Patient of the Week
All proceeds from Steve Irwin Day go into projects such as the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Australian Wildlife Hospital.
The Australian Wildlife Hospital treats thousands of injured animals each year. Sadly, many of them don’t make it back to the wild. The lucky ones make a full recovery and go on to live happy and healthy lives in their natural habitat. These are their stories…
Chance the Brown Goshawk
Earlier this month, the Australia Zoo Rescue Unit received a call for help from the staff at RSL Care Buderim regarding an injured brown goshawk. The bird was discovered lying on a third floor veranda and appeared to be extremely unwell, so he was rushed to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for emergency veterinary treatment.
Dr Tania assessed the brown goshawk, who had now been named Chance; his condition was so poor he was unable to even stand. Firstly, a breathing mask was placed over Chance's face to allow him to inhale a mixture of Isoflurane anaesthetic gas and oxygen so he would fall asleep. Once Chance was asleep Dr Tania was able to intubate him and begin the assessment, which revealed his oral cavity (mouth) and trachea (wind pipe) were full of blood. He also had severe bruising and a hematoma (build-up of leaked blood) on the right jugular (a large vein that returns blood to the heart from the head and neck). It was an intense time for the veterinary team, as twice while under anaesthetic Chance's heart stopped beating and he had to be revived with an injection of adrenaline; fortunately he responded each time. Once Dr Tania had stabilised Chance she was able to take x-rays which revealed haemorrhaging in the thoracic (chest) cavity, but fortunately no fractures which was positive. Dr Tania gave Chance sub-cutaneous fluids, plus pain relief, anti-inflammatories and then IV fluids, and he was set up in the Hospital's Bird ICU to rest for the next 24 hours.
The next day on reassessment Chance was actually perching, which was amazing after being critical twenty-four hours earlier. He still had his right eye closed but his overall condition was improving, and so Dr Tania requested the nurses begin force-feeding Chance twice daily. Four days after being admitted Chance was eating on his own and starting to fly short distances. Dr Tania was very pleased with his progress and requested Chance be moved to a larger intensive care enclosure complete with branches and foliage to allow him to feel secure. Eleven days after arriving at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in critical condition, Chance is now displaying normal raptor behaviour. Dr Tania has made the decision to transfer Chance to Currumbin Sanctuary's large flight aviary where he can regain his flight strength and fitness, prior to release back in the Buderim area.
Brown goshawk are by nature shy and secretive birds; they will sit quietly amongst a tree's foliage and then emerge to ambush their prey, which might be a bird, small mammal, reptile or even a large insect. They will then return to a sheltered tree branch and begin to pluck out all the fur or feathers before feeding on the body.
View previous Patients of the Week at http://www.australiazoo.com.au/conservation/wildlife-warriors/patient-of-the-week/
