We lost the second Bald Eagle to ingested lead toxicity this year. The eagle was admitted Wednesday and died Thursday afternoon. The rapid screening test for avian influenza was negative, but his blood lead level was high, meaning it was above the level our LeadCare machine could read. We started chelation therapy immediately, but the eagle died 30 hours after he was admitted. This is why we encourage Lead FreeHunting and Fishing!
Momma Barn Owl and Eggs!!!
She wasn’t the greatest housekeeper, but this Barn Owl picked a very protected place to nest, until the owner wanted to do some remodeling.
Fortunately he was willing to wait for volunteers Kenny and Janie to drive to Outlook, WA and collect momma and her eggs. First they captured mom, then Janie collected the eggs.
Now momma owl and her eggs are safely in a nest box at BMW’s Tri-Cities Center. Michele candled the eggs and they all appear to be fertile. Good job everyone!
Two Great Horned Owls were admitted this past week. GHOW 23-009 tested positive for avian influenza and was humanely euthanized. Below is a photo of the positive FLUDETECT test strip. The rapid test is similar to an in-home COVID test and can be completed in 15 minutes. Although the test can sometimes result in a false positive, it is a useful screening tool for owls like 23-009 who are exhibiting symptoms of avian influenza.
We can use a more accurate PCR test for high risk species who are asymptomatic, but it requires sending the test sample to the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Corvallis at a cost of $80, as compared to the $10 cost of the rapid test.
GHOW 23-010 was struck by a vehicle on Interstate-84. His left eye was badly damaged and was not going to be functional. A one-eyed Great Horned Owl has a very poor prognosis for survival if released, so he was also euthanized. 23-010 tested negative for avian influenza so illness was not a factor in his injury
Western Screech Owl 22-423 Released
Tricia released another Screech Owl this past week. It received a head injury in a collision (with a window, a car or ????) on December 26, 2022. She released it in a park near where it had been found.
Pendleton Outfitters
A new business in town and a new podcast! And we are on Episode 1…
We had another quiet week at the Pendleton center which gave us time to put the finishing touches on the new Intake Center. Intern Casey brought his guitar when he traveled Pendleton. He’s a member of a band at Dartmouth College. Saturday we took him to Great Pacific Wine and Coffee Company so he could participate in the weekly jam session. BMW President Carl Scheeler and the other musicians all made Casey feel welcome.
Thank You Casey!
We have appreciated having intern Casey here these past few weeks. Although there were not a lot of patients in the clinic, he did see first hand the tragic effects of ingested lead toxicity in a Bald Eagle. Casey will return to Dartmouth College this week to complete his senior year. He is planning on taking a gap year off as he decides which Veterinary schools he will apply to.
For answers to questions you may have about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza scan the links at the bottom of the flyer…
We had a very quiet week at the Pendleton Center which gave us time to work on a Get The Lead Out rack card. Scroll down to see both sides of the card…
A Bald Eagle was found coated in mud and unable to fly in a feedlot near Hermiston. The initial exam found no injuries, but the eagle’s blood lead level was 105.7 micrograms/deciliter, a critical amount of lead. We administered IV fluids and the first dose of chelation (to lower the lead level) and then spent an hour bathing the eagle to remove the mud. The eagle died during the night. A rapid Avian Influenza test was negative. ODFW will confirm the eagle did not have influenza with a PCR test.
The eagle’s lethal lead level was likely caused by scavenging on a gut pile from a deer or elk that had been shot with lead ammunition. The hunter would have field dressed the animal, leaving the entrails and the part of the carcass damaged by the bullet. Lead is a relatively soft metal that fragments upon impact. It is also likely that there were lead fragments in the meat that the hunter took home for his/her family to eat.
There is no safe level of lead. Lead impacts the functioning of various organs, including nerves that effect coordination, decision making and learning. Young children are particularly susceptible to its effects. To protect both wildlife and humans, Hunt Lead Free.
Welcome Casey
We welcomed intern Casey two weeks ago. Casey is from Wisconsin and is a pre-veterinary major at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Dartmouth requires students to take a term off during their junior year in order to explore their interests. At BMW Casey has already had the opportunity to learn some of the aspects of veterinary care of birds and help with the finishing touches of the new Intake Center.
Release of Great Horned Owl 22-422
A Great Horned Owl was found on December 16, 2022 in Baker City, tangled in fishing line and hanging in a tree. Initially the owl had a droopy right wing. Once the swelling went down and he was able to start exercising, he was soon flying perfectly. Since we did not want the owl to re-encounter the fishing line, the decision was made to release him at Ladd March near La Grande. Tricia and Casey made the trip, and Casey released the owl…
