood girl scout troop leader. Now I want to kill myself most of the time. I cut almost every day. I have never known pain like this.
I dont even have money for the next bag of pigeon food, let alone vet bills. I have adds for my pigeons on craigslist and every community bulletin board i could find. needless to say I am really sensitive right now. Very easily hurt. As if i went feeling bad enough about the quality of life of my birds and my inability to give them proper care people came down on me and made me feel even worse. Making it through the day without jumping in front of a bus is hard enough, just saying.