Para Pigeon Progress

Looks like the Pigeon with Paramyxovirus might well survive this deadly disease.

It no longer has the neck twisting contortions, and is able to fly in a controlled way. It has also started to eat unaided, although it's coordination is still not perfect.

It's 4 weeks since I found it sitting at my door, and appears to have fought off the worst of the illness.

Paramyxovirus

The sick Pigeon sitting at my door at the beginning of the month is still alive. Initially I thought it was suffering from Salmonellosis a bacterial disease. However after 10 days of antibiotics it had not improved. The symptoms are very similar to Paramyxovirus which I now believe to be the real illness it is suffering from. As with most viruses there is no real treatment available. I have seen pigeons suffering from this before and it is pretty lethal. Around 70% of pigeons die but 30% can spontaneously recover after a month or so.

This one has survived nearly 3 weeks so far, but still has torsion of the neck and tends to hover / fly backwards. I have been hand feeding it 3 times a day, and it now preens itself and seems reasonable healthy. It will be interesting to see if it can overcome this virus. Short movie clip below.

Cool Pigeons

The three pigeons suffering from the Paramyxovirus are making steady progress and I feel fairly confident that they will fully recover. I think the prompt action of catching them at the first signs of the disease has been the key to their recovery.

Catching them before they became too ill to respond to treatment meant that they had sufficient strength to recover. Ensuring that they were rehydrated and given enough food to keep their systems working normally allowed them to eventually beat the virus and its terrible effects. Rehydration and plenty of food that built up their immune systems was the key.

Two of them are no longer showing any extreme symptoms like poor coordination and inability to eat. The last one is still a bit unsteady on its feet but should respond well in a week or two. Meanwhile these birds are the coolest, they know how to chill out, and I am impressed by the way they rest on each wing in turn and sleep and dream as well !  If you wonder how I know they dream, Vera / Vinnie, was coo-ing whilst eyes shut and sleeping., the coo-ing got so loud he woke himself up ! Take it from me - birds dream !  PS. They are messy !!!

Vera and Bluey

Yet another pigeon struck down by the Paramyxovirus at the Merryton bridge yesterday. It's a bonnie rock dove, light blue grey and showing all the signs and unable to control it's movements. It was best to remove it from that flock and give it a chance of survival. It is now safely at home with Vera the other pigeon with the same condition. This disease must be terrifying for the birds, with loss of coordination and control - vital to their survival. Hope I don't find any more, otherwise I'll run out of suitable boxes !

Vera the Viral Pigeon

Nearly two weeks since I brought Vera the pigeon suffering from a killer Paramyxovirus home. The Virus has taken a strong hold on her and it remains to be seen if she will eventually beat it. I am tube feeding her 3 times a day as well as hand feeding her grain.

Standing still her balance is OK, but when she tries to pick up and swallow a grain, she is unable to control her neck torsion and contorts into a violent cartwheel across the floor.  (Short video clip below.)

I have to grab her and hold her still for a minute to regain her balance.
I am confident of keeping her alive for a while, but may well have to consider having her put to sleep unless she can fly and feed herself without the contortions. Meanwhile she is content to be cared for and watch my dog eating !

Pigeon Virus

Yet again I have been unable to save another beautiful Pigeon from the Paramyxovirus which is affecting the feral pigeons of the town. 

This was pigeon number 4 that has succumbed to this nasty killer. The Neurological effects mean that the Pigeons lose coordination and are unable to pick up food by missing it with their beaks.
Other symptoms include, increased water intake combined with reduced feed consumption, emaciation,
paralysis of the legs, timidity, torsion of the neck, twisting movements of the body, overturning and walking backwards.  It's a truly horrible virus and most pigeons die. 

One survivor who is currently only managing to eat because I have placed a tub at my door where it is able to pick up seeds, even though missing what it's aiming for !  It remains to be seen if it can last a month where it might develop a resistance to the virus.

Meanwhile some of the affected flock are ganging up at my door !