LWR had two new intakes last week, and we’re awaiting an arrival from Sumter County late this afternoon—a vulture, species not mentioned by the transporter.
The weather looks like it’s finally gonna cooperate so we can release the barnie this week—probably just before sunset today, if all goes well. Fingers crossed!
The weather looks like it’s finally gonna cooperate so we can release the barnie this week—probably just before sunset today, if all goes well. Fingers crossed!
The head trauma barred that appeared to be blind was, in fact, blind and was humanely euthanized.
Wednesday DNR brought a young black vulture from Dodge County with a suspected broken wing. Upon an intake exam—which the vulture vigorously protested by biting the crap out of my hands—I could find no fractures, so the feisty rascal paid a visit to Smalley’s Animal Hospital the next morning, where he attempted to bite everything and everyone in sight. (In his defense, he was hungry—or perhaps hangry would be more apt; I don’t feed vultures before a vet visit so we don’t have puking on the exam table—one experience of that was quite enough for a lifetime!)
Wednesday DNR brought a young black vulture from Dodge County with a suspected broken wing. Upon an intake exam—which the vulture vigorously protested by biting the crap out of my hands—I could find no fractures, so the feisty rascal paid a visit to Smalley’s Animal Hospital the next morning, where he attempted to bite everything and everyone in sight. (In his defense, he was hungry—or perhaps hangry would be more apt; I don’t feed vultures before a vet visit so we don’t have puking on the exam table—one experience of that was quite enough for a lifetime!)
Rads confirmed no factures, but we could clearly see separation of the left elbow bones which should have been nestled against each other—see rads of both wings below and note the difference in the right and left elbows. Vet Peggy Hobby said this was likely a result of a torn tendon, which may or may not heal for flight.
Obviously, we’re giving him time to see how this plays out. He’ll be confined to “box rest” for a few weeks to so he can’t attempt to use the wing and do further damage. At least he’s lessened his attempts to damage me now that he’s getting fed regularly, so there’s that.
The morning the vulture went to the vet, yet another barred came in, this one from Bibb County. Since I was already headed to Smalley’s, I only did a cursory intake exam, noted blood under the right wing, and boxed him for transport. A proper exam and rads confirmed an open and badly displaced fracture, so he was humanely euthanized.
And the screech’s eye showed DRASTIC improvement last week, so he’s in the mini-pen now. He may still have limited vision in that eye, but his left eye is fine and he’s finding his food with no issues, so unless he has some soft tissue damage, he should be good for release pretty quickly. What a difference a week can make, right?!
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