My wild pigeon has a strange bump on its foot. How can I help it?

Thanks for reaching out. There are concerns the leg has become injured, either a sprain, dislocation or fracture. Even an injured toe can be painful enough to not allow weight bearing. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Removing perches and providing a soft towel on the bottom of the cage can give comfort. Ensure that food and water are within reach. If there continues to be blood on the toe, gently clean with a moistened warm water on a washcloth. Keep the environment clean to prevent standing in feces and contaminating any wounds. Good luck.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Thanks for caring about this little bird. There is not much you can do for it if it cannot be caught. Even then, wild birds often do not do well in captivity. Bird often do well with only one leg. If you are feeding the pigeons, try to ensure that this one is eating well and isn't being bullied away from the food by the other birds.

It looks like the pigeon's ear may be a bit inflamed or there is some sort of growth/infection present. If they are wild birds, it would be best to contact a local wildlife rescue or animal control in your area so they can safely capture, examine, and treat the birds before releasing them back into the wild.

Thanks for reaching out about Bran and including photos. The toe also seems to be luxated and deviated medially (twisted). This could be primary swelling and inflammation from that trauma or a secondary infection. Infections can be bacterial or viral (pox). Pox viruses are generally self limiting but secondary infections need to be controlled. A topical antibiotic can be applied in a thin layer. Keep environment clean. If lesion worsens, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

I am concerned that your lovebird has an infection in the foot or in the joints of the foot. Sometimes if the infection becomes severe can spread into the bone which makes it very painful and more difficult heal. I would recommend taking your bird to be examined by your veterinarian. She may need to do x-rays to determine the extent of the infection and see if it has traveled into the bone. Your bird will likely need to be put on an antibiotic for a while to help clear up the infection as well. Your veterinarian can also prescribe pain medication so your lovebird can be more comfortable while the infection is healing. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Poor bird! If the foot is at all infected, trying to find a vet that can help in person is best. However, until you can find one, it is a good idea to separate the bird from any cage mates to keep from being picked on, and move him to a warm hospital cage with larger, flat perches that will make perching easier on his feet. Keeping the foot clean and dry and using an ointment such as Blu-kote (most feed and pet stores carry this for use in poultry and other birds) can help prevent infection. You can also Google how to make a bird-sized Elizabethan (cone) collar to put on the bird so that he can't get to his foot and bite it while it heals.

It would be best to try and bring the bird to your vet ASAP to have it treated as the eye and beak both look like there may be a pox or other sort of infection irritating it. You can use a clean washcloth to remove any debris from the eye to help keep it open and more comfortable. Making sure to keep the bird away from any other pets or people is also a good idea to prevent the spread of any illness until it can be treated by your vet.