pigeons---breathing problems

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I don't recall any previous posts on pigeons but we have a few of them. (Reliving my childhood I guess) One of them has recently come down with a cold. Her breathing is somewhat labored and congested. She's a nice bird and we don't want to lose her. Any suggestions? Antibiotics? What kind, how often how much and for how long? Thanks!

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), December 25, 2000

Answers

Hi John, I don't have any particulars for you, but personally, I would go with the antibiotics ASAP. In my experience, birds don't last long with respiratory problems. If it were mine (I have pigeons too) I guess I would head to the feed & farm supply store and get whatever they have for poultry with respiratory problems. Probably one of the sulfa drugs. I would also force feed the medication (Carefully, with an eyedropper or syringe) rather than put it in the water as you would with chickens, as pigeons don't seem to drink much water.

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), December 26, 2000.

Also can you keep her inside the house, or somewhere else that is warm? Higher humidity will help too. Also, she should be isolated from the others in case it's contagious and can pass to the other birds.

Personally, I would probably take the bird to a vet, or at least attempt a phone consult. If you can't do that, things to try would be some cider vinegar in her water, and if you have any astragalus extract on hand, give her 1-2 drops per 30 grams body weight for 2-4 weeks.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), December 26, 2000.


Baytril (enrofloxacin) is a great antibiotic for birds. You can use the injectible form orally or you can use the pills and just push them into the crop. Don't know the actual avian dose off hand but I usually dose my poultry with 1 mg/lb. The suggestion to keep it in a warm area is right on target. That is always the first step. You can't get baytril over the counter. You will need to find a sympathetic vet. To be quite honest, most vets don't want to deal with birds and will probably give you what you want rather than being forced to actually see it in an office visit. If you have a vet you regularly work with you should be able to get the baytril and perhaps they could check the dose also. Of course there are vets that do a lot of birds so you could look around for one of them. A wildlife rehabilitator may also have useful info/drugs. What kind of pigeons do you have? I have homers and a couple of fan tails. Have had rollers, tumblers, flights and angeliques in the past.

-- teresa (teresam@ascent.net), December 27, 2000.

So what happened to the bird, John??

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), January 09, 2001.

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