My pigeon has a swollen, bleeding leg. What's wrong and what to do?

It sounds like your bird may have bumblefoot, or an infection of the foot which can cause oozing of debris, pus, blood, etc. Other possible causes can include a sprain or break to the foot. If you see a visible wound, you can try soaking the foot in epsom salts and then using an antiseptic like blu-kote, however if it is badly infected or broken this is something that needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately as severe infections can make a bird ill very quickly and potentially lead to death. Until you can get to your vet, keeping Sunapana warm and in a hospital cage without perches and with food and water dishes that are easy to is best.

Thanks for reaching out about Pukki and including photos. There are multiple causes of acute loss of legs including: spinal trauma, metabolic concerns (liver, kidney), infectious diseases (circovirus, aspergillosis), and more. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. For now, remove perches and provide a soft towel on which to sit. Ensure that food and water are within reach. Continue to syringe feed if needed. Good luck.

It is best to move Robin to a separate hospital cage to allow the foot to begin to heal without being picked on by other birds. Providing low, flat perches or no perches at all along with shallow easy to access food and water dishes may help. If there is a visible wound or break, treating the wound or seeking veterinary care to have any broken legs treated is best. If the swelling continues, worsens, or other symptoms of illness appear, seeking vet help ASAP is needed.

Make sure there is nothing caught around the toe that could be causing constriction, if so remove it. It looks like the claw could be infected so you would need to take the pigeon to the vet and clean the toe with chlorhexidine whilst administering antibiotics such as baytril or terramycin.

Unfortunately, it would be hard to say without an exam. It's possible that she injured the leg, has an issue with poor nutrition if she's not leaving the nest to eat enough, or there is something else ongoing. Making sure she's eating and drinking, and checking the leg for injuries is a good first step. If you suspect an illness or problem, a vet visit is needed to treat it. Pigeon eggs should also hatch in about 20 days, so if it's been longer than that and not hatched, it is likely not viable and should be removed so that she can get back to eating and drinking normally.

Thanks for reaching out about your pigeon. Egg binding is a common cause for inability to utilize the legs, if an egg is still in the uterus or has damaged a nerve while passing. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. If can not stand, remove perches and provide a soft towel on which to sit. Ensure that food and water are easily accessible. Review diet to include vitamins and minerals, best in the form of fresh vegetables. Good luck.

Hi, It sounds like Elliot most likely did have a fall or get his leg stuck in cage bars. A dislocation or fracture sounds possible based on what you have described, and unfortunately this is somewhat common in birds, especially young birds as the supporting structures of he developing bones are still soft. Even though he is still eating well, Elliot is most likely in significant pain from his injury and should have some pain medication prescribed. Also, his best chance at having the injury corrected so it can heal in proper alignment will be in the hands of a veterinarian. So a visit to your veterinarian is the best thing for Elliot right now. Make sure he keeps eating and is maintaining weight, as good nutrition will be the foundation of his ability to heal. Good luck!