On August 15, a volunteer transporter brought Eastern Ratsnake #19-2127 back to its home range in Hanover County, Virginia. After being released, the snake slithered off into the undergrowth of a nearby wooded area; the initial rescuer said she was happy to have her “home”!
Photo courtesy of Cheryl Kirk:
The Center veterinary team received results from the necropsy and additional post-mortem diagnostics of Black Bear cub #19-1176 [Orange Tag]. The diagnosis: canine distemper.
On July 30, the Wildlife Center admitted a female Bobcat kitten from Floyd County, Virginia. The rescuer found the young bobcat inside a chicken coop and no adult bobcat was observed nearby.
Upon arrival to the hospital, the bobcat was bright, feisty, and growling. An initial examination revealed that the kitten was thin and dehydrated with ticks around her ears and eyes. Blood work, radiographs, and the rest of her physical exam were unremarkable. The veterinary team gave the bobcat fluids and sprayed her with a topical treatment for fleas and ticks.
Eastern Ratsnake #19-2127 has been healing well following surgery in mid-July; the snake has been eating in captivity, and by the second week of August, the incision site had fully healed. The staff took pre-release bloodwork and declared that the snake was ready for release; they’ll coordinate release with the snake’s rescuers so that the snake can return to its home range.
By August 1, Turkey Vulture #19-2282 had gained nearly 500 grams, and weighed in at 1.47 kg. On August 2, the veterinary team anesthetized the young bird for follow-up radiographs and blood work. No more metal objects were seen in the bird’s GI tract, indicating that the vulture had fully passed all of the suspected pieces of lead. A repeat lead test showed a level of 0.084 ppm – a low level no longer requiring treatment.
