PATIENT:  Great Horned Owl, #11-1970

LOCATION OF RESCUE:  Smyth County, Virginia

 CIRCUMSTANCE OF ADMISSION:   Likely hit by car

ADMISSION DATE:  August 11, 2011

OUTCOME:  Died August 13, 2011

On August 10, an injured Great Horned Owl was rescued from the side of the road in Smyth County, Virginia.  It was taken to permitted rehabilitators in Grayson County, who stabilized the bird’s fractured wing.  On August 11, Dr. Miranda Sadar was at Virginia Tech, consulting with board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Pickett — and so the rehabilitators drove the owl to Dr. Miranda in Blacksburg so that she could transport the bird back to the Center for treatment.

When she arrived back at the Center, Dr. Miranda examined the Great Horned Owl and found that it had a fractured humerus and ulna on its right wing.  Green bruising was noted on the owl’s wing — which means that the injury was not fresh and was likely a couple days old.   Blood was drawn for an emergency panel and revealed that the owl was anemic.  Dr. Miranda also noted a retinal scar in the owls’ right eye.  A course of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and pain medications were started; the owl also received fluids.  Radiographs were scheduled for the following day.

On the morning ofAugust 12, the owl was anesthetized for radiographs — so that the vets could better visualize the fracture sites.  After getting a clear picture of the fractures, they decided to take the bird to surgery — with the fracture already being a couple days old, Dr. Miranda didn’t want to delay. 

The total surgery time took about four hours.  During that time, Drs. Miranda and Adam placed a pin in the fractured humerus and another pin in the fractured ulna.  External fixators hold these pins in place.  After taking another quick set of radiographs to confirm pin placement, the bird was woken up from anesthesia and was placed in the Center’s critical care chamber to fully wake up and recover.

Post-surgical recovery is always a tricky time — the next 24 hours should be telling as to how the bird recovers from the prolonged anesthesia and surgery.  If all goes well, the Great Horned Owl will be recovering indoors for several weeks.

Post-surgical radiographs:

August 15 update

On the morning of Saturday, August 13, Dr. Adam checked on the Great Horned Owl.  He was greeted with a fair amount of beak snapping and clacking — in short, a pretty perky owl.  Sadly, later that afternoon the owl started to go downhill.  Dr. Adam moved the Great Horned Owl into the Center’s oxygen chamber, but the owl collapsed.  Despite intubating the bird and providing emergency treatment, they were unable able to revive the Great Horned Owl.

At the Wildlife Center, we treat to release.  Your donation will help support the Center’s life-saving work with this Great Horned Owl … and with 2,300 wild animals in need.