- Admitted
- May 12, 2025
- Rescue Location
- Rockbridge, County
- Cause of Admission/Condition
- Found with paw trapped under boulder
- Status
- Former Patient
Last Updated Jump to patient updates
On May 12, the Center admitted Black Bear cub #25-1402 from Lexington, Virginia. The cub had been found with his paw trapped under a boulder, and based on a sighting of the cub on May 10, he may have been trapped for three days. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources biologists freed the cub and transported him to the Center for care.
On admission, the cub was bright and alert, weighing 4.36kg and using all four limbs. The veterinary team examined the cub under anesthesia and found that he was moderately dehydrated and had significant swelling on his right front paw, starting at the wrist and extending down to the toes. The wrist joint felt unstable on palpation, though radiographs did not show any obvious fractures or dislocations. Because the cub is young and his joints and bones have not fully ossified, the veterinary team plans to take repeat radiographs of the paw as he develops.
After the exam, the vet team administered fluids and started the cub on anti-inflammatories, a vasodilator to improve blood flow, and laser therapy to reduce inflammation in his injured paw. The cub's prognosis is currently guarded, as the swelling may be masking more serious damage to the cub's tendons or ligaments, and there is potential for long-term complications such as arthritis.
For now, the cub is resting in a zinger in the Large Mammal Isolation enclosure, where he can smell and hear the Center's other bear cub, #25-1199. Rehabilitation staff report that he is drinking and eating well. Due to his injured paw, the two cubs will be kept separate for the time being.
Patient Updates
On May 17, the rehabilitation team noted some concerning changes to Black Bear cub #25-1402's injured paw. The next morning, Dr. Karra, the Center’s Director of Veterinary Services, anesthetized the cub for an in-depth examination.
Unfortunately, Dr. Karra found that the cub’s front right paw had significantly deteriorated since admission. The paw had lost circulation to a large portion of tissue, and several of the digits were beginning to detach. The rapid decline was likely due to pressure necrosis—a condition that occurs when tissue is compressed between a hard surface and underlying bone for an extended period, or when there is prolonged swelling. This sustained pressure can restrict blood flow, leading to tissue ischemia and, ultimately, cell death.
Sadly, the damage to the cub's paw was irreversible, and without a foot for climbing, foraging, and other essential natural behaviors, he would not have been able to survive in the wild. The veterinary team had to make the difficult decision to humanely euthanize the cub.