From Cape Wildlife Center
Screeching for joy this week as we nurse this adorable little friend back to health!
This adult Eastern Screech Owl (I know, hard to believe with how precious and small they are!) was brought to our Weymouth hospital by Natural Resource Officer Josh Kimball with Cohasset Police Department, Cohasset MA Animal Control after it was witnessed falling from a tree. At first glance it was clear there was something troubling her left wing as she was unable to hold it to her body and it was dragging by her side. Our team performed a full examination including radiographs to see the extent of the injury. When we looked at the radiograph we could not BELIEVE our eyes. The broken bones in the wing were so displaced we couldn’t believe the wing was still attached. Knowing what kind of muscle and nerve damage was also present we knew this was probably going to have a poor prognosis…
But we had to give it a try…so that’s exactly what we did.
She was sedated for surgery and closely monitored by our CVTS while Dr. Patel got to work repairing her fracture. She placed intramedullary pins and an external fixator to stabilize the fracture as it heals (after photo below). The surgery was challenging because this patient was SMALL we had to use spinal needles as pins. Where there is a will there’s a way and this screech owl and our team sure have will.The surgery went beautifully and she is recovering amazingly! She is receiving multiple pain medications, antiinflammatories, and fluid therapy to keep her comfortable. With this fracture stabilized it’s now a waiting game to see how the muscles and nerves heal and if she’ll have full function again in the wing. We are doing everything we can for this little patient but she could sure use some healing thoughts sent her way!
Before and After X-ray
I get sad seeing these guys get hurt, but it’s always so amazing when they have success with cases like this where I feel there’s no way they can do anything. I’m very cautious which injury stories I share, as even some promising ones turn very rapidly negative, but the ones I do share I think really highlight both the strength and endurance of both the owls and the humans that try to help them. It can’t be easy every day spending so much time trying to save them while so many are unsaveable, but they keep donating time and resources to save every one they can.
I agree, I appreciate you sharing the stories, it really does highlight what goes into protecting these owls.