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Very ill bird, has now got a paralysed leg and stopped eating

Andrei

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Ten days ago I picked up a blackbird chick fallen from nest.

It was noisy and layful until yesterday, although seemed very ill: it has an 5 mm nodule a the middle articulation of one wing and was and is very thin and over this period it developed only little, althouh it had an enormous appetite, eating as much as a pigeon, although is the size of a sparrow. In fact, his bones are clearly visibly through skin, is extraordinary emaciated.


This morning some dramatic changes happened, he can't move one of the legs anymore, stopped eating and drinking (stopped asking food and opening the beak). The fact that doesn't move the leg may also be because I accidentally hit him (he jumped off from table and I tried to catch him in the air but actually slamed him).

Another symptoms are a bluish spot of unfeathered skin above one of the eyes, losing some feathers and scratching often. Also, this morning he is desperated to hide in some dark place.

Previous days, I gave him antibiotics and a medicine against coccidiosis. Could the leg have paralysed from coccidiosis or maybe he has some virus?


LE: he now ate a little.


p587.jpg zf92.jpg
 
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Buckbeak

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Are you able to take this bird to a wildlife hospital or animal refuge in your area? They would be the most experienced and knowledgeable about diseases and treatment for this baby.
 

Andrei

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There is only a center for stray dogs in my city's area.

I was many times with the blackbird at vet, problem is there are no bird-specialised vets in my city, not even at the Veterinary Faculty, they put wrong diagnoses, killed some birds. I will ask for a microscope examination of droppings (I should have done this before the bird losed his appetite). Now I'm going to make a radiography at his leg.
 
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Andrei

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It is actually a fracture at the leg, this is what radiography shown.
 

birdlady

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Awe poor baby...does the vet think he will be ok? Thank you for helping him:)

I am fortunate to have a wildlife rehab center only twenty minutes from me...I take all wildlife there that needs help.
 

Lady Jane

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Unless you take care of this bird for the rest of its life it has no chance if placed back in the wild. Bless you for trying.
 

Andrei

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Birdlady, I don't think at an animal shelter they could care him well, because there are so many animals and birds are so fragile.


With the leg he will be ok, I hope. But has other severe problems, maybe a fungus, or trichomonas. The symptom is similar with the one that killed the magpie: a small (1 mm) ulceration in the middle of the upper side of the tongue. I will try some anti-fungus medication and perhaps something against trichomonas (I will ask the vet). Tommorow I will make a microscope examination of droppings because some signs lead to coccidiosis (he may have a combination of several diseases).


Lady Jane Grey, ideally he would get healed and I would release him into the wild, with him coming to sleep and eat at my home. But if he will become impaired in some way, I will take care of him for the rest of his life.
 
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roxynoodle

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Do you have a zoo nearby? There may be vets there who can help you.
 

Lovebird Lady

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You seem to be doing the best that you can with the limited resources that you have in your area:goodjob:
 

Andrei

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Thank you, this is an interesting idea. There is a zoo some 15 km from where I live (outside the city), I will try to contact them or take the bird there (although is stressful for the bird to transport him).
 

Andrei

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Yesterday I received the results of saliva analysis of the blakbird and he/she has Candidiasis, as I suspected. Fortunately, I started the treatment with Nystatin one week ago. Same illness killed the magpie I had before.

Candidiasis may manifest at beginning as a unique ulceration. At magpie and blackbird appeared a small "bump" or blister (1 mm) in the middle of the tongue's upper side. After 2-3 weeks, the fungus invaded magpie's organism, the mouth became covered with white membranes an she died suffocated with similar internal membranes.

If you see this symptom at your bird, treat him/her from time with Nystatin or Diflucan.
 
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