On May 24, a Black Bear cub was found by the side of the road in Highland County. The Department of Game & Inland Fisheries responded to the scene and were able to capture and transport the bear to the Wildlife Center.
Upon admission, Dr. Monica examined the small cub. There was blood coming from one of the bear’s hind legs; Dr. Monica found a significant laceration on the female cub’s back left leg, with exposed and ruptured muscle. Radiographs revealed fractures of the left tibia and femur. Blood work and a skin scraping were within normal limits. The bear weighed 2.18 kg.
Dr. Monica cleaned the wound carefully and applied a temporary splint on the bear’s broken leg to keep it stabilized for a few days. Fortunately, the fractures are fairly well-aligned, so the Wildlife Center veterinary team will opt for conservative management rather than surgery. During the next two days, the team will carefully craft a custom-made splint for the bear’s leg that can be left on as the fractured bones heal.
The bear received pain medications, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatories. The cub was placed in an oxygen cage for respiratory support.