After the pigeon has recovered from the shock of being caught it will need to be examined for signs of injury or illness. Check very carefully for puncture wounds. Sometimes these can be concealed by feathers that have been forced into the wound. If you know that it has been caught by a cat, dog or hawk it will need to have a course of antibiotics.(See Bite Wounds) Examine its whole body for injury.  Look under the wings.  Any cuts should be cleaned with warm water and a very mild antiseptic. If it has thread around its feet this will have to be removed (See string injuries). Open its beak gently and look at the back of the throat.  White or cheesy lumps could be a sign of canker.Do not try to dislodge them. A foul-smelling 'cheesy' growth in the beak or throat cavity could also indicate pigeon pox (the two can initially be confused). Check its eyes and nostrils.  Discharge from the nostrils  or eyes, sneezing and breathing difficulties will need treatment with antibiotics and would be best checked out by a vet. Check its droppings.  A healthy pigeon's droppings are plump, firm and brown capped with a bit of white.Watery green droppings could be a sign of coccidiosis. Green droppings in conjunction with a pigeon so thin you can easily feel its breastbone may mean that the pigeon is starved. Check for swellings.  Swellings on joints could be a symptom of paratyphoid Check behaviour.  Seed tossing, turning in circles, neck torsion (e.g., head twisted upside down) can all be signs of paramyxovirus.  Neck torsion could also be a symptom of paratyphoid. Lesions or scabs on unfeathered parts like beak, feet and around eyes may also indicate pigeon pox.