Thanks for the Memories: The Ring-billed Gull Rescue

Dr. Kim Everson and CVT Tim Kneeland providing
emergency care for a juvenile ring-billed gull.

Months ago my staff captured these images as an exciting wildlife rescue case unfolded in our veterinary clinic. As with too many things in life, I procrastinated writing my blog post about it because I'd have more time tomorrow. Nearly six months have gone by. That hot August day seems like an unreal dream as sturgeon spearers sit above 30" of ice on a sunny but brittle February day. Yet, now is the perfect time to reflect on "Peter" the fish-hook gull as, with a mixture of sadness and anticipation, we say farewell and good luck to Tim Kneeland, CVT, who soon begins a new chapter in his veterinary technician career.

The morning of Tim's interview, the first ever employee of St. Bernard's Animal Medical Center (!), we were to meet at New Moon Cafe in Oshkosh. Tim was running a bit late, which doesn't bode well for an interviewee but turns out to be highly unusual for him. When he arrived, he was flush with excitement and informed me that a pair of peregrine falcons were nesting nearby and he had been watching for them as part of his volunteer work with Aves Wildlife Alliance. As I had driven to the cafe earlier I had noted an unusual looking bird of prey soaring over UW Oshkosh's high rise dormitories, and thus Tim and I shared our first Aves moment.

Tim's interest in wildlife rehabilitation influenced our veterinary clinic caseload in fascinating ways. To be honest, handling calls from concerned citizens about injured wildlife is a bit unnerving. There are strict rules and regulations regarding which animals can be rehabilitated, who can provide care, where and for how long. Tim became a sort of wildlife ambassador, EMT and ambulance, sorting through the red tape then helping to assess and stabilize various birds and even a baby squirrel before transporting them to Aves Wildlife Alliance in Neenah for continued care.

Removing fishing lure hooks from the gull's nares (nostril).

On a hot August day in 2013, a Wisconsin DNR agent brought us an injured gull found near a Fond du Lac business. As we assessed the bird, Tim drilled into us that it was not a "sea gull" but a ring-billed gull. I had never thought of gulls as anything other than "sea gull" but now I am very conscious of how I refer to gulls! This particular juvenile ring-billed gull--christened "Peter" by veterinary assistant Ashley--had the misfortune of becoming hooked by a fishing lure through its beak and in several places in one wing. It was mildly dehydrated and also had several small scrapes and abrasions from struggling to undo itself.

Administering SQ fluids in the inguinal space (groin).

After determining the extent of its injuries, we consulted with Rebekah Weiss, founder of Aves Wildlife Alliance, who approved the treatment plan. With Tim safely restraining the gull, I used my trusty pink needle-nose pliers to extract the lure hooks from the gull's wing first and then its right nares (e.g., nostril). Ouch! There just is no great way to remove multi-barbed fishing hooks from living tissue. Luckily the hooks weren't buried very deeply, and the young gull tolerated treatment incredibly well. It immediately appeared relieved and more relaxed after the lure was removed.

Next we administered fluids to offset dehydration by injecting a balanced electrolyte solution into its inguinal space (i.e., the "groin" if birds can be said to have such a thing!). We administered a dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory orally then left the bird to rest in a quiet, dark place. After work that day, Tim transported the gull to Aves for a week of recovery and supportive care. Fortunately, the gull's wounds healed well, leaving no permanent damage that would impede flight and survival in the wild.

"Peter" the ring-billed gull takes flight over Lake Winnebago.

On August 27th, Tim brought the gull home to Lake Winnebago for release. One of the prettiest pictures I've ever seen is this bird taking flight after its rescue and rehabilitation.

As we say farewell to Tim, I find this image of restored flight imprinted on my memories of hours and hours of shared experiences, challenges and learning leaving me simultaneously nostalgic and hopeful.

Thank you, Tim Kneeland, CVT, for your service and dedication to St. Bernard's Animal Medical Center. We wish you continued success in your career!

A Veterinarian's Lesson to her Children: "Do Not Ever Pet Wild Animals"

We had just finished an impromptu cook-out with some college friends on their way home from visiting family for Father's Day. The men had taken the troupe of seven kids on a short walk around the farmland. I was in the kitchen chatting with my friend and packing lunches for my kids' first day of summer "enrichment" school. It had been a noisy evening. Seven children under age eleven bickering, whining, laughing, crying, and showing off with the adults' voices escalating to converse over the top of them. Suddenly, in the farmyard, a new sound met our trained mother-ears: shrill screams of excited fear overridden by the two dads' scolding in an oddly harsh, desperate tone. 

A cute but unhealthy and abnormal acting raccoon kit

We rushed to the window, our hearts in our throats. The little girls ran up to us chirping, "A baby raccoon! A baby raccoon!" Puzzled about the drama unfolding outside, we joined the raccoon's entourage. Kids ran pell-mell around the driveway, shouting and pointing, daring each other to get close to the wild creature hiding among the rocks and weeds in front of the playhouse. As I listened and watched, it became clear that the youngest of my brood, my fearless three-year-old, had been reaching out to pet the baby raccoon prompting the fathers' commanding shouts earlier.

With the kids at a safe distance, I approached the baby raccoon and evaluated it from afar. As the kids chanted "it's so cute" in the background, I listed off my concerns. First, it was barely moving. Paralyzed with fear? Fear can make dogs, for example, appear to move in slow motion as if they are sleepy. But this raccoon barely seemed aware of our presence, as loud as we were. Next, its third eyelids (nictitating membranes) were elevated from the inside corners of both eyes, practically obscuring its eyeballs. Elevated third eyelids in my dog and cat patients frequently indicate serious illness and discomfort. Finally, we've never seen a raccoon in the farmyard or even evidence of one since we've inhabited the buildings here. A wild animal hanging out in a high activity area crawling with people and dogs--even an inexperienced youngster--is probably sick, possibly rabid.

It being mid-June, this raccoon kit should still be living with his mother and littermates. The juveniles do not become independent until the fall. Was this kit's mother one of the countless roadkill raccoon that populate Wisconsin highways? Did she die of distemper virus, a frequent cause of death in North American raccoon that can reach epidemic proportions wiping out large numbers of animals? Perhaps this kit is likewise affected and showing the neurological symptoms. Incidentally, the distemper virus that kills raccoon is the same distemper virus that all puppies and dogs should be vaccinated against. It is the same virus, it is just as lethal in dogs as in the raccoon, and as long as it exists in the raccoon population it remains a threat to our canines.

After observing the creature and debating our options (by the way, as cute as it is, the raccoon is not commonly accepted for wildlife rehabilitation for a variety of reasons), I decided humane euthanasia was the kindest ending for the kit and the safest for my human and canine family (and friends). 

Once the raccoon had been put out of its misery, we had a fervent and frank discussion with the staring children. My eldest two had heard this speech many times before, but I had unfortunately never gotten around to telling my preschooler. "Never, never, ever touch a wild animal. If it lets you get close enough to touch it it is probably very sick and might bite or scratch you. It might have a terrible disease called rabies that can kill you." Grave nods all around. How much of this do they even understand, I wonder. "But if you forget," I add gently, "If you someday forget and do touch a wild animal, it is very important that you tell a grown up right away." Even though I regret I failed to prepare my youngest child for this unusual scenario, after tonight I guarantee there are seven Wisconsin kids who won't easily forget the lesson learned first-hand.

It's Not a Deterrent, It's a Medieval Torture Chamber

My first and only exposure to "sticky mouse traps" was years ago, during my first week as a veterinarian. A distraught woman rushed into the clinic and presented me with a palm-sized square plastic tray with a little sparrow stuck to the adhesive, its feathered breast heaving in panic. The sticky trap had been placed in a garage, its intended target invading mice. The hapless bird had wandered onto the insanely sticky trap and been unable to wander off.

With the delicate precision of a surgeon, I painstakingly pried individual feathers and fluff from the glue. Unfortunately, but as intended by the trap's design, the more the bird struggled in its effort to escape not only the trap but also me, the more of its surface area became firmly attached to the glue. The desperate struggle (also part of the trap's design) was killing the fragile little bird by exhaustion as surely as the inescapable glue would eventually lead to deadly dehydration and starvation. It eventually became clear that the only good option for this little sparrow was a rapid and humane death by injection of euthanasia solution.

It was a sad end for the sparrow, but I could not help but think even then what a medieval torture chamber the sticky trap must be for the intended victim -- the rodent. To become hopelessly entangled in glue, uselessly struggling for escape, finally dying after hours or days from exhaustion and dehydration -- what a horrible death even for a rodent pest! 


And now I have learned from Aves Wildlife Alliance that my sparrow-sticky trap experience is not unique to me. In fact, sticky traps are marketed as a humane bird deterrent. Not death trap....deterrent. There are plenty of good reasons to want to deter birds and rodents from the home, but as with anti-coagulant poisons, it is becoming increasingly obvious that we must think beyond the intended target of our pest deterrents and traps to innocent bystanders such as pets and wildlife.

What follows is a blog by Rebekah Weiss of Aves Wildlife Alliance on the dangers of sticky traps for birds. We can't get away from pest deterrents, but we can choose humane deterrents.

For the Birds…or Maybe Not

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Rebekah

During the spring and summer seasons many of our bird friends are very busy building nests.  Sometimes our porches, light fixtures and outdoor decorations can be as appealing to bird families as the neighboring trees.  If you don’t mind using your back door for a couple of weeks you can enjoy watching the busy pair build their nest, lay eggs and raise their young.  If you would rather they not take up residence under your roof, there are a variety of ways to let the nest builders know your house is not open for birdy renters.

Please avoid Bird Repellent Gels, Pastes or Sticky Strips.  These products are marketed as non-toxic and safe for birds.  Here is an excerpt from one product, “A non-toxic, tacky bird repellent gel.  Can be used on ledges, sills, beams, rafters, signs, statues and hundreds of other outdoor surfaces to prevent pest birds from roosting. The gel does not harm birds – it simply makes surfaces uncomfortable, intimidating and uninviting.”  The reality is these products are not safe and do cause often deadly harm to the unsuspecting birds.  The sticky material coats the bird’s feet and any feathers it comes in contact with.  Small birds often struggle to the point of exhaustion to free themselves while larger birds may lose their ability to fly as a result of the glue on their feathers.  Despite what the label says, these products harm birds and are not safe!

This adult Eastern Screech Owl landed on a surface coated with one of these bird repellent gels.  He could not open his wings or his feet and would have likely starved had he not been found by a concerned home owner.  This little owl will be at the Aves hospital for several weeks while he molts out the sticky feathers and grows in new.

Bird Safe Alternatives:

Wedge a tennis ball or two in between the house and your outdoor light fixtures to keep your lights bird nest free.

Use ½ x ½ inch hardware cloth to close off any openings along the soffits, eves or under open porches of your house.

Use an angled piece of cardboard over ledges.

These items can be safely removed when the pair takes up residence elsewhere and does not cause any damage to your home or to the birds.

Squirrel! A Wildlife Rescue Case

A little while back, my clinic got a call from a concerned citizen regarding a grey squirrel. This little squirrel kept following the female caller into her house! Every time the woman returned the young squirrel outside, he'd scurry right back into the house after her. Was he sick? Was he hungry? Or worse, did he think she was his mother?!

The beleaguered squirrel lady offered the little guy some food and drink based on her internet research of what would acceptable for a squirrel. (Although motivated by good intentions, this was a risky move which could have caused more harm than good for the young hungry animal. Please see below.) Next she attempted to locate a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator. By the wonders of Google and S.E.O., her search led her to St. Bernard's Animal Medical Center, not a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center, but a reasonable starting place for a citizen with a sick or injured wild animal.

Veterinarian Kim Everson examines a juvenile grey squirrel
before he is transferred to Wisconsin wildlife rehab
center Aves Wildlife Alliance for care.

According to Wisconsin state law, general practice veterinarians such as myself are allowed to provide emergency care for wildlife species, but within 24 hours of rescue the animal must be transferred to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Working with Aves Wildlife Alliance, CVT and licensed rehabilitator Tim Kneeland and I assessed the juvenile squirrel when it arrived at the clinic.

Although mildly dehydrated, hungry and ridden with fleas, the little squirrel appeared to be in pretty good shape. After we had addressed his mild dehydration, we kept him in a quiet, comfortable area away from the domestic animals until Tim could transport him to Aves for further care that afternoon. According to Beka Weiss of Aves, the young squirrel made a full recovery and is expected to transition successfully back to nature.

There are several important lessons from this wildlife rescue case.

1. One of our initial concerns was had this squirrel imprinted on people because it had been improperly handled as a baby? All too commonly a well-meaning person will find a young animal alone and incorrectly assume that is has been orphaned and requires human care. Please refer to the Wisconsin DNR website for information on "orphaned" wildlife. Not only is it illegal in many parts of the world to care for wildlife without a permit, but such interactions can also cause harm to the animal as well as humans and domestic animals.

2. Feeding a wild animal, especially one that is malnourished, requires a lot of skill and care. BEWARE internet recipes for feeding wild animals. Feeding a wild animal pet food, human food or even a bowl of milk can have dire consequences for the creature! Any website that suggests offering anything more than a shallow dish of water or human infant electrolyte solution should be considered suspect. Moreover, a starving animal must be handled with utmost care by wildlife experts to avoid "refeeding syndrome" which can cause serious metabolic and electrolyte imbalances.

3. This little squirrel was crawling with fleas, and fleas are not particularly picky about their furry mammal hosts. The woman whose home was invaded numerous times by this persistent young creature needed to treat her dog and clean her home due to the flea exposure. Wild animals can carry far worse parasites and diseases than fleas, so when in doubt a hands-off approach is the safest.

Albeit adorable, the juvenile squirrel caused quite a commotion following his odd decision to buddy up with a human. Fortunately for him, the human he chose knew enough to seek immediate professional assistance for his care. There are many resources out there regarding wildlife rescue on the World Wide Web. The trick is finding the right resource. A good place to start is your state department of natural resources website.

Of Mice and Mayhem: A Rodenticide Story

An urgent call comes in late one afternoon.

"My dog just ate rat poison! What do I do?"

In my experience as veterinarian and pet owner, rodenticide ingestion is a pretty common problem. My own dogs once discovered an unknown stash of warfarin pellets, ate it and then, before I could clean it up, ate the pile I made them vomit up. Geniuses. All of us.

Veterinarians field this type of call regularly. If the case involves a typical poison and is caught early, prognosis is very good with aggressive treatment. This time, however, the owner's next utterance stopped me cold.

"It's bromethalin."

Not a warfarin-type rodenticide, I thought to myself. Oh boy. And the packaging instructed not to induce vomiting, often our first line of defense in cases like this.

"I want you to hang up and call Animal Poison Control at 1-888-426-4435 and explain the situation," I instructed. "They will give you a case number for Rosco so we can handle this exactly right on our end. In the mean time, I will look into this particular rodenticide as well and call you back shortly."

Bruising on gums caused by
anti-coagulant rodenticide toxicity

As I feared, bromethalin is handled nothing like warfarin. Warfarin is an anti-coagulant that was developed for use as a rat poison by University of Wisconsin chemists in the 1940s. (It is now also widely used as an anti-clotting medication in people!) Warfarin interferes with the liver's ability to make clotting factors. Without vitamin K supplementation, affected animals bleed to death from internal and/or external bleeding. It may take one to five days before clotting problems start, but if a pet is caught in the act of eating a warfarin rodenticide, treatment begins immediately and most pets (like mine) recover uneventfully.

Mankind keeps trying to invent a better mousetrap, or in this case, rodenticide. There are multiple chemical offspring of warfarin which are more potent and require longer vitamin K supplementation, but bromethalin is in a class all its own. Invented when rats became resistant to warfarin, bromethalin causes swelling within the brain and spinal cord leading to depression, stumbling, paralysis, seizures, coma and death. Unlike warfarin's vitamin K, there is no specific antidote for bromethalin toxicity. Prognosis is pretty grim, especially if pets are already showing symptoms when diagnosed.

Dog hunts rodents in his backyard

Luckily it was determined that Rosco did not ingest enough of the bromethalin brick for it to cause toxicity. The owners were told to watch Rosco closely and bring him in to the clinic for supportive care if he showed any neurological symptoms.  I'm glad to report that Rosco has had no signs of toxicity since the incident! Unfortunately, the owners now face the daunting task of locating untold numbers of bromethalin bricks buried in their backyard. In their war against the rodents invading their basement, this family has unwittingly become trapped inside a veritable mine field of deadly rodenticide bricks.

Dead hawk resulting from rodenticide toxicity

Rodenticide toxicity is not just a problem for pets. Just as mercury "bioaccumulates" in marine food chains making it dangerous for people to eat too much of certain fish from certain waters, rodenticides affect large birds of prey such as red tail hawks. These predators eat affected rodents (easy pickin' because they're sick) and over time the toxins make the birds very sick. Rodenticide poisoning and death among unintended wildlife victims is a disastrous consequence of our efforts to control rodents using increasingly potent chemicals. Just as strychnine use in Wisconsin requires special permitting because of its potential to harm non-target animals, there are many who would like to see tighter controls on modern heavy-hitting rodenticides as well. If you must use a chemical means to control rodents, please follow the package directions carefully to limit the poison's impact on non-target creatures.