Bald Eagle #13-1740

Species Name (EN): 
Species Name (LA): 
Admission Date: 
July 3, 2013
Location of Rescue: 
Northumberland County, Virginia
Cause of Admission / Condition: 
Covered in tarry substance
Prognosis: 
Outcome: 
Died July 10, 2013
Patient Status: 
Patient Archive

On July 2, a young Bald Eagle was found down on the ground in Reedville, Virginia. Animal control officer Kevin Keeve rescued the bird and took it to permitted rehabilitator Diana O’Connor. The eagle was covered in a sticky, tarry substance – most of its flight feathers, body feathers, and tail feathers were completely covered. Diana bathed the bird twice to remove the substance, but was very worried about the young eaglet’s stress level. Volunteer transporter Linnie was called to make the long drive with the eaglet to the Wildlife Center.

Admitted as patient #13-1740, the Bald Eagle was quiet upon arrival. Dr. Dana Tedesco, the Center’s veterinary intern, examined the bird when it arrived. Other than the obvious (but unidentified) tarry substance on the eagle, Dr. Dana found the young bird to be thin and dehydrated. Because of the long drive and stressful situation, Dr. Dana simply rehydrated and tube-fed the bird on the afternoon of July 3.

On July 4, Dr. Dana and Dr Kristin, the Center’s new veterinary intern, plan to sedate the eaglet to bathe it. They will first pre-treat the substance with canola oil and then will bathe the eagle in multiple tubs of a diluted Dawn dish soap solution.

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Updates

July 11, 2013

On the morning of July 10, Bald Eagle #13-1740 was found dead in its enclosure in the Center’s holding room. The veterinary staff were quite surprised; the eagle had been eating well and was bright and alert the day before. Dr. Rich performed a necropsy on the bird; he found several issues, though none conclusively points to a cause of death. The eagle’s lungs showed signs of hemorrhaging, and both kidneys were abnormal. Results from blood work sent to an outside laboratory revealed an increased liver value as well as a low red blood cell count.

The team knew that the eagle was very thin; necropsy results revealed no fat on the bird’s body. Based on all of the findings, Dr. Rich feels that the young bird was already doing poorly before it was covered in the sticky, unidentified substance and was not in peak physical condition to handle the stress of the contamination, capture, captivity, and treatment. While the team cannot completely rule out secondary issues caused by the sticky substance, the eagle was not showing any respiratory distress [suggesting it likely was not affected by inhaling fumes], and its gastrointestinal tract was within normal limits.
  

July 8, 2013

On July 6, the veterinary team bathed Bald Eagle #13-1740 again. A series of three baths was set up in the Center’s treatment room; the “bath team” quickly moved the young eagle through the three baths and then carefully rinsed the bird in the Center’s treatment room tub. The following day, the team assessed the eaglet when it was fully dry; Dr. Rich is pleased with the current state of the bird’s feathers.

The eaglet is eating well and is scheduled for additional blood work this week. The staff hope to soon move the eagle into an outdoor pen.

 

July 5, 2013

Dr. Dana was quite pleased to see some fluffy feathers on Bald Eagle #13-1740 on the morning of July 5. The eagle did well in the critical care chamber overnight, and it’s clear that the bathing did wonders for the eagle’s feathers. Dr. Dana recommends another shorter round of baths again sometime in the next few days to continue to remove the residue on the bird’s feathers; Dr. Dana thinks that likely a short three-bath series will likely do the trick.

The eaglet has been receiving two tube-feedings a day; the rehabilitation staff will offer a diet of skinned, chopped food on the evening of July 5.


July 4, 2013

On the afternoon of July 4, Drs. Dana and Kristin, as well as diagnostic intern Kelli, set up a series of diluted Dawn dish soap baths for Bald Eagle #13-1740. Six tubs were set up in the Center’s treatment room. Dr. Dana placed a hood over the sedated bird’s eyes, and carefully wrapped the eagle’s talons with vet wrap, to help keep the scrubbing team safe during the bathing process. Dr. Dana restrained the eaglet and lowered it into the first tub while Dr. Kristin and Kelli scrubbed quickly. After just a few minutes in the first bath, the eagle was moved to the second tub. Dr. Dana reported that the water became less dirty and contaminated by the time the eagle reached the sixth bath, but likely the entire process would need to be repeated on a different day.

The eagle was carefully rinsed and toweled dry before it was placed in the Center’s critical care chamber.

Bald Eagle #13-1740

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