~ •°• ~
EYE INJURIES AND INFECTIONS
~ •°• ~
thank you for being here
•°•
•°•
possible emergencies
•°•
can the pigeon see well enough to find water?
If you found a pigeon who has a very bad eye problem, he may not have had water in a long time, because he can not see well enough to find it.
For safety, always let the pigeon drink water on his own.
electrolyte water recipe (for emergencies only)
if the pigeon is too tired to drink water
You can encourage the pigeon to drink by holding the water bowl to his beak. His water bowl should be at least 2.5cm (1 inch) deep for his beak, which he uses like a straw. He may prefer to drink warm water.
In an emergency, hold the pigeon on his side, and place one drop of water at a time on the outside of his beak using a q-tip, cotton swab, or eye-dropper. You can also soak a q-tip or cotton swab in the water and ‘paint’ his beak. Always give him time to swallow the drops on his own. Also, be careful to avoid his nostrils.
injury prevention
Even if the pigeon is not flying, he may suddenly feel better and start flying around your home. Keep the pigeon away from your pets, ceiling fan, mirrors, glass windows, and open doors. If the pigeon is stumbling, place him on a thick folded towel to protect his head in case he falls. Do not leave a stumbling pigeon alone near water.
•°•
types of eye injuries and infections
•°•
red, pink, watery, swollen eyes
possible causes
yellow or white film on eyes
possible causes
Eye injuries are usually caused by being pecked or bullied by another pigeon.
bumps around eyes
eye shrinking or disappering
An injury or infection may cause the eye to let go of water and shrink temporarily. It may even seem to disappear. They eye may return to its usual size once it has healed.
brown spot on iris or multi-coloured eyes
This may be a natural trait of pied or spotted pigeons.
•°•
eye treatments
•°•
how to hold a pigeon
To hold a pigeon, gently cup your hand around his lower back to hold his feet against his body, and his wings closed so he can not open them. When looking at a pigeon, he will feel calmest if you hold him on his side rather than belly up when possible. You will need to initially need to look at all areas of his body including his belly and bum (cloaca).how to put a treatment on his eyes
Pigeons have very sensitive and fragile eyelids. For safety, apply the eye treatment just above or around his eye using a q-tip or cotton bud and let the treatment slowly drip in.
aloe vera gel
Aloe vera gel soothes eyes and helps injuries and infections heal. Ensure it is plain aloe vera, and there are no other added ingredients. Health food or nutritional supplement stores often sell plain aloe vera gel in a refridgerator.cooled herbal "teas"
Thyme tea is made from 1 teaspoon of thyme and 1 cup (250 mL) of boiling water. Cover the tea while it cools so the good oils stay in the cup. Keep the thyme tea in the fridge, and make fresh every two days. Thyme tea is safe for pigeons to drink. You can also use chamomile or fennelmild saline
Boil 250mL (1 cup) of water for five minutes, then add 1 quarter teaspoon of salt. Let the it cool before using. Store the saline in a clean container in the fridge, and make it fresh every day.ordering medicines online
You can order eye medicines from a website like mercasystems, hyperdrug, global pigeons supplies, jedds, pigeons supplies plus, or crown pet supplies. Eye drops or antibiotics may be helpful depending on the cause of the eye issue.
immune boosting
Immune boosting can help a pigeon heal from an eye infection.
•°•
disabilities
•°•
Pigeons who are blind, have limited vision, or lost an eye will need to live as a pet or go to a small local sanctuary.
vision testing
Use a flashlight or torch to test a pigeon's vision by slowly turning it on and off to see if his pupil gets smaller or larger in response to light changes.
•°•
thank you for being here
~ •°• ~
www.helpifoundapigeon.com