Subject: Sick Eagle
Date: Jul 14 23:57:47 1999
From: d.mcreynolds at att.net - d.mcreynolds at att.net


Jerry and Sandy,

I'm so glad to hear that you tried to help that eagle.
A lot of people would be too afraid to handle it, or
would assume that it will just die anyway so why
bother. Sounds like you have a good vet. Don't be too
disappointed if the eagle doesn't make it. I've seen a
few of these cases when I volunteered at the Woodland
Park Zoo, and if the bird didn't struggle much when
captured, it was probably pretty sick. Frounce can be
difficult to treat in relatively healthy birds, so add
dehydration and starvation on top of that and you've got
a pretty tough case. Don't lose hope though. You never
know. Keep me posted. I love hearing these stories,
particularly if the rehab is successful. Thanks for
trying!

Deana McReynolds, DVM
> Yesterday was quite a new experience for me. My neighbor came
> over in the afternoon and said there was a eagle on the ground
> and he walked within 6 feet of it.
>
> He had been out looking for new species of flowers to ID when
> he saw the bird. I was not sure what to do so I grabbed my
> camera and went with him. The location was about 15 miles
> South of Grand Coulee. When I saw the bird I took a deep
> breath, it was a first year GOLDEN EAGLE. It was obvious that
> it was sick and or starving. It staggered around and would not
> fly. We came back home and I made a few calls and found out
> that there is a Vet. in Oak that is a Rehabber.
>
> We went back to the location armed with spray bottle (to cool
> the bird), sugar water, (energy boost), a couple army
> blankets, welding gloves, and some not-so-sticky electrical
> tape to wrap the talons.
>
> The area is quite wet and muddy and the first trip I was
> sinking up to my knees in mud. When we got there the second
> time and I located the eagle I grabbed a blanket and ran
> across the mud and didn't sink in. Wow!---No I didn't try it
> on water. As soon as the blanket went over the bird it didn't
> move. We were able to wrap its feet, cool it down with the
> spray bottle and gave it a good shot of sugar water with one
> of those basting things. When we got it back home Sandy had
> some strips of raw chicken ready and we had to poke them down.
>
> I called one person who is a falconer and told him the
> symptoms: Bad breath, fatty tissue in the throat, scaly
> tongue, two lumps under the lower mandible and the breast bone
> was very protruded. He said it sounded like "frounce". When we
> got the bird to the vet. in Omak she took a smear and
> confirmed that is was indeed Trichomoniasis (frounce or
> canker). It is a disease that raptors can get from eating
> starling and pigeons that carry the disease. It closes the
> esophagus and the bird will starve to death. It is treatable
> if caught in time. Last night the vet. gave it some pills
> (Flagyl/Mitronidayoll) and three BIG syringes full of some
> pureed chicken, baby food. I called her this evening and the
> eagle is still alive. It is still touch and go.
>
> She wants to get some better medication but has to buy 100
> pills and she only needs one. She is very dedicated to helping
> this bird and is doing it at her own expense.
>
> Final note. Sandy was driving and I was holding the bird on
> my lap, about halfway there I realized that it had worked its
> feet out of the tape! It made me a LITTLE nervous knowing that
> those HUGE talons were right there on my legs. It just sat
> there the whole trip. Maybe it new we were trying to help it.
> :-)
>
> Arrived back home at 11:10 pm
>
> Jerry and Sandy Converse
> Grand Coulee, WA
>
> http://members.tripod.com/nature_scenic_photos/
>
> Never be afraid to try something new.
> Remember, amateurs built the Ark and
> Professionals built the Titanic.